Author: mkeegin

Thank you for all your support in helping 336 neighbors in the panhandle find emergency shelter or prevent their eviction in 2018, including
159 children, 177 adults, 9 veterans and 30 disabled. We are particularly grateful for all our partner organizations and committed volunteers that work with FCCH us to make this happen. A huge Thank You to our generous funders: Ecolabs, Eastern WV Community Foundation and United Way and The Woods Golf Associations many generous churches, donors and committed partners. This year we are particularly grateful for our expanded partnership with the Regional Resource Connection that has helped many of our neighbors avoid eviction.

The Faith community Coalition for the Homeless and Good Samaritan Free Clinic will be at Holiday Inn from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. as part of celebration for Giving Tuesday in our area.  Come learn about how you can help the many organizations in our area.

On Thursday, we came together with our families and friends to say Thank You for all our blessings.

On Friday many of us went shopping.

And now on Giving Tuesday we can say Thank You by giving back to our community. See the United Way web site and find out about all the many Giving Tuesday activities and opportunities to give back.

We have much to be Thankful for and we’re looking forward to Giving Tuesday.  Check out the United Way web site 
http://www.unitedway.org

Don’t miss the opportunity to be a sponsor or a runner/walker for the 5K for the Homeless on Nov 10th at Poor House Farm.  The race begins at 11 a.m. and registration is at 10 a.m.  Remember October 22nd is the last date to order a T shirt for $12 when you register on line.  See FCCH home page for on-line registration information.

Please join our FCCH meeting at Immanuel’s House 5:30 p.m.  on September 11th at 713 Buxton Street, Martinsburg, WV.

We have important agenda including updates on the Keep the Faith 5K for the Homeless. Proceeds from the race go to Good Smartian Free Clinic and Faith Community Coalition to help the Homeless.

Many of You have been asking how can you help with the 5K! At the meeting, you’ll find out how to register to walk or run in the 5K at Poor House Farm on Nov 11, how to sponsor our 5K, and how you can provide food or volunteer to help. We need your help and so do our homeless neighbors.

If you can’t make it to the meeting, check out our Keep the Faith 5K on face book.

One of our FCCH clients called us for help with Eviction Prevention.  She became one of the first clients to be helped with our new partnership with the Regional Resource Connection (RRC).  RRC is responsible for local 211 calls and coordinating community services for those in need.  This FCCH/RRC partnership begins Eviction Prevention (EP) evaluation with the RRC located at DHHR and funded by United Way through Telamon.  In an effort to avoid duplication, FCCH clients needing help with eviction prevention are referred to RRC.  RRC evaluates clients and FCCH helps to provide funding for this service THANKS to United Way, Eastern WV Community Foundation, Ecolabs, our donors and sponsors.  

Our RRC/FCCH client is a single mother taking care of 5 young children, one is disabled. She had some health issues which caused her to be out of work for 3 months.  Her landlord says that she usually pays her rent early.  This client is back to work and will be able to pay rent next month.  RRC pulled together funds from 6 organizations including FCCH to help this family get back on its feet and avoid the trauma of homelessness. That’s what working together can do to help families in our area! 

Thank you RRC, United Way, Eastern WV Community Foundation, Ecolabs, Telamon and many generous donors.

 

With the EWVCF Funds from the C. Scott and Elizabeth C. Shade Youth Fund and our partner organizations, FCCH has been able to provide shelter for 69 individuals from 27 families during the last 5 months, which included 42 children. Nineteen children were sheltered with their families through emergency shelter in motels and 23 children remained sheltered by helping to prevent eviction for their families. With the Youth Grant Funds, FCCH has been able to keep more children in their homes and avoid the adverse childhood experience of homelessness for children in our community. THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION for making a huge difference in our community.

The Joan Roach Fund and the Eastern WV Community Foundation Grant enables FCCH to help adults in extraordinary situations keep their home or find emergency shelter. Recently, FCCH was able to help prevent an eviction for an elderly, disabled woman . She was still in the workforce. Unfortunately, she fell and fractured her hip. Of course she could not work, so she fell behind in her rent. FCCH was able to help prevent the eviction, which gave the lady enough time to get a release from her doctor. She is now back at work. Without FCCH Eviction Prevention funds she would have lost her home. Thank You Joan Roach and the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation.  You continue to make a big difference for the needy in our community.

Don’t forget—–Mark you calendar and join us for the Faith Community Coalition for the Homeless meeting on May 8th at 5:30 p.m. at Immanuel’s House 713 Buxton Street, Martinsburg WV.  Lots happening and we need your input.