Family Matters November 2013

NO V E MBE R 2 0 1 3

OCTOBER 2013

Family matters 25 ways to support Bethesda Project The world of people who are homeless seems very far from ours -- but in some ways it is quite near. For many of us, the loss of a job, the death of a spouse or a child or a severe physical disability could be the route to total despair. These are the very tragedies that have happened to many people who end up homeless.

Struck by personal tragedies, the people in shelters across our Philadelphia community and throughout America have lost their homes and have been alienated from the families and friends they once had. There are many ways you can help us fulfill our mission to find and care for the abandoned poor and to be family with those who have none. No matter what your skills, age or resources, there are many ways in which you can make a difference in the lives of those who are homeless and formerly homeless. Here are 25 ways in which you can help!

1. Learn about homelessness – A person experiencing homelessness may be someone who lost his job, a runaway youth, or someone struggling with addiction or with a mental illness. One of the first steps in helping people who are homeless is to see them as individuals and to find out what they need. Notice them; talk to them and listen. Help dispel the stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness.

2. Respond with kindness – We can make quite a difference in the lives of people who lack adequate housing when we take the time to know them. Try a kind word and a smile. Get to know the person for who they are and not for where they’ve been.

3. Know where to refer people who are homeless for services – Contact the city’s 24-hour homeless outreach hotline at 215-232-1984. Ask for Bethesda Project’s “How you can help” cards.

Continued on page 2

In memoriam

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to longtime Bethesda resident Ray F. who passed away on October 1. Ray first came to Bethesda North Broad in July of 1993 and had been a pillar of the community ever since.

The North Broad Street community held a memorial for Ray at the North Broad residence on October 17. Ray, a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, was honored with a military burial and flag ceremony. We will miss him very much.

Continued from page 1 4. Donate money – One of the most direct ways to aid people living in poverty is to donate to Bethesda Project. Ninety cents out of every dollar goes to fund programs and services for the thousands of residents and shelter guests we serve each year.

5. Donate clothing – During spring or fall cleaning, keep an eye out for those clothes that you no longer wear. If these items are in good shape, gather them together and donate them to organizations that provide housing for people experiencing homelessness.

For a list of our current needs, visit bethesdaproject.org/get-involved/donate-goods.

6. Donate a bag of toiletries – Load up a bag full of soap, shampoo, deodorant, disposable razors and other hygiene products and donate them to us for use in our shelter and guest residences.

7. Donate tokens – Our residents often have doctor’s visits and other important appointments to get to and sometimes no way to get there.

8. Volunteer at one of our residences – Shelters and housing sites thrive on the work of volunteers, from those who do household work, to those who serve meals, to others who celebrate holidays and teach life skills.

9. Volunteer your professional services – You can help people who are homeless with your on-the-job talents and skills. Doctors, psychiatrists, counselors, and dentists can treat the homeless in community clinics. Lawyers can help with legal concerns. Help residents learn how to read or study for a GED. 10. Share your hobbies – Whatever your hobbies may be – cooking, playing board games, gardening, photography – you can use them to improve the quality of life for people who are experiencing homelessness. Through hobbies, you can teach useful skills and build healthy relationships.

11. Donate gift cards and holiday gifts – During the year, Bethesda Project has a recurring need for $5 gifts cards (to stores like Dunkin Donuts, Wawa, etc.) and $20-25 gift cards (supermarkets, department stores, drug stores, etc.) for special events at our residences, and especially during the holidays.

12. Teach computer skills and Internet basics to our residents as well as practical applications like how to find a job or a place to live.

13. Educate others about people who are homeless – When you do volunteer, you can become an enthusiast and extend your enthusiasm to others. You can motivate others with your own sense of devotion by writing letters to the editor of your local paper and by advocating for housing issues at election time.

14. Help spread the word about Bethesda Project!

Tell others about our mission and help us reach more members of the Philadelphia community.

15. Sign up your company/school – Ask your company or school to host fundraising events. Ask that your proceeds be matched to help those who are

homeless. A member of our staff would be happy to come speak at your school or place of business to launch your fundraising initiative.

16. Recruit local businesses to host collection drives – Contact us to find out our most current needs; approach local grocery or clothing shops about setting up containers on their premises in which people can drop off donations and ask local businesses to donate goods.

17. Donate proceeds from craft, garage and yard sales – Solicit from your neighbors and friends donations of their talents (e.g. cooking, needlework, woodwork) and gently loved items to be resold as fundraising initiatives.

18. Give Welcome Home kits – When a person who is homeless acquires a home, there are still many challenges. Small packages of items like cups, dishes, towels, etc. make this obstacle much easier.

19. Prepare a meal – Join the large group of volunteers who contribute over 450 casseroles every month! Visit http://bethesdaproject.org/getinvolved/donate-goods to learn more about proper food preparation and handling.

20. Suggest your faith-based organization take up special collections designated to Bethesda Project to aid in our mission.

21. Encourage your children to educate their friends about homelessness – Just as you can be an advocate for people who are homeless, so can your children. Ask them to tell their friends what they have learned. At school, your children can ask to tailor school projects, such as book reports or speeches, around issues confronting those experiencing homelessness. The more children learn about their hardships, the more likely it is that they will pitch in to aid the poor and disadvantaged as a matter of choice.

22. Invite Bethesda Project to speak at your local group – If you belong to a civic, religious, or fraternal organization such as Knights of Columbus, Rotary Club or Scouts, why not invite a member of our staff to come speak to your group about Bethesda Project.

23. Donate new linens, socks and underwear – We are always in need of NEW linens (twin size bed sheets, comforters and blankets; towels and wash cloths) as well as socks and underwear for men.

24. In Memory of/In Honor of cards – Order these cards directly from our website and use them during the holidays and life events. If you have an upcoming birthday, shower or wedding, consider a donation to Bethesda Project in lieu of gifts.

25. Share this list – Spread the word by sending this list to your colleagues, family and friends. Send us your suggestions! Let us know how you are helping the homeless community in Philadelphia.

Looking through a new lens: Residents learn photography

Sanctuary resident Billy gets tips from instructor Linda Panetta.

In September of last year, photographer Linda Panetta began teaching a course at her alma mater, Cabrini College, with the intention of helping students engage in social change by learning photography alongside marginalized individuals.

In the course, Cabrini students were paired with a small group of Bethesda Project residents to learn the technical and artistic aspects of shooting photos. Throughout the past nine months, students and residents have traveled to all corners of the city to take photos of nature, architecture, people, and whatever other subjects catch their eye.

North Broad resident Dante shows off his photos to volunteers Bernie Parent (middle) and Dean Smith.

On October 18, guests at Our Brother’s Place and North Broad residences also took part in a photography workshop and submitted their photos to Philly Photo Day. Philadelphia Flyers legend Bernie Parent visited with the residents at North Broad and took part in the event.

Their photos will be displayed on a digital mural and will be made part of an exhibition taking place in November and December sponsored by the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center.

Staff changes In order to serve our residents, staff and supporters better, the Board of Directors of Bethesda Project recently announced the following staff changes: Domenic Rossi, executive director and founder of Bethesda Project is now Chief Executive Officer allowing him more time to focus on the growth of the organization. Assuming the day-to-day operations is Tina Pagotto, MSW, Chief Operating Officer. Jason Miller, MSW, Associate Director of Clinical Programs will now also underFrom left to right: Jason Miller, Father Domenic Rossi and Tina Pagotto. take the responsibilities as Director of Strategic Initiatives. We thank them for their continued service and wish them well on their new positions.

Volunteers from St. Norbert parish visit Bainbridge.

Tenth grade students from Malvern Prep visit Bainbridge.

Volunteers abound Bethesda Project depends on the generosity of its supporters and its volunteers to serve the thousands of men and women that call Bethesda home. We thank them for their service and dedication!

Senior case manager Lauren (left) with volunteers Linda, Barbara and Sue.

Students from Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmittsburg, MD visited Spruce Street and helped with gardening and cleaning.

Long time volunteer Mary Ann Flynn with Bainbridge resident Joe.

Cabrini College volunteers Alexander, Katelyn, Alicia, Bridget and Jim joined forces on October 25 to assist with the evening meal and ‘give back a little’.

Gearing for another season of helping Philadelphia’s most vulnerable at the Bethesda Café This past March marked the end of Bethesda Project’s fifth year of operating a winter-time drop in center for homeless adults. Throughout this particularly chilly winter season, when the temperature fell below freezing on more than one third of the nights, the Bethesda Café provided social services, shelter, and community engagement to over 375 men and women.

The success of the Café’s past season is largely due to our dedicated staff members, some of whom were former café guests themselves, and volunteers who graciously gave their time and resources to ensure that Café guests received what they needed to feel safe and respected.

Two volunteers who have been serving at Bethesda Project for over a decade—Linda Van Ocker and Michele Howard—were among the many community members, students, and supporters who took time out of their days and nights to engage guests in conversation and activities, and also to collect supplies, clothing and food. Each Monday night, guests looked forward to Linda and Michele’s arrival, and regular guests came to know them as loving and caring friends.

Local textile and visual artist Kathryn Pannepacker (left, with Café guest Brenda) was another weekly volunteer who, through her Weaving Project, spearheaded art and crafting activities at the Café. At the start of the season, Kathryn brought two weaving looms for guests to use and learn the craft of weaving. She further initiated an apprenticeship program, in which select guests would take on the responsibility of maintaining the standing loom throughout the week and also use the loom to create finished woven pieces under Kathryn’s instruction. Kathryn would then sell the woven pieces, which for the most part were

scarves, and half of the profit was given to the apprentice who made the scarf, and half went toward supplies. Thus through this program, guests were able to both learn new skills and earn incomes. “I really believe that it helped to establish a feeling of self-worth and normalcy,” Staff member Sarah Erdo says.

Kathryn first came to Bethesda Project in 2008 through the city of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program, when our winter Café was located at 8th and Arch Streets. She has been leading the weaving apprenticeship program each year since then, and in 2010 also led another collaborative weaving project as part of the Mural Arts Program.

This piece is located on a wall adjacent to Connelly House on 13th and Ludlow Streets in Center City, and features more than two dozen mats woven by Bethesda Project Café guests.

Café volunteers not only went above and beyond in community engagement with guests; several were instrumental in the preparation and delivery of food. Regular donations of hot soup were supplied by Sabrina’s Café each Wednesday evening, and another long time Bethesda volunteer, Karen Leimkuhler, provided hot soup on other nights throughout the week. We are incredibly thankful for the dedication of our volunteers because, as Sarah Erdo believes, “they help the guests to remember that they matter and are valuable members of society who are worthy of love and respect.”

Of the nearly 400 Café guests, more than 25% were placed into treatment, shelter, and housing programs with Bethesda Project or other local housing providers by the end of the season. This high percentage of placement beyond the Café is due in large part to the staff members who oversee the process of finding and engaging chronically homeless individuals. In addition to connecting guests to social services and housing resources, staff also worked to assemble a volunteer outreach team that sought out many of the most vulnerable homeless individuals throughout the city.

We also owe an immense thank you to our donors for their generous support of our work with Philadelphia’s homeless—we could not continue to run a winter Café each year without them.

As temperatures continue to fall and we prepare for the year’s coldest months ahead, we look forward to running another successful year at the Bethesda Café!

FROM THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY LIFE Halloween Thanks to Karen & Jerry Leimkuhler and the BETHESDA COOKS Who prepared holiday meals for 200 of our residents!

A real trick for them A real treat for us.

THANK YOU!

Last Call for Thanksgiving Volunteers Contact us at communitylife@bethesdaproject.org to claim your 2-hour shift between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. We need folks to help with preparing, serving or cleaning up. It’s all part of being family!

Ever wonder how you can make someone’s life a little brighter? Glad you asked!

Every year at this time, Bethesda Project engages in an awesome project: to provide Christmas gifts for all of the 500 men and women we care for during the winter months. Our goal is to match individuals and civic, corporate and faith-based groups with the requests we have received from the members of our communities (two requests per resident).

Here’s how it works: 1. Our residents submit two Christmas gift requests in the $25 range. (Requests include clothing items, gift cards, etc.)

2. Folks – LIKE YOU! – contact Bethesda at tmedwid@bethesdaproject.org, and we will send you the specifics for the one or more $25 wishes that you request. (Some groups request 25, 50 and more requests!)

3. Christmas gifters return their wrapped gifts to Bethesda Project with the residence (e.g., Bethesda Bainbridge) and room number on the outside of the gift.

4. We deliver the gifts to the residents ~ and things get brighter!

P.S. We also accept undesignated gifts for our shelter guests: Towels, washcloths, toothbrushes, shampoo, bar soap, toiletries, shaving cream, disposable Razors, stick deodorant, hand lotion, backpacks, gloves, flannel shirts, thermals, socks, sweaters, pants, sweat pants, jackets, underwear: Medium to XXXL.

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and connect with us on LinkedIn!

1630 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 Tel: (215) 985-1600 Fax: (215) 732-8214 www.bethesdaproject.org