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Spring/Summer 2011wilkinsburg news

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“For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Read the 2011 Spring/Summber Issue of 'The Well' -- Download .pdf

The Well - Spring/Summer 2011

A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

What is it about kindness? Receiving it can brighten the darkest of days, giving it can bring a warm glow to the heart and simply seeing it happen can put a smile where a frown was previously.

It is springtime once more and our minds go to spring-cleaning our homes. Perhaps we should be doing some spiritual spring-cleaning as well. You know, as a child one of my favorite stories was “The Water Babies” by Rev. Charles Kingsley. One of the characters was called Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby. She was there to remind everyone to treat people kindly, as they would like to be treated themselves. Perhaps we all need a Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby in our daily lives to remind us to be kinder to people we meet and maybe there would be more LOVE instead of FEAR/HATE in the world. In this issue we'll be taking the opportunity to thank those generous individuals and organizations in the community who have supported WCM in the past year and helped us spread love and caring to those in need.

The end of the year 2010 was a busy time and we had a good turnout for the distribution of Thanksgiving and Christmas bags. After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we started 2011 slowly, but have picked up the pace and are running at full speed ahead once more. WCM has become the umbrella agency for the Ministerium's new venture called “The Sanctuary Project”. This is an outreach program for at-risk youth in our community. Our kick-off event was held on Saturday, May 21 and it was a big success. We gave away free refreshments, and free photographs with games and prizes. Information was also provided to the youth and their families regarding what activities/events will be available for youth to participate in this summer. We are now preparing for our Summer Program, which will feed the youth during the summer months.

While spring and summer bring green grass and the blossoms of beautiful flowers for most of us, it has also brought horrendous tornadoes and flooding to many parts of this country. I urge everyone to remember the victims of these natural disasters in your daily prayers.

I would like to say THANK YOU to all involved with the agency – The Board, Staff, volunteers and donors for a job WELL DONE!!

Blessings,
Ann


HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR ‘SERVICES FOR SENIORS’ PROGRAM

March was national Senior Hunger Awareness month, which is sponsored by the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). As part of this effort to make communities aware of senior hunger, Mayor John Thompson, along with Fire Chief Owen Macafee, Eric Fithyan (Board member), students from Forbes Road GED program who decorated our meal bags and our wonderful MOW volunteers all met at Life Care hospital’s new coffee shop before delivering meals on Wednesday, March 23. We thank our local leaders for stepping up to the plate and joining our mission to end senior hunger and to MOWAA for giving us this opportunity.


Volunteers honored at Special Luncheon

Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we have delivered 4,025 meals so far this year, and a total of 12,336 meals in 2010. We held a Volunteer Appreciation Lunch on Wednesday, April 27 at Panera Bread in Wilkins Township. Door prizes and certificates were given out along with our THANKS for a job well done. Thanks to Marcia Haley, our Meals on Wheels volunteer coordinator for planning a great day.

The WCM Meals on Wheels (MOW) Program provides a hot meal to more than 60 Wilkinsburg residents who aren’t able to prepare a meal on their own. Every weekday of the year, 30+ volunteers deliver meals – and a warm greeting – to very grateful consumers. And every once in a while, they are called upon to do even more.

Last month a volunteer encountered an “even more” situation. When she rang the doorbell and then knocked on the door, a weak voice said: “come in. “ The voice came from the consumer, who was lying on the floor. She had fallen at 5AM and was unable to summon help. So six plus hours later, help, in the form of our volunteer arrived.

The woman just wanted to be picked up, but the volunteer explained that she couldn’t assist in that way. She might injure either or both of them. Instead, the volunteer called 911, got water for her and made her comfortable. After the EMS arrived, the volunteer contacted Anita McKeithen, Meals on Wheels Manager, who, on learning of the accident, immediately contacted the consumer’s family. They were so appreciative of the assistance that WCM – MOW program had provided.

From throwing salt on icy steps, picking up and handing in newspapers or mail, retrieving a dropped item, or chatting a moment about the latest news, MOW Volunteers daily provide a kind, smiling face, a hot meal, and, on some occasions, even more! If you’d like to volunteer to make a difference in someone’s life, please contact Anita McKeithen at 412-241-8072.


SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS HELP MEET ON-GOING LOCAL NEEDS

WCM’s walk-through program continues to be very busy on Wednesdays and Friday. The food pantry provides bread, sweets and cans of soup to an average of 15 to 20 families each day. The WCM Food Bank will service the East Hills, Swissvale and Homewood with approval of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. They can be reached at 412-460-3663.

See the latest Angel Food monthly menu.

 

Utility Assistance:

With help from the Dollar Energy Fund, 260 applications were processed by WCM. The total amount of grant money paid for this agency was $96,417.00.

Applications processed were for the following utility companies: Duquesne Light – off only. Equitable Gas – closed. Columbia Gas – open. Peoples Gas – open.

Applications received: 270. Applications processed: 268 (2 pending). Average process time: 1.10 days


YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER

Please consider making a new or additional contribution to WCM at this time. Please send your tax-deductible contribution to WCM, 708 Wood St., Pittsburgh, PA 15221.

WCM also participates in the Contributor Choice program of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. To designate WCM at work, simply fill in part D-1 of your pledge form. Our agency code is 242. Please see our donate page for more information.

You can also make a contribution with a credit card or PayPal account here.


 

 
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