At the Center of It All

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Divorce And Your Credit

2011-04-21T16:17:00.001-04:00

As unfortunate as divorce can be, it is a large factor in many of the financial crises brought to the office of our Housing Counselors. More than one divorcee has sat before Diann and pleaded ignorance about how the seperation of marital property and debt did not mean a seperation of what is reported on a credit report.

A judge may rule "Husband A" responsible for the primary mortgage and home equity loan payment and "Wife B" legally obligated to pay the car payment. However, until "Husband A" or "Wife B" refinance or pay off the debt completely and eliminate "Wife A" and "Husband B" out of all financial commitment by taking them out of the situation, any delinquinces will show up on the credit reports of all the parties involved. (Not much of a "party" huh?)

Understand your divorce decree and how the financial shortfalls of your ex-spouse can still affect YOUR credit, long after the final papers have been signed. The Federal Trade Commission has a great fact sheet I reccommend you check out, Credit and Divorce.

Here are some other facts and advice that I found:

How Will My Divorce Affect My Credit?

How do I protect my credit when I get divorced?

If you are married, I hope you remain happily so. If you are in the midst of a divorce, I hope it all goes amicably and both you and your ex-spouse take the marital debts seriously and pay them responsibly.

An Internship Experience: Kim Phillips

2011-04-21T14:32:00.003-04:00

Kim Phillips has been interning at the Center for Family Services since September 2010. She will be leaving us in just a few days to pursue her Masters Degree in Social Work. I asked Kim to share what prompted her to choose the Center and some of the experiences she has had. She told me that as she was writing her story below she was teary eyed. Kim, you have been an asset to this agency and the community. Thank you for sharing your story and the very, very best to you!

Growing up in a single parent household and living in poverty most of my life impacted my views on society and agencies in the community. I realized at a young age that these agencies really try to help people in need. I started college not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. But, I knew that I wanted to help families who suffered from extreme hardships like I did as a child. So, becoming a Social Work major set me up in the right direction. I started interning at the Center for Family Services my senior year of college to learn what resources were available in the area to help people in need. My first few weeks here were overwhelming and stressful at times.

Because we receive an astounding number of phone calls every day, it’s difficult to recall just one situation that really made a difference in a person’s life. But, this one family continues to remind me why I entered into this profession. I received a phone call from a woman who was facing eviction and had two young children to take care of. As time went by, we referred her to many places in the community to assist her while she was unemployed. The food pantry, The Thrift Store and furniture closet were beneficial to her and it made me feel pleased that we could help her with these basic essentials. Because a weight was lifted off of her shoulders, she was able to experience less anxiety and was also able to take better care of her children without worrying so much about her medical problems.

Another consumer came in asking for assistance with prescriptions. Because I was brand new at the agency, I wasn’t aware that we did such a thing. With more investigation, I discovered that this was a domestic violence situation and this individual did not have anything including clothing. Because of the situation, we were able to get them the assistance they needed.

This whole experience at the Center for Family Services was life changing. I learned a great deal about how to talk with people and assess their needs while making proper referrals. It’s one thing to learn in the classroom, but it’s a completely different experience working out in the real world. I was given such a dynamic learning opportunity at this agency working with individuals who are suffering from debilitating circumstances such as homelessness, fires, domestic violence situations, problems making utility payments and parenting issues. Every person who walks through that door or calls us for help is unique in their own aspect and I learned how to approach each situation differently. Not only were the consumers wonderful for realizing that it was a learning process for me, but the staff as well. They were so patient with me while I was trying to understand the policies and requirements for each program. Though I haven’t been here very long, I have a solid knowledge base for the next adventure I embark on. As I go off to grad school, I will always remember the feeling of being welcomed in an agency that I knew would only be temporary. As I leave my desk empty, it upsets me to know that I will be leaving these wonderful people behind and that I could never get a learning experience like this anywhere else. ~ Kim Phillips

Financial Literacy Month 2011: The Beauty of Compound Interest

2011-04-19T16:27:00.001-04:00

Thank you to my friend Randy Gorske for helping out Frugal with his suggestion of our financial tip of the day. Understand The Beauty of Compound Interest!

So interest, of course is the money we earn or pay depending if we are saving or borrowing. A high interest rate is good for saving and bad for borrowing. Compound interest is interest calculated on the principal amount invested, which is then added to the principal amount, and compounded again. Compound interest can be earned daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. Generally the more times an amount is compounded, the more money you can make.

Leave your money alone and it will multiply ... sort of like bunnies, but usually not as quickly. In honor of the upcoming Easter holiday,this is a really quick video demonstrating how compound interestt works like bunnies!

So save your money in an account that will help it grow!

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Save for rainy days and for lots of other things too

2011-04-18T16:33:00.000-04:00

The recent rain has little Frugal thinking about how important it is to save for a rainy day and lots of other things too.

Having a plan for unexpected emergencies (when are the expected??) like car repairs, home repairs, medical bills or job loss is crucial to a family's financial health. One big emergency or lots of little ones can be a catastrophe to those of us who might be living paycheck to paycheck. Figure out how much your family needs to live off of monthly (there goes that budget again) and make a plan to put away enough to survive on the bare minimum for at least three months. Yes, that is a big goal and hard to put it away when there are other things you may want or need. Diann suggests opening a savings account at a different bank from your checking and having the money transferred there on payday ... automatically. Make it harder on yourself to get access. (I have had a Christmas Club at a bank I never go to and honestly have never been tempted to touch it, so her tip is spot on).

It is easier to save when you have a goal. Saving for a vacation or a new tv. Many financial institutions have goal oriented savings accounts where you set your dollar goal and a time limit. Say.... I want to save $1,000 so that my boyfriend and I can take an Alaskan cruise. The bank may actually send you emails and reminders, encouraging you and patting you on the back so to speak. Check with your banker and see what they have to offer.

Of course, the automatic transfer mentioned earlier works too. You can also look into things like Smartypig.com. I found a review of their services on Bargaineering.com. I am not promoting Smartypig, but the idea of goal oriented saving.

Keep dry and keep saving!

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Tip of the Day from Frugal

2011-04-14T16:26:00.002-04:00

Frugal watches the SNL skit "Don't Buy It"

The rest of the staff was a bit busy today and couldn't pose with Frugal... that's ok, he found a funny skit from Saturday Night Live that has a basic financial (and amusing) message. Who says pigs don't have a sense of humor?

Grab your popcorn and enjoy the clip below.

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Frugal says "Know where your money goes. Keep track of your spending"

2011-04-13T16:37:00.000-04:00

Diann is back with Frugal today urging you to "Know where your money goes .... Keep track of your spending".

Earlier in this blog series we talked about using a budget, but it is difficult to do keep to a budget if your really don't know where you are spending. I am talking about the little extras (or big ones) not your utilities and rent/mortgage, etc. That coffee on the way to work. The magazine you started reading in the checkout line. How much you spent when you went out with the girls last weekend.

Check out this article from the New York Times Financial Tune Up section, Tracking Purchases Without the Receipts. The article discusses some cool applications you can use on your phone and seems to like using Twitter the most.

Also, this link to a Utah news broadcast has a video and a great article along with it. Utah Saves Challenge: Keep a spending log.

What do you do to keep track of your spending?

Financial Literacy Month: Frugal's Tip of the Day "Renting? Get Renter's Insurance"

2011-04-12T15:46:00.001-04:00

Kim Raszman and our penny pinching oinker, Frugal

The staff here at the Center talk to thousands of renters every year ... as my dear coworker Shawnel said "I can't even tell you how many we've talked to just this week!" A very small percentage of them have renter's insurance. Sure, if you don't have anything of value, then I guess you don't need it ...c'mon now! The landlord has insurance that covers the building, but not your belongings. It just doesn't make sense not to spend the minimum of $12 a month it may cost to cover your family's clothing, basic household items.. tv, computer, furniture.

Not a renter? If you have college aged students, rental insurance is a good idea. Never mind the hand me down futon and the garage sale dishes ... think about all the high tech gadgets, heck if you remember the cost of books you should shudder to think of replacing them!

Check out Renter's Insurance at practicalmoneyskills.com and Do You Need Renter's Insurance at the moneyalert.com for more information or call your local insurance agent.

We are so thankful for all the household item and clothing donations, they have helped many families rebuild after a tragedy, but it would be a wonderful thing for us to never have to hand a bag full of bedding and a few pots and pans to a family, knowing this all they have to start over. If you rent, get insurance. If you are a landlord encourage your tenant to have insurance too. If you have a loved one who rents, talk to them about it.

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Frugal's tip of the day "Read & Understand Your Loan Documents"

2011-04-11T16:42:00.005-04:00

Our friendly little oinker is at it again ... this time with the help of our Executive Director, Linda Bennett. (Diann is off fishing) Frugal wants you to make sure you understand any loan documents you may have. Your lender should be explaining everything to you in detail and take the time to answer any questions you have before and during the loan process. BUT, if you feel that you don't understand or that the lender is misleading you, get your documents reviewed by an expert. Once again, our Housing Counselor Diann is fully trained and can assist you at no cost.

Unfortunately, many of the families Diann has helped were in desperate situations and the loan they thought would save them, ended up making them lose their homes. These "Predatory Lenders" take advantage of these families, many times elderly individuals.

If you know of someone who may be the victim of predatory lending, please tell them to call us! Also, remember that any loan secured by your home is subject to a THREE DAY right to cancel. The borrower has three days to change their mind before there is no turning back. Call your local housing counseling agency and ask questions if you have them.

Reach the Center's Housing Counselors at 814-337-8450 or at http://www.thecenter-nwpa.org/

The following link to the Department of Housing and Urban Development gives some tips and urges you "Don't Be A Victim of Loan Fraud"
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/buying/loanfraud

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Diann & Frugal's tip 4/8/2011

2011-04-08T16:26:00.001-04:00

Diann is feeling a bit blah today, so Kim is filling in with Frugal for our tip o' the day. "Your children watch what you do with your money. Encourage them to save and make good decisions."

Whether you give your children an allowance, make them earn through chores or they rely on holidays and birthdays to bolster their spending money, do them a favor and help them learn the value of money and to differentiate between needs and wants.

The families that we see here at the Center are experiencing financial crises. Many through no fault of their own, but there are cases where it is just plan bad money management. They don't know how to balance a check book and spend way more than they are bringing in. Personal finance is not something that is regularly taught in school. It is up to mom and dad or grandma and pappy to teach about thinking before spending.

Of course, we love our children and we want to give them everything we can to help them grow up safe and happy. Teaching them about paying bills and saving for special occasions like vacation or holidays is really showing your love.

The Kids.gov site offers numerous links from games to articles for teens and even links about student loans.

as a side note....

While I was searching for articles or videos about children and money management, I came across this documentary from 2007. It is hard to imagine that there are adults that allow such extravagance when I see the families struggling around me. The video is about the spending of youth in Los Angeles. My own son has echoed longing for the material things his friends have and I cannot provide. He is very thrifty with his money, and I feel confident that he will be able to manage it as an adult. Anyway, I found the short video interesting and hope you do too.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2007/12/13/magazine/1194817108554/kids-money.html

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Tip of the Day 4/7/2011

2011-04-07T13:57:00.000-04:00

Diann and Frugal say "Check your credit and take steps to repair it when needed." Yes, everyone knows how important a good credit score is. But, things happen ... job layoff, health issues, bad choices, divorce .. the list can go on and on. A couple dings on your credit report can multiply and leave you with a mess. There are many low cost ways to keep an eye on your credit so that you won't be stuck with high interest rates in the future.

You can get a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com . It is advisable to check your credit report once a year and prior to applying for a loan.

But just because you can get a free copy, doesn't mean you know how to read it. If you need help give Diann a call. She has been extensively trained to help people understand and improve their credit. The Center is a HUD approved Housing Counseling agency and we do not charge for helping you understand or restore your credit. (there are minimal fees if you need us to pull your credit report, but only because we receive a bill for getting it for you). You can also read about helping yourself when it comes to credit repair at the Federal Trade Comission Site.

Now, don't confuse us with one of those Credit Counseling agencies, that is not us! We don't pay your debts, but we will work with you to resolve outstanding issues on your credit report. You can be on your way to a great credit score! Diann was just telling me about two different families that have been able to significantly increase their scores so that they can qualify to become homeowners.

Contact Diann at 814-337-8450 or through http://www.thecenter-nwpa.org/

Financial Literacy Month 2011: Tip of the Day 4/6/2011

2011-04-06T11:22:00.001-04:00

Diann and her pet pig, Frugal, are encouraging you to "Cook extra at supper so you can pack lunch instead of eating out."

We have found differing figures on what you can actually save by brown bagging it .. anwhere from $1,000 to $3,000 a year. A packed lunch runs you around $1 - $3 compared to the $10 or more you may be spending by eating out. Why not set yourself up with a savings account or even a jar on your desk at work to sock away the difference. If you packed lunch for even half of every month (saving $7 x 10 work days x 12 months) you would have $840! And that is if you nornmally are spending $10 for lunch. Give it a try and let us know how it is working for you.

We are including some links and a video to recipes and tips for dinners that make great leftover lunches! Bon Appetite!

10 Easy Dinners That Make Awesome Leftovers

5 Dinners that make great lunches

Planning dinners with leftovers for lunch

How to pack a great lunch and save money too

Quick & Easy Cooking Video: Dinner Tonight... by MeyerOnline

Saying Goodbye to Our Friend Rayann

2011-02-18T15:16:00.003-05:00

We lost a friend. Rayann Wiler passed away at the age of 44 on February 17. She has been a part of our family for two years. Saying she will be missed is an understatement.

Rayann volunteered faithfully at our Meadville Food Pantry since early 2009. She worked closely with Debbie Vittorio, the Pantry Foreman. In Debbie's words:

"Rayann walked to the food pantry everyday she volunteered. We could not ask for more dedication from a person. She helped at any food drive or other special occasion involving the food pantry. Rayann was always upbeat and pleasant, caring about people's problems even when her own were so great. No matter what was happening, she showed up. She even came back to volunteer just 2 weeks after knee surgery, because she missed being part of the food pantry. She was always talking about her grandchildren, who meant the world to her."

In an interview for our agency newsletter, Rayann was asked why she volunteered at the pantry, she said "Because I like helping people". She has helped thousands of people through her volunteer work.

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. ~Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

We have been so very lucky you chose us. We will always be blessed to have known you. Goodbye dear friend, Rayann.

Creative Recipes From Our Pantry

2010-12-13T12:22:00.000-05:00

Local nutritionist, Michelle Frndak has been compiling heathly recipes to help local families make low cost meals from items they receive in Center food boxes. I thought our blog and facebook followers would enjoy them too! So, we will be periodically sharing Creative Recipes From Our Pantry with you!

Kitchen Sink Stew
6 - 8 Servings
A recipe from Anna Last, editor of "Everyday Food" magazine designed especially for SNAP recipients

8 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 large diced onion
46 oz vegetable juice
1 bag collard or spinach greens*
1 large diced carrot
1 large garlice smashed and peeled
1 large diced potato*
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
* May substitute canned spinach or potatoes

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In a 5 quart Dutch oven heat oil and brown chicken 10 - 12 minutes. Transfer to plate.
3. Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery to pot. Cook on low heat 3 minutes until tender.
4. Add potato and greens and cook another 3 minutes. If using canned spinach and potatoes, add these after chicken is fully cooked.
5. Return chicken to pot and add vegetable juice and Worcestershire sauce.
6. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
7. Cook until chicken comes off bone. Approximately 45 minutes.
Approximate Nutirtional Information: Calories 330 Protien 23g Total Fat 4g Total Carbohydrate 45g (3 Starch + 2 Medium Fat Meat Exchanges)

Quick Soak Method for Using Dried Beans

Combine 1 cup beans and 5 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand 3 hours. Discard liquid and use. Larger amounts of beans can be cooked and frozen for later use.

Beans are an inexpensive source of protein, fiber and B vitamins.

Telling a story in 100 words or less

2010-11-04T12:00:00.002-04:00

I'm just wrapping up our application to Payless Gives with hopes of helping local children get new shoes this December. I was really excited when I found this opportunity.. on facebook, of course. I am a "fan" of the Payless Shoesource page and they had provided a link to the funding. (Social Media is so cool!) I may be the "grant writer", but the stories the staff provides make me understand how to word the proposals, the difference we can make in a life.

I had approached my coworkers for help. I had to provde Payless Gives with a story. I had to describe in 100 words or less how one of our services had made positive change in a child's life. Ok, so that's not hard, nearly everything we do invloves improving a child's life. 90% of those walking through the front door are parents so, helping the family keep the heat on or retain housing helps the children. We give out coats and clothing provided by your donations, our food pantries help to fill many a small belly. No problem there.

Our newest staff member, Laura provided me with the story I wanted to use. Laura assists folks facing eviction and homeless, renters. I asked her to write up the story and she did a great job. The problem lay in the 100 word limit. Remember back when you were 10 and you had to write a 100 word essay, what a chore! I found the chore now was condensing this great story, I want to talk and talk. My boyfriend thinks I embellish my stories a bit much, often telling me he needs to take a seat (as in this is going to take a long time), so this was a difficult exercise for me! How do you describe the struggle of the family and their triumph in just a measly 100 words?

Well, here goes. Laura's words transformed into a 100 words... cross your fingers and toes and hope the good people reading this application like what we had to say!

"For over two years, 16 year old Mary and her mother stayed in friends and families homes. Homeless and destitute. Mary used public computers to complete cyber school when she could, unable to enroll in school because she lacked a permanent address. With our staff help, mother and daughter now reside in a "home" of their own.
Mary now attends High School. She sleeps in a bed, not in a chair next to someone's pet. Homelessness is history for the mother and daughter as they unlock their own front door, and a future for Mary in a established school system."

Meeting Miss Townville 2009

2010-06-15T16:24:00.000-04:00

A comment was posted on the Center's facebook page about 2 weeks ago from one of our "fans". The young lady wanted us to contact her, which we did. She wanted to tell us about the fund raiser she had been planning and working very hard to make a success. Her name is Erin Corley and she is the reigning Miss Townville.

Erin is a very impressive high school student. Her focus is helping girls in middle school make the right choices when faced with peer pressure. She is part of the group "Girl Talk" where girls in the Penn Crest School are encouraged to "Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk" of positive choices. Erin would be a mentor in this group and works mainly with coordinating Community Service activities. By involving young women in community service, Erin hope to impress upon them that "there are people with real problems and that they shouldn't focus on drama".

Erin told us about taking a group of 10 girls from the group to Special Olympics as volunteers. She was impressed at how they followed her lead on how to accept those with special needs and how much of a positive experience it was. This is why Erin wants the members of Girl Talk to be involved with helping many of the families that are assisted by the Center.

Erin has been working diligently on planning and organizing the 2010 Townville Old Home Days 5K Walk/Run. The event is scheduled for Saturday July 17 at 7:00pm. Erin hopes to raise at least $1,500. Using $500 to purchase material that the members of Girl Talk will use to make blankets and the remaining funds to purchase gas or grocery cards. The gift cards will help the many families that need our services who don't qualify for other programs.

Thank you Erin!!

To register or get more information about this event please contact us at cfsinc@windstream.net

New to YOU: May 2010

2010-05-06T11:47:00.004-04:00

Check out some great "New to You" finds we pulled off the racks at the Center Thrift Store!

Stop in today!

Spring Cleaning? We accept donations too!

Monday through Friday 10am - 4pm. Located in the Center for Family Services building, 213 Center St, Meadville.

All proceeds from the Center Thrift Store are used to support programs that help local adults and children. Your donations and purchases feed a family, keep a utility on for a neighbor, prevent a homeless situation, provide free clothing to a child and may even help someone you know prevent foreclosure. Thank you!

Pay It Forward Day

2010-04-28T07:29:00.004-04:00

Of course I heard about this on facebook. Pay It Forward Day. I don't even remember this movie coming out. I believe I was dealing with a newborn and a 1 1/2 year old at the time (explains my memory loss). I found the trailer for the movie (based on the book by the same name by Catherine Ryan Hyde) and I've added it to my Netflix queue. I am looking forward to watching it with my two boys, Sam and Kieran. I enjoy sharing stories (true life and fantasy) with them that help reinforce my core belief, we are here to help each other.

View the trailer

The basis of this idea is that you help three people and then they help three people.. and on and on. It's pretty basic. How much conscious effort does it take to help three unknown people every day? The movie looks like some of these efforts are huge, but they don't need to be.

I found it a little humorous yesterday as I was reading the "event" made on facebook for Pay It Forward Day on April 29. One said "I can't make it that day, I have a prior commitment." Obviously that person did not really get the idea. Will you "get it"?

The Other Side of the Desk

2010-04-23T13:50:00.002-04:00

This is a poem entitled The Other Side of the Desk, a copy of which I secured many years ago. While I don’t know the author or the origin of this poem, its message is very poignant, and should serve as a reminder to everyone who sits behind the desk to always treat others with respect and to not be judgmental.

Have you ever thought just a wee little bit
of how it would seem to be a misfit,
And how you would feel if you had
to sit on the other side of the desk?
Have you ever looked at the man who seemed a bum,
as he sat before you, nervous -- dumb --
And thought of the courage it took him
to come to the other side of the desk?
Have you thought of his dreams that went astray,
of the hard, real facts of his every day,
Of the things in his life that make him stay
on the other side of the desk?
Did you make him feel that he was full of greed,
make him ashamed of his race or his creed,
Or did you reach out to him in his need
to the other side of the desk?
May God give us wisdom and lots of it, and much compassion
and plenty of grit,
So that we may be kinder to those who sit
on - the - other - side - of - the - desk.

Since I started working at The Center for Family Services five years ago, I can’t tell you how many people I have seen cry. I am a Housing Counselor and for the last year and a half I have spent most of my time on Foreclosure Prevention. In this position I see many families who have always been self -sufficient but due to the economy are now struggling. Most have never had to ask for help and it is not easy for them. On top of the fear they have of losing their home they now feel embarrassment and a loss of self worth.

Having been in the same position several years ago I understand how difficult it is for them to reach out for help. No matter how bad of a day I may be having I always have that poem in the back of my mind. It reminds me that everyone faces hard times and that bad situations can happen to good people and to always treat everyone who comes through my door with the respect and dignity they deserve.

How it's done : Rental Assistance and Advocacy.

2010-04-21T11:48:00.001-04:00

We are focusing on the prevention of homelessness, not just awareness. Merely creating awareness that there are hundreds of families and individuals at risk of homelessness will not help them stay housed. The key is to educate those at risk, help them make better financial choices and set them up for a future of sustainable housing.

I thought that by sharing our proposal to the Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) last year, I can help show you what we do with the funding we receive.

Rental Assistance Program
The Center for Family Services, Inc. (CFS) is requesting funding to provide rental assistance for the population experiencing a need in western Crawford County. The rental assistance component of the grant assists qualifying consumers with security deposits, the first month's rent, rent arrearages and assists the consumer in formulating a livable budget.   CFS has administered the rental component of the Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) for Crawford County since 1990.

Need
During the past 19 years of administering the HAP rental assistance funds for Crawford County the goal has been to reduce recidivism and help the targeted population for this funding create a permanent housing situation. The client base has historically been a mix of subsidized renters and independent renters, keeping our numbers served consistent.
The number of independent renters has increased during this past funding year. This is a reflection of the current economic state. Many of these consumers were entirely new to our database and are seeking assistance due to job loss. Additionally, these “newly poor” bring with them a rental request that is higher than we have averaged in years past. We have documented a 13% increase in average rent in cases assisted compared to the same time period last fiscal year. The Center for Family Services always strives to serve as many consumers as possible. We also put precedence on those consumers who have never requested assistance before.   Our total for the current year as of March 2009 is 322 persons served. This number is down from last year however, this is due in a change in the demographics. These same independent renters have contributed $41,891.69 in co-pays this year. This figure is an increase over last year by nearly $3,000. These consumers are more willing and able to take ownership of their situation.
The landlords have also been affected by the economic downturn resulting in raised costs of rental units. A decrease in HAP funding for Rental Assistance would only result in a greater influx of homeless in our community.
Rental Assistance provides the means for the recipients to meet a core basic need, housing.

Method of Operation
Consumers find their way to the Center for rental assistance from many sources; United Way, Women’s Services Shelter, St. James Haven, Crawford County Coalition on Housing Needs, Drug and Alcohol, Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Crawford County Correctional Facility, Stepping Stones (inpatient Drug and Alcohol), Salvation Army, the Office of Economic Opportunity, CHAPS, the Department of Public Welfare, landlords and self-referral. We also coordinate rental assistance services with the Department of Public Welfare’s Emergency Shelter Allowance Program. Priority is given to those adults and children who are homeless; living in the street, in shelters or are victims of domestic violence.
Once our staff takes an initial brief contact, the referral is given to the Rental Assistance Coordinator. The Rental Assistance Coordinator then contacts every applicant to inform them of the status of their eligibility and makes an appointment (in many cases it is immediate, depending on the crisis level) with those who qualify to come and complete an intake application.   When the consumer keeps the scheduled appointment, they must meet HAP requirements for assistance and are helped with a basic budget to assess their ability to maintain housing. The Rental Assistance Coordinator will attempt to assist them with other needs in relation to their housing crisis, making referrals as needed and informing them of their tenant rights. If the client needs additional help, a referral is made to an appropriate housing advocate. However, there are more clients in need than there are advocates.
The case then goes through an approval process. The prospective landlord must submit the appropriate forms and the consumer must pay the portion of the security deposit/ first month’s rent that is required for their particular case. Because we are dedicated to helping the consumer achieve financial stability and responsibility, if the consumer has the means to assume more than the 10% co-pay for their rental assistance, they are required to do so. The Rental Assistance Coordinator enlists partner agencies, United Way and Salvation Army as well as local churches to assist in partial payments, as needed. The HAP funding in the form of HAP case management also contributed to our ability to spend more time with the consumer and elicit higher co-pays.   All consumers are offered intense budgeting and the opportunity to receive Debt and Credit Counseling. For those who may have a dream of homeownership, we refer them in house to a housing counselor who helps them develop a savings plan.
Those who request additional rental assistance within a two year period have a limited amount made available to them based on the current cap precedents, and are required to complete two to four hours of budgeting. A follow up is completed in the form of a landlord survey to assess the success of the rental assistance at the six and twelve month markers. The results for this current fiscal year are 72% of consumers retaining permanent.housing.
Our goal is to reduce recidivism and help our neighbors achieve stability, financially and emotionally. The ability to live in a safe and affordable home is key to achieving this goal.

Case Management Component

Rental Assistance Advocacy
CFS is requesting funding for a part-time Housing Support Advocate position to provide ongoing case management and support services to individuals/families at risk of becoming homeless. These are individuals/families that are unable to receive case management services from other HAP funded agencies in Crawford County.

Need
   Many of the consumers that contact the Center for Family Services seeking rental assistance are experiencing a situation that is leading to eviction. They do not have an eviction notice yet, but the situation is heading in that direction. It is counter productive to encourage these people to wait until they receive an eviction notice to begin to get assistance, when many situations can be resolved with minimal advocacy and education.
   As stated in the Need portion of the Rental Assistance narrative, we have seen an increase in the “newly poor” requesting assistance with rental delinquency. This population needs case management the most. These individuals and families are often unaware of the community resources available to them. They are used to working and paying their bills. The sudden and significant decrease in income can be overwhelming. Assistance with crisis budgeting, advocacy and education are welcomed.
   Case management is used to resolve near homeless situations with utilizing as little or no HAP Rental Assistance funds, so that those experiencing a greater housing crisis may have funds available to them. In response to the growing need of struggling independent renters facing eviction, the case management will be used to assist these consumers with referrals for additional assistance.

Method of Operation
The Rental Assistance Coordinator (RAC) performs the function of part-time case management worker/housing advocate. This role is a natural assumption as the RAC already reviews all referrals and contacts the consumers. The advocate assesses HAP eligibility for case management according to the funding guidelines. A referral is made to another HAP advocate if the consumer fits their target population. If the consumer cannot be served by another HAP advocate within western Crawford County, our advocate will then begin case management services. The advocate will work with the clients for up to 9 months, dependent on need.
When possible, the RAC will advocate on behalf of the consumer with landlords to accept payment plans and provide the consumer with budgeting tools and basic money management education so they can fulfill the repayment obligation. He/she will assist the consumer with landlord/tenant rights issues by validating claims and initiating contact with consumer protection agencies and/or the attorney general’s office. The RAC may accompany consumers to their eviction hearings and offer guidance when the situation warrants. The program staff will also advocate for those denied subsidized housing by encouraging an appeal hearing and assisting with credit repair to improve the consumer’s chances of approval.
All participants in this program will complete a service plan. The participant will utilize supportive services as necessary with the assistance of the advocate. The advocate will assist the consumer in meeting their needs such as medical care, employment and /or education, rental assistance, day care as well as any other special needs of the individual/family. We will help, if possible, to resolve credit issues and help develop savings plan and a budget that prioritizes rent and utilities.
Regular evaluations of the participant’s progress will be completed to monitor the effectiveness and outcomes of the services provided. Outcomes will be measured to assess financial stability by means of client surveys and landlord surveys.
Additional and ongoing support for those who are experiencing a housing crisis is vital to their success in maintaining financial stability once they are assisted through HAP funding. Whether it be with cash assistance for rent, being provided with advocacy or both, the goal is to help the consumer gain the ability to attain safe, affordable housing and to continue to make good financial decisions. We want to give them the knowledge and tools to remain in permanent housing. This goal inevitably will reduce recidivism and improve our community as a whole.

Let me tell you a story

2010-04-15T12:25:00.004-04:00

Recently, Lindsey Poissen of the Erie Times News, wrote an article that focused on the hardships faced by two local families. (Read the article here) Both families have been working with the Center staff to solve housing issues and other related financial problems.

I am a firm believer in the power of the story teller, and all of us here really appreciate it when our local media partners help us share those stories. Stories move us, motivate us, send us into that place where we can imagine ourselves looking face to face with the main "characters". Without the stories, what would we share? Numbers? Statistics? Without being able to imagine the face of the people involved, hearing their sorrow and triumphs, most people cannot really fathom something beyond their own reality. I know I can't.

So, we've established my love of story telling. Are you wondering why I am going on about this today? I have a reason, trust me.

Stories don't always have happy endings. But when they do, your heart sings. My coworker and friend, Kim Raszman shared a story with me today, she could barely contain the tears welling up in her eyes. She had received an email from Denise Harry. If you read the article that I mentioned above, you will recall that Denise and her family have been struggling for quite some time. You may also remember that she works at a local McDonald's and that her family vehicle is in need of repair and is not drivable.

Denise was working last night and a woman approached her. She asked if Denise was the woman in the Erie Times newspaper article. When Denise confirmed this, the stranger handed her a the newspaper clipping of the article and told her that she wanted her to have a copy of it. The woman then left. As Denise looked at what she had been given, she noticed that there was an envelope attached to the back. "Jesus loves you" was written on the envelope. Inside was the exact amount of money that the family needs to pay for the repairs on their vehicle.

Tell me, what power that article had?! Selfless kindness, compassion.

I am glad that I am here at the Center. I am so very grateful to be able to share these stories with you. Our world can seem so dark, so very cold sometimes. I run into people who have little faith in kindness and who doubt the power one person can have. Don't let them get you down, believe that one small act leads to another and it grows.

I am saying "Thank you" to the anonymous woman who understands all this already. If you also believe in the power of kindness, why not share this story? Maybe you will help make someones heart sing today too!

Gardening for Good.. What a Great Idea!

2010-04-06T15:27:00.000-04:00

I am sitting at my desk in my office which I share with the Center's Finance Director, Pam. It's warm, really warm. We are lucky enough to have a office space with plenty of windows. Occasionally, on a warm Spring day, it might be better not to have them. My mind is wandering, thinking about outdoor activities and even the yard work I would love to be doing in the gorgeous sunshine.

On my desk I have a Request for Proposal from The Emergency Food Assistance Program for Rural Infrastructure Grants. I am reading it and tossing around ideas in my head about how we could best use these funds to help our seven food pantries function more efficiently. This proposal focuses on improving an organization's capacity to process, store and deliver time sensitive foods. Foods like eggs, bread, fresh produce... things that are not boxed or canned. We are getting more and more "time sensitive" food donated from local farms, businesses and restaurants. Hopefully, with the teamwork effort often used to produce our grant funding, we can purchase some new equipment (walk in freezers and refrigeration, raised pallet jacks, and a truck for delivery and pickup).

With all that knocking it's way around in my brain and the sun glinting off the windows, my thoughts turned to fresh produce. Really fresh produce, like right out of your garden. Last year, a local greenhouse owner offered free vegetable plants to local gardeners when they promised to donate some of their harvest to Center food pantries. It was a great idea! My mother loved it and made sure she thanked the business owner when she picked up her plants, and I dutifully delivered the produce at the end of the summer. I do not know if that greenhouse is going to offer that again, but I wonder how many local folks would be willing to participate regardless of the offer of free plants. I know my mom would.

I am looking forward to putting in some plants and enjoying that fresh, wonderful gift from the ground. How absolutely awesome to start a movement right here in Crawford County. "Gardening for Good", hey , I like the sound of that! I am getting grand ideas.. (ideas that I will express and would need to clear with the powers that be, happens often, but sometimes I can't stop my brain). T-shirts with the Center logo inside a tomato! Declaring Gardening for Good!

So here is the open offer to accept your bumper crops.... your slew of tomatoes, your baskets of cabbage, your bag full of beans. Bring on the onions, potatoes, apples, and squash! What a great feeling to know that someone right here in Crawford County will benefit from your generosity! What do you think about this idea? I will do my part and help our staff submit the best proposal possible to help us feed our community in a more efficient manner. Will you think about donating some of your fruits and vegies?

Want to know a little more about the Center Food Pantries? Visit our website! Want to get involved? Contact us!

Sneak Peek Into the Center's 2010 Music Benefit Chinese Auction

2010-03-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

Our much anticipated event is nearly here, the 10th Annual Center for Family Services Music Benefit. All of us have been juggling our regular duties and event preparations. I personally have a few blog ideas that need to be put down and shared, hopefully next week you will see some new and exciting posts.

Ok, so let us give you that Sneak Peek we promised! (This may not be a complete list.. fyi)

Tickets for these items are 1 for $1 or 6 for $5

The Man Package

Vacuum Flask (Channellock)
Fold up stool with attached cooler (Channellock)
6" Soft Grip Fillet Knife (Poff's Place)
Channellock Can Opener
Channellock Tongue and Grove Plier Set
51 pc Multi-purpose Toolset (Auto Zone)
Free State Inspection (Carpenters)
Free Oil Change (Monroe Mufflers)
Fleet Car Wash (Sandys)
Free Oil Change (Howick Motors)
Certificate for 2 pc vent visor set (Nolfs Truck Acces)
Tickets to Pirates home game
Autographed Picture of Hines Ward
Penguins T-shirt & Sticker
Penguins Commemorative Picture Book
Penguins game program from 2009 Stanley Cup final
2010 Penguins calendar
Oil Change (Smock Auto Sales)

2 Bar Stools and furniture polish

(Glenn Peterson Floors and Furniture & Heritage House Furniture)

Hot Air Ballon Ride for one (Ted Watts)

Golf Package

Golf Balls (Channellock)
24 pack bottled water (Luminous Water Solutions)
Certificate for 18 holes walking (Venango Valley Inn)
Certificate for two 18 holes (Mt Hope Golf Course)
2 passes for 2 people (Hailwood)
Certificate for 18 holes w/ cart (Walnut Creek)
Certificate for 18 holes w/ cart for 1 person (Pleasant Acres)
Certificate for 2 rounds of golf & golf accessories (Island Green)

Romance Package

Bic Soleil Gift Set (CVS)
Beanpod Candle (Cobblestone Cottage)
2 movie/game rentals (Family Video)
One night lodge & breakfast for 2 (Bethaven Inn)
Peppercorn and Vine $20
Certificate for 2 bottles of wine from Wilhelm Winery
$15 Gift Certificate from H&H Supermarket

Restaurant Package

1 large pizza (Lakeside General Store)
Chicken Dinner, Famous Bowl, 2 Chunky Chicken Pot Pies (KFC)
2 $5 Discount coupons (Kings)
$20 gift card (Spillway Inn)
$10 gift card (Rays Market Place)
$20 gift card (The Lakehouse)
$10 gift card (Compadres)
$25 gift card (Bosco's)
$10 gift card (Creative Crust)
$25 gift card (Lil' Bit Restaurant)
$20 gift card (Market House Grille)
$15 gift card (Hunter's Inn)
4 $5 gift cards (Red Lobster)
$25 gift card (Dry Dock)
$15 gift card (Rebecca's Family Restaurant)
$10 gift card (Valenza's)
1 free pizza (Vocelli Pizza)
$20 gift card (Country Table Restaurant)

Woman's Package

2 Bic Soleil Gift Sets (CVS)
Casino Bus Trip (Jim's News)
Folk Angel Art & $15 certificate (Sandy's Art Works)
Mary Kay Red Tea & Fig Gift Set (Sally Beers, Mary Kay Independent Sales Director)
movie/game rentals (Family Video)
Campbells Pottery Vase
$25 gift card (Cutting Edge)
Car Wash Coupons (Sandy's Car Wash)
1 hour massage (All Hands Massage Therapy)
1 large pizza (Vocelli's Pizza)
$25 gift cert (Timberland Frame & Floral)
$50 gift cert (George's Jewelry)
one night's lodge and breakfast for 2 (Bethaven Inn)
travel bag & laptop bag (Peebles)
$15 gift card (Classic Look)
Gift Basket (@ the bank)
1/2 hour stone massage (Healing Hands Massage)

Campbell's Pottery Lamp
(Connie Haibach)

Family Fun

$25 cert Lakeside Lanes
Bic Soleil Gift Set
Cooler Radio (Citizens Bank)
large pizza (Vocelli's Pizza)
$25 gift card (Mill Run Pharmacy)
10 games (Plaza Lanes)
medium pizza (Pizza Hut)
YMCA 3 month memberships (2)
$10 gift cert (Hollywood Video)
Admission for 6 (Movies at Meadville)
(2) 3pc cripsy strips meals, (3) kids meals (KFC)
pool admission (Meadville Area Rec Complex)
cert for 8" frozen cake ( Dairy Queen)
movie & game rentals (Family Video)
4 guest passes to Erie Zoo (Erie Zoological Society)
4 rail passes on the Oil Creek & Titusville RR
24 pk bottled water (Luminous Water)
Country Fair gift certs

Easter Cake (The Gingerbread Lady)

Garden Package (most items donated by John & Lori Soff)

Plant Stand
Bird Gazebo
garden gloves
tool set
insect repellent
nozzle set
weed b gone
wind chime
knee cushion
plant pot
gift certificate & bird feed (Meadville Farm & Garden)
collapsible garden set

So, do I have you motivated to come out and join us at the event? Great music, great prizes, great cause. Hope to see you there!

Community: Giving your talent

2010-02-25T16:24:00.000-05:00

I posted a quote on the Center's page on Facebook recently,

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck.

I had been tossing an idea around in my head and this quote just tied all my feelings and thoughts together. I had read blog post about the crocheted hats of the Swedish Olypmic team, of all things. The piece was wondering who made those hats, because they have to be handmade. (Honestly, I don't know much about knitting or crocheting so this was my learn something new moment of the day.) Reading about how whoever made those hats had to take time and effort made me turn my thoughts to the boxes of scarves, hats and mittens that turn up every winter.

Lois Ritter is a local woman who cared enough to create beautiful and functional warm items every year. She would drop off hand knitted and crocheted works of love every fall. When we give out a coat, we always try to make sure the recipient gets a hat, coat and scarf, and Lois's donations always come in handy. Lois recently passed away. We knew she wasn't feeling as well lately, her son had started to bring in her creations.

Thinking of the quote from Erma Bombeck, I'm sure God is pleased with Lois. We can't really say how many children were able to keep their hands and heads warm in the winter because of her, but through the years, I would say it could have been hundreds. I can only hope to be of such use to others.

We all have our talents, find some way to use them to make a difference. There are many hands and heads who need you.

We will miss you Lois.

New shoes.. good for the Soul

2010-02-19T16:15:00.001-05:00

We deal with so many people struggling here. It's the nature of the business, helping people who have no where else to turn. It can be hard to find a smile sometimes. Everyone is having a crisis and we go through a lot of Kleenex boxes. So when we do get that big "You guys made my day" smile, we bottle it up and keep that feeling close to our hearts. You never know when you are going to need to pull one out.

We had a mom and her 15 year old son walk in today. Our Housing Counselor, Diann was helping out in the lobby and started to assist them. They were here for clothing help, the boy's shoes especially. He had on sneakers that, as Diann described, "flapped". Diann was able to get him brand new shoes through a program we normally only run at the end of summer for back to school. Diann said his face lit up and beamed when he put on those new shoes!

Shoes mean a lot to a kid. I can imagine he probably had to put up with some teasing let alone how cold and miserable his wet feet have been. Helping this boy is one of those moments that make it easier to deal with the rough stuff. I believe Diann has bottled up his big smile to save for another day.

Thank you to all of our supporters who believe in what we do at the Center for Family Services. We hope you can bottle up that smile and keep it too.

Highlights from Child Anger Management Class 2/15/2010

2010-02-18T11:32:00.012-05:00

Continuing with highlights from recent Child Anger Management Class.

This week the focus was on controlling impulses and the power struggle. When talking to our two interns and our Education Department supervisor (Samantha, Laura and Cinda respectively), I also uncovered some interesting life lessons and things for me to reflect on as well.

The class does an activity together and then splits, with the kiddos staying with Samantha and Laura and the parents moving to another room with Cinda. At first, when I was gathering my information about this week's class in preparation for writing this blog entry I was confused. I thought that the child and parent groups would follow the same theme. When I found out that the children worked on controlling impulses and the adults worked on managing the power struggle I have to be honest with you, I thought they messed up. I am one of those people who think much too logically sometimes. But, I am a parent too. Children need to learn to manage the world on their terms and as parents we need to readjust our actions and reactions.

The parent group needed to focus on much more detailed ideas and learn to adjust preconceived mentalities. To really help regain harmony in their homes, the adults in our families have to learn how to instill coping mechanisms. That is what parenting is all about, preparing our children for adulthood. That said, let me tell you about what they learned and experienced on Monday.

Tug of War

What do you do when your child argues and fights you? Do you argue and fight right back, stand your ground or give in? Parenting is a struggle, you know that. The beginning exercise had the children and parents up and pulling on a rope in a mock game of tug of war. After the game and the groups separated, the parents were asked what kind of parent they thought they were, Dictator, Democratic, or Permissive.

The Dictator will pull and pull and pull. In the game of tug of war, what does your opponent do when you pull? They double their efforts and pull back. The permissive parent will just give up, releasing the rope the winner has lost some respect at that point. A Democratic parent will stand their ground and just let the child pull until they wear themselves out. "I don't have to fight you, but I will not let you have your way. I am standing here until you realize that fighting will not get a result." It is so easy to slip into Dictator or Permissive mode. Being a Democratic parent takes practice and patience.

A Lesson in Controlling Impulses

After the parents left the group, Samantha (a graduate level intern) pulled out a bag of candy. The goal of this exercise was to introduce the idea of controlling impulses. The children were to pick a piece of candy and if they were able to resist eating it until the end of the class, they would receive a second piece. Sounds great.

Sidetracking a bit here, sometimes we learn lessons too. Instead of giving the kids the candy first and then explaining the goal, Samantha told the kids about getting a second piece if they achieved the goal of controlling the impulse to eat this delicious candy. While describing the lesson to me, Laura (our other intern) told me that one little boy took forever to pick his piece of candy. When she asked him why he was taking so long, he said "I want to make sure I find one I don't like." He wanted to make SURE he could resist the impulse to eat the candy and secure his place as a "winner" at the end of class. Lesson learned by our intern Samantha? Children don't always need choices and never underestimate the competitive spirit of an 8 year old!

With that being said, I thought it was a great exercise and just so you know, all the children resisted the urge to eat the candy until the end of class.

The children then played a game with cards in the shapes of light bulbs, cameras and stop signs. Each card had an action on the back that they had to perform. When learning to manage their impulses, the children needed to stop - observe - think.

Stop sign: Before the situation gets out of hand stop.

Camera: Observe yourself, how are you reacting? How do others see you?
Light bulb: Think about reacting in a better way this time and how you can avoid the picture you saw in the camera the next time.

The children had a great time playing the game and carrying out the actions on the back of the cards. Samantha and Laura discussed where and when certain actions were appropriate and the best ways to handle impulses at home and school.

Four Things Kids Want

The parent group worked on understanding the four things kids want. Really, this is the four things that adult and kids need.

Contact or a Sense of belonging
Power
Withdrawal
Protection

Once again, our job as parents is to prepare our sons and daughters for adulthood. We give them skills to handle the ups and downs of life. The four things kids want are the four things we all need. Sometimes we have to view our children as if we were an outsider. Taking a step back and imagining who they will be all grown up. I know many adults who complain that these four things are not being met and how frustrated they are. How different are the needs of a child to that of an adult?

Children need contact or a sense of belonging. What this really means is that they need to feel that they are part of the family group. They need to understand where they fit into the dynamic. Have you ever held a job where you were not given much training and no one told you what they expected from you until it was too late? How did you feel....frustrated, defeated? Children can achieve the need for contact and a sense of belonging by knowing they have certain chores or duties. The flip side is when a child only feels the negative result of attention for acting out. They only belong because they are "the bad child". Make your child feel like they belong by promoting positive feedback. Wash the dishes together, fold a basket of laundry, shovel the driveway and let them know how much their help means to the family.

The word Power is pretty scary for a parent dealing with a child with anger management issues. Giving a child power does not mean relinquishing total control. A child needs power so that they can learn to make choices and gain independence. Once again, think about your own life as an adult. If you and I have no opportunity to make our own choices or have the freedom to follow our dreams, we can become angry and depressed. Kids are no different. They need boundaries certainly, but without the ability and opportunity to express and experiment with power, you will have a rebellious child experimenting with power in a variety of negative ways.

Our lives are crazy busy. Sports and extracurricular activities seem to rule so many families lives. We want to make sure our kids have every opportunity to do and see...it's fun right? It's what is expected of a parent right? Refocus back to adult world. What do we all want when our schedules are jammed tight? A vacation. Sitting on a beach somewhere, nothing but the blue sky and the calming sound of the ocean. Peace, quite, alone time. We want to withdraw from the rat race. Our children want withdrawal too. Make sure you give them time to be alone. Time out is not such a bad thing you know. Cut back on some of the family activities and let everyone get some peace and quiet.

Our children want protection. A child that cannot express his feelings without the fear of retaliation can't help but feel vulnerable. Children and adults want to feel like someone is truly listening to them. We can teach our children about forgiveness. We can forgive them and they can forgive us. Being protected means feeling secure in your environment. No one can feel safe if they fear retaliation. Revenge is never sweet. When we neglect to teach our children about forgiveness, we give them no other way to react but with revenge. I know too many adults who only focus on getting back at those they feel have wronged them. That is not the life I wish for my sons. Let your child know they are safe and that even though mom disagrees with them, they are still loved and wrongs can be forgiven.

For more information about the Center's Child or Adult Anger Management Classes contact us at our website or call 814-337-8450.

Highlight from this weeks Child Anger Management Class 2/8/2010

2010-02-12T15:41:00.001-05:00

I hope to share a highlight from each class of the Winter 2010 class with you. I personally thought the use of this visual tool was wonderful!

One of the exercises during the first night of the class was describing emotions. The children were shown the emotion chart and given cards with various emotions on them. After talking about the different emotions and sharing what situations cause a person to feel a certain way (such as lonely, shocked, excited, etc.), two figures were placed over the the emotions. One representing an adult and one representing a child, both outlines had the word ANGER placed on it. This showed how anger can cover up other emotions. The class then talked about how emotions can be "behind" anger and which ones those might be. Just as the emotions on the chart were "behind" the figures. This exercise was repeated for the parents as well.

Interested in learning more about the Center for Family Services Child Anger Management Classes? Click here to contact us!

Community Partners: Crawford County Adult Probation and Parole

2010-02-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

One of our community partners recently commented on the Center and we would like to share her words with you.

"Center for Family Services (CFS) is a great tool for people. The staff offers guidance for the entire community, including local agencies like Probation and Parole. Thousands of Offenders while on supervision have utilized the agency in many different ways, from Anger Management Classes to Housing Advocacy. Offenders court ordered to give back through Community Service are welcomed and utilized at both the Clothing Store outlet and the Meadville food pantry. The staff is always extremely helpful directing me to the agencies equipped to successfully help Offenders be a productive part of our community. Thank you CFS for your professionalism and compassion."
Tricia Wolf – Crawford County Adult Probation and Parole Officer

Both the Center Thrift Store and Center Meadville Food Pantry rely heavily upon workers through the Community Service program. Honestly, it would be very difficult to manage these programs without them.

"How's and Why's" At the Center: Center Thrift Store / Clothing Programs

2010-01-27T11:26:00.007-05:00

I am starting a new blog series for the Center, the "How's and Why's". My goal is to explain the many programs and services we provide, the how and the why of what we do at the Center for Family Services, Inc. Sort of like a "How's it Made" or "Unwrapped" series. Since we are celebrating the 2 year anniversary of our Center Thrift Store, I thought I would start there.

The Center traces it's roots back to 1863, as a descendant of The Home Relief Society. If you think about what was going on in our country back then, you will understand why a group of Meadville, PA women joined together to help the families of Civil War Veterans. I don't have many details of what services they provided specifically, but I would imagine it focused on food, clothing and housing, which sounds pretty similar to what we are still doing today. While the name changed many times, one of the core programs remained as Clothing Assistance.

Up until 2003, anyone could walk in and take as much clothing as they wanted free of charge. Little information was needed and the program required no documents verifying income or residency. In attempts to balance the budget, a $1.00 fee was implemented and then increased to $3.00 in 2005. The staff member who ran the program would put household items aside so that we would have them for fire victims and other homeless situations as well as to prevent "shoppers" from taking items they really did not need. It became difficult to manage which shoppers were in real need and those who were just taking advantage of the program. In addition, the program was consistently showing a loss and the agency was forced to make a tough decision...should the program be shut down entirely.

In 2007, the Board of Directors of the Center for Family Services, Inc. decided to shut down the existing clothing program. A team of staff members redesigned the model for clothing and household assistance and a new Thrift Store was born. In keeping with our roots, Crawford County residents in need can still receive free clothing for their family and homeless clients are given basic household items. The Center will give a "Thrift Store Voucher" to a family that qualifies within a certain income level. Adults can receive the voucher once a year and children twice a year. There is a limit to the amount they can spend and it is specifically for clothing.

The Household Item Assistance program is based on a referral from local agencies. The client has to be working with one of the local shelters or Homeless Assistance Programs to receive free household items. The exception is fire or domestic violence victims, who do not have to meet any financial criteria. The Center has also partnered with the PA WorkWear Program to assist local men and women with job search and work attire. Clients are assisted on a referral basis through the agency program Best Foot Forward.

In addition to the Voucher programs, the Center also provides free winter coats, hats and gloves to targeted adults and children. All of the clothing and household items are made available through the generous donations and support of the Crawford County community.

So how does it work....

You drop off your donation to the Thrift Store. Keep in mind that donations may be tax deductible. You may fill out the form when you drop off or print one from home and have it ready!

One paid staff manages volunteers and Allegheny College Work Study students, who sort through the countless bags and boxes. They keep an ongoing inventory of items needed for our Household Item Program. They put things like, pots and pans, cookware and bedding, aside to keep that inventory full. Slightly imperfect clothing is sent to our Bargain Basement, unwearable items are given to organizations that recycle and upcycle, seasonal items are packed away for storage and the rest is put out for sale or designated for a special program such as Free Coats or Best Foot Forward.

Those needing assistance with clothing or household items will fill out some information on the "Agency Side". Clothing Vouchers are taken by the recipient over to the Thrift Store and the cashier keeps track of how much they spend. The shopper can return for up to a year to use the amount on their particular voucher. Household Vouchers are filled on the spot. A staff member or volunteer will go into a storage area and fill the client's needs as best we can.

All the proceeds from the Center Thrift Store are used for programs that benefit local individuals and families.

In 2009, the Center Clothing/Household program helped close to 900 adults and children right here in Crawford County.

It has been a growth process, learning how to change the program into a self sustaining "business".

How can you help?

Donate

Clean, gently used clothing and shoes
Household items: dishes, appliances, home decor, cooking utensils, new pillows, bedding, etc.
Toys your children have outgrown
Books
Seasonal Decorations
Puzzles and games

Volunteer: Thrift store volunteers are welcome! Let us put your talents and interests to good use.

Contact us for more information about donating, volunteering and our Clothing/Household Program. To be directed to our website Click here

~ Maria Firkaly

Community Partnerships ... we never "Tire" of your involvement

2010-01-13T11:41:00.004-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me when our local businesses step up to the plate and help us help a really deserving person. Last week, our Essential Services Supervisor, Shawnel Lee shared a situation with me. She had a young single mother of three children who needed help getting good tires for her car. Shawnel manages our United Way emergency funds. We use these funds to help where traditional sources cannot. We have assisted in such a variety of cases (gas to get to an interview, presciption help for elderly, help with funeral costs when a family lost a child, assisting with roof repair costs, and of course numerous utility cases..it goes on and on). Shawnel is very careful with this funding, as it comes from the donations of local people like you and I, and it is limited. She always goes through all other options before using these funds.

The young mother has been struggling for a while. She receives little financial help from the children's father, who left the family. Shawnel knew of her situation because we had helped her with a utility last year. What Shawnel told me of her situation now, just reaffirms the good we try to do every day for decent people. The mom had secured a job with training out of county, her grandad had given her an older car (thank goodness for grandparents) and she is scheduled to start the new job this week. She will be making enough to support her children and start her life over. The glitch to the situation is...she needed four new tires for the car. She had not realized that she needed to sign up for "job search" at the Department of Welfare before actively finding a good paying job. So, she could not get any help from them to pay for new tires .. she already had the job. Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face. This is when she called us.

One of the obstacles we have right now is the overwhelming request for utility help (a case of too many needing help and not enough to go around). The other is justifying spending $400 on new tires for just one person. Like I said, Shawnel really tries to make that money stretch and help as many people as possible. Shawnel started looking in the paper for retreads and calling some local businesses. I remembered how our local Flynn's Tireand Auto had recently helped us out by fixing a flat on our Food Panty Van free of charge and suggested she call them. Well, let me just tell you, those people at Flynn's are AWESOME! That young mother is getting her new tires thanks to Flynn's and the Center. A great big thank you to Kevin there for all his help. We are able to get her on the road and not take as big of a hit to our United Way emergency fund. Next time you need tires, consider patronizing a local business that really cares...Flynn's Tire and Auto!

1158 Park Avenue, Meadville PA (814) 337-2427

Avoiding stir crazy on a Snow Day

2010-01-02T09:31:00.004-05:00

I grew up in the Pittsburgh area, and honestly thought I knew what snow was. Now, there are many other places where even the propensity for snowy weather in the Erie Snow Belt is just a joke, but for me I never could have imagined. We all just drive in it, play in it (skiing, snow mobiles, hunting.. if that is play?) go to work and bundle up the kids. Every so often we get a really BIG snow storm, like the one this weekend. I am stuck at home with one kiddo with a cold... I am also wishing I had picked that extra carton of eggs.

I started thinking about what my siblings and I used to do on big snowy days like this. Play outside for sure. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but probably 5 or 6, and the snow was so deep we actually dug a tunnel and made a cave inside big enough to sit down and not hit your head. Did I mention I was a very petite child? Other than sled riding, (trying not to think about the horrific tubing incident.. petite child + monster of a hill + much larger and older kids = disaster and one very squashed petite child) and general play outside, I guess I am trying to think "What did we do before video games?" I am 41 years old.. yes there was a world without video games. My mom was always baking (refer to the first paragraph and my lament of no eggs) and we did have television. The other thing she did, was keep old toys and books boxed up. She would go and take out a box we hadn't seen for maybe a year and let us go at it. It was like opening up a treasure chest.

In addition to pulling out some old toys for your children, how about letting them build a fort out of blankets and pillows? or get the card table out of the garage and throw a sheet over it and they have house? Nerf gun battles can be fun if you set some ground rules.

A few other ideas I found online are Winter Scarf Jumping and a Winter Clothes Dressing Relay . I guess the key is to take some interest the "boredom" at least during a snowy day. Time for me to get lessons on how to correctly hold the Wii remote to play Super Mario...yep nothing wrong with some video game play either.

Love and Kindness come in all shapes and sizes

2009-12-15T13:01:00.000-05:00

It's the holiday homestretch. I know several friends who are still trying to find time to put up the tree and bake a few cookies. Around the Center, it is hustle and bustle just like anywhere else. Need knows no holidays really. This morning, I went out with our Essential Services Supervisor, Shawnel Lee, to take some pictures of her accepting some blankets from local school children. We were chatting with a staff member at the school who asked if there were still families to adopt. Shawnel regretfully told her that it was getting a bit late for that, and the woman felt badly that she had lost track of time and had not contacted us sooner and that she wanted to do something. The school staffer mentioned even buying grocery gift cards. Shawnel told her that those are a great thing for us to have at the Center. Mainly, we give them on a case to case basis to our foreclosure prevention clients. Most of those folks don't qualify for any other assistance, even though they are pouring every spare dime into keeping their homes. Those grocery gift cards are a gift that keeps giving throughout the year.

If you would like to help another family in some small way, consider picking up a $10 or $20 gift card to a local grocery store. You are giving the gift of a container of laundry soap or a couple gallons of milk and touching the life of someone who will never forget your act of kindness.

Please contact the Center for more information 814-337-8450 or through our website www.thecenter-nwpa.org

Juniper Village Food Drive

2009-12-08T09:08:00.000-05:00

Here is a copy of an email Mandy Maruska of Juniper Village sent to me on Friday.

Maria,

As of today, we are at 800 pounds! I have a couple folks from Byham's
Insurance dropping off food this weekend...they just keep on giving.
They have been HUGE supporters of the drive. Please give special
recognition to them when mentioning our success.

In addition, staff, residents and families were all so giving. Many
gave that didn't have much to give. There are 2 staff that were waiting
for payday today to purchase some food. We have a wonderful Juniper
Family, who as a whole, made this a success. We had several individuals
drop in who saw the sign out front and dropped off food out of kindness.
The Meadville Market house promoted the drive and enabled several donors
to give bags of food. I am so proud of our Meadville community, staff
residents and families. I hope to have the full 1,000 pounds on Monday
when CFS arrives to pick up the donation!

Take care,
Mandy

Thank you Mandy and all the staff and community members who worked so hard to help us feed the hungry in our area.

Shopping Online to Benefit CACTUS

2009-12-06T09:40:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone,

Causes on facebook has made it even easier for us to raise funds to provide new bookbags and supplies to children in need next fall.

Online retailers will donate a percentage of your purchase to our cause! Please follow the link to Causes and you will be able to search the retailers that are participating and immediately be able to help CACTUS! The link will download the Causes toolbar. I have this both at home and at work and a donation has been made for every qualifying search I make.

http://www.causes.com/shopping?cause_id=305900

I just finished shopping on Lego.com for my two boys for Christmas and .8% of my purchase is going to CACTUS!

Thank you for your ongoing support. Please copy and paste the link to share will your facebook friends. The smiles you bring to your family and friends as they open their gifts you purchased will be extended to the smiling face of a child next year when he or she puts on that new bookbag!

In the spirit of giving

2009-11-25T15:41:00.003-05:00

I just finished an interview that brought tears to my eyes. I had gotten some names and scenarios from my coworker, Shawnel, who coordinates the agency Adopt-A-Family program. I needed some situations to help me, well, write this blog for one, and promote family Christmas adoptions on the local radio program I am a guest on every Monday morning.

Going through the family lists, I looked at the names and ages and what things the family members would like if they are adopted. All the while, Shawnel would tell me about the circumstance that qualified that family for our program.

"This one involves a father and daughter.. the dad is so very ill he has been unable to work and his teen aged daughter is now feeling overwhelmed by their financial situation and responsible for bringing income into the family. They will soon be facing homelessness." He was a hard working father, who is now incapacitated by illness.

Another family has a seriously ill child who the parents must transport to medical appointments on a continual basis. This has put a financial strain on the family because one parent must miss work and the extra expenses involved with traveling out of town and oftentimes spending the night away from home. Both parents are working, but struggling.

Then, we had the young couple with a toddler. They are both working but barely able to maintain their meager expenses. Both hold minimum wage jobs and have no family to assist them. It made me think of my mother and father and the hardships they went through as a new family, how fondly my mother always talked about my paternal grandmother. My grandma was not a weathly woman, but would help in little ways the best she could. This young family does not have any one else to help them. The young father works outside all day and could really use suitable work clothes for the cold. He is asking for help so he can work and try to take care of his family.

Shawnel had finally given me the phone number of the woman who brought tears to my eyes. She didn't want to make me sad, trust me, even only talking to her on the phone I could tell she has the heart of a lion. I am going to call her "Mary". Mary has been a member of the United States military for 12 years. She served in Iraq for 4 of those 12. She, her husband and five children (all under the age of 10) have traveled with the armed forces and have had a good life. Mary recalled the year the lived in Atlanta that they adopted a family for Christmas. She said her children loved picking out gifts for the children on the list and how wonderful that experience was. We also talked about the families we have up for adoption, how so many were living life at a comforatable level and how one thing can change everything.

Mary is enduring chemotherapy. She has non-hodgkin's lymphoma. Her career in the armed forces was medical, she is not allowed to work around sick people now. That is all she knows. She attempted to work part time in the evenings to try and contribute to the family income, but the stress of working while undergoing the chemo caused her to have a heart attack at age 30. This happened after she had contacted us for help, just one week ago.

We also talked about how many of these families up for adoption are "alone". In other words, they have no family support, no one to reach out to. Parents are deceased or non cooperative. Mary was apologetic, thanking me for listening as she had no one else to really talk to but her husband, who is so overwhelmed. I wanted to reach through the phone and hug her.

The families we put up for adoption are real, their situations true, and intentions pure. Last year, life was very different for them. Next year, it could be you.

Consider contributing to Adopt-A-Family. Bowling leagues, church groups, co-workers, it really can be anyone. Call us at 814-337-8450 or contact us through our website http://www.thecenter-nwpa.org/ for more information. Adopt a Spirit of Giving, Adopt-A-Family

Filling the Food Pantry

2009-11-06T10:27:00.002-05:00

Although the state budget has passed, things aren’t really back to normal. The Center for Family Services food pantries are still struggling to meet the ever increasing need in Crawford County while still waiting for the long awaited funding from the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP). The Center manages 7 food pantries throughout the county and is the lead agency for both Federal (TEFAP) and State Food Programs. These programs enable the agency to provide one full box a month to eligible families and individuals. The food program is designed to help those in need stretch their monthly meals by providing basic nutritional items based on family size. Many times, circumstances will warrant an additional need. That is where “emergency food boxes” are used. Emergency boxes are comprised of donated non-perishable items. Families may receive up to two extra “emergency boxes” a year. When tough times hit, this really helps.

The current problem is not only waiting for the funding from the State Food Program, but refilling the Pantries emergency food stores. When the last bit of state funded food ran out during the budget impasse, the Center Staff dipped and dipped hard into their emergency stores. “Right now we average 1,300 food boxes a month in Crawford County, compare that to the average of 1,000 this time last year.” according to Shawnel Lee of the Center. The Center has nearly depleted emergency food. Thanks to the generosity of community members the agency purchased close to $5,000 worth of food for regular boxes in mid October. However, to give some perspective, the agency should have received $54,000 from the state since July 1, 2009 to make it through the end of this year. That is how much food the agency does not have. Items such as spaghetti sauce, pasta, peanut butter, cereal and canned soup are the most needed.

The Christ Care Group from the First Presbyterian Church of Meadville, 890 Liberty St, is sponsoring “Center for Style” on November 15, 2009 from 2pm –3:30pm to help collect much needed food items for the Center for Family Services food pantries. The Show will feature local people of all ages modeling fashion from the Center Thrift Store. Tea and light refreshments will be served. Admission is free with a donation of: spaghetti sauces, pasta, peanut butter, cereal or canned soup. Monetary donations are accepted as well. Frugal Fashionistas help fill the Food Pantry. For more information call 814-337-8450 or visit www.thecenter-nwpa.org

Something Lurks in the basement....

2009-10-26T16:10:00.006-04:00

Oooooooo... are you very afraid? Well, don't be! Great finds lurk in the basement of the Center for Family Services Thrift Store. I took about 15 minutes this afternoon and came up with some seriously fun and freaky Halloween costume ideas. Check out the pics below of a few items!

The Evening Gown: A sleek black number for the not so haggard witch.
The Trench Coat: Easily become a spy, just add dark glasses.
Lime Green or Orange Polyester: Can you say Brady Bunch?
Gingham Dress: Become a doll with some easy face makeup
The Silver Dress: Oh, if only it fit me! Joan of Arc here I come! My boys have enough medieval weaponry to easily make this one rocking outfit.
Old time dress: Little girl... or I thought it looked like a something from the 1800's
Ready to wear monster ... says it all
Military Leader: This blazer is AWESOME! The medals are sewn in and the military decorations are ready to go. So many directions this could go.

You don't have to spend a ton of cash to dress up the whole family. Check out your local Thrift Store. I could have stuffed all the items I found in one bag and paid $1.00 for the lot (okay, except for the monster he is a bit more) Of course my favorite Thrift Store is ours.. The Center Thrift Store

Happy Halloween! Please share your Thrift Store Costume ideas!

Bare Cupboards

2009-10-02T14:08:00.006-04:00

Compare these two pictures. The first one was taken this morning 10/3/2009 and the second in June 2009. Both pictures were taken at the Main hub location for the Center for Family Services, Inc. food pantries. Our dwindling supply is the direct result of the current Pennsylvania State Budget Impasse. At a time when there are soaring number of unemployed men and women, we have no funds to purchase food through the state food purchase program. What are our options? If anyone knows how to encourage our state government representatives to hurry up and do their job.. great. The other, more realistic option is to help us help the hungry in our community by donating to the Center so we can purchase bulk items. We also will accept non-perishable food as well. At last count, we were giving away over 1,200 food boxes a month. That extra food really helps out, if you've ever been in that situation, you know it. Please help us get through this. How about sponsoring a food drive or another fundraising event? A local church has a "Style Show" in the works to raise money and collet food, while highlighting the clothing from the Center Thrift Store. We need your creativity, we need YOU!

How to donate?? Click here or Contact the Center for more information

"I'm sorry"

2009-09-10T08:56:00.007-04:00

Right now, I am sitting at home waiting. Since early August, a large portion of us at the Center have been fully or partially laid off. The Pennsylvania State Budget impasse has led to this uncomfortable situation. I am not talking about the discomfort that my fellow workers and I may be experiencing from our (hopefully) temporary situation. My discomfort comes from the words "I'm sorry". I encourage my boys to apologize, of course when they really mean it. I also drill into them that "I'm sorry" does not mean much if you don't have plans to rectify the situation, do better next time and repair any damage done to the best of your ability. "I'm sorry" without accountability is just a waste of breath in my eyes. So, why am I so disturbed by those words? Why the discomfort? Well, yesterday I worked. I am only in two days a week right now and like my friends and coworkers, cramming in 37.5 hours in 15. Yesterday I helped fill in at our front desk, answering phones and helping those who walk in the door. I heard, "I'm sorry" and said it myself too many times. Usually, when I say that, I can follow up with "but, let me see how we can help you", or "try this", I couldn't do that yesterday.

One of the state funded programs we run is Rental Assistance. We submit an annual grant to Crawford County Human Services for HAP (Homeless Assistance Program) funds. These funds come from the State level. Of course, this program is dead right now, our Rental Assistance Coordinator, Kim Raszman, laid off. No money to pay her or help families with rent or security deposits. These people are the very poor, homeless (including fire victims and families fleeing domestic violence), many newly laid off and have never faced eviction and homelessness before.
We are unable to help them. That is one of the main reasons I said "I'm sorry" yesterday, and it killed me not to be able to suggest where they could go. I cannot get the face of the young man who walked out the door after we had to tell him there was no funding and no way to tell him when we could help, if we could help. It hurts. The budget impasse is hurting our community in so many ways. How about day care centers closing? State funded child care subsidies are out the window too. So, the lower income parents who are struggling to pay bills and feed their families may now have the choice of either losing their job because they cannot afford the child care or possibly leaving young children at home unattended. I don't know what I would do in their situation, do you?

I am just frustrated. Our government leaders are not acting responsibly, they are letting all of us down. What steps can we take to wake them up? How do we get our issues heard? Will they fund these programs when the news shows homeless children standing in the snow or when a child, who has been left alone at home,is found wandering the street because a parent had to go to work ? How can we ignore this? How about food pantries running out of food? Desperate people make desperate choices. I am curious to see if there is a rise in crime. I guess all I can say is "I'm sorry."

Feeding the hungry

2009-06-16T14:09:00.004-04:00

Today, the Center for Family Services, Inc. held our annual Food Pantry Meeting. The general purpose of this meeting is to update the seven Crawford County food pantries on any changes (paperwork, etc.) and to have the representatives sign their annual contract with the Center. Because we provide commodities through the PA State Food Purchase Program(SFPP) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program(TEFAP), we use this opportunity to update our staff and volunteers on the required procedures for handling personal information from consumers and how to work through "sticky" situations. Consumers must provide proof of residency for that particular pantry's service location. They are provided one food box (SFPP & TEFAP combined) per month per household. All of our pantries also provide "emergency" food boxes from donated food or items purchases with donated money on a case to case basis. Shawnel Lee, Center Essential Services Supervisor, discussed ways to help make sure that we are serving those in need, but also deterring the few who feel they can "double dip"... or go to another pantry and get an additional box.

All of our food pantries have experienced increases in monthly distributions. That really is not surprising, more and more "new faces" are coming to the Center for Family Services for many of our services. Our State Food representative Cal Guth, relayed the struggles of many food pantries and soup kitchen throughout the state. It is frightening really. We have added the list of Center pantries on our agency website, complete with addresses and distribution hours. Within the next few days we will also have a list of additional community food resources. It can be very difficult for someone who has never had to rely on "help" before to resort to a food pantry. They don't know where to look or what is available. So, we hope that helps.

We are very fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers running our food pantries. Great thanks to you all!

The Center meets Social Media

2009-05-04T11:49:00.000-04:00

First off, I will admit that this first ever post scares me just a bit. For me, the bold step into Social Media is akin to walking into a room filled with strangers who have no idea why I am there, and they certainly are not going to come up and say "Hi". So, here I go with a smile on my face, to walk around the room and introduce myself. "Hello, I am Maria Firkaly. I am here representing the Center for Family Services, Inc. The Center is a small and local non-profit agency located in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Through it's many diverse programs, the Center strives to fulfill its mission in a very rural area. My place in the organization is in Development and Marketing and I have been enlightening myself and the Center on Social Media."

Phew, that wasn't as hard as I had expected. The goal of this Blog "At the Center of It All" will be to engage you, the reader, in the real work of this agency. We, (the Center), hope to connect the Center for Family Services to our community by showing you how the programs and services we offer relate to real needs and issues facing you, me and the people who surround us. Ask me, "How can I connect with the Center? How can I know what's going on?" Up until recently, the only way to connect with news at the Center was to receive a printed newsletter. We now have an updated website www.thecenter-nwpa.org. You can find us on Facebook, and become a fan of our page. "At the Center of It All" is the next step to keep our supporters informed.

I am excited and nervous about this "step into a room of strangers", but that cannot diminish the pride I feel for the community we serve. The compassion and love that the supporters, staff and volunteers of the Center show everyday gives me the courage to walk into this room with a smile on my face, head held high and hand outstretched. I am so pleased to meet you!