Corp`s programs today - Community Outreach Partnership

 2007-­
2008 Community OutReach Partnership Trinity Memorial Church 2212 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19013 (215) 732-­‐2515 Cover photo:
Representative Babette Josephs (D-PA) presents a Citation from the
Pensylvania House of Representatives celebrating 15 years of recycling at Trinity
to benefit CORP's Wintershelter. Shown with Represenative Josephs are CORP
Board members and neighborhood supporters, from left to right, Caroline
MacMoran, Colin Shanahan, Karl Miller, Aileen Moleski, Gary Madrack, Ray
Kurian Dutchie, Joel Sartorius, Rep. Josephs, Noam Kugelmass, Francois
Dutchie, David Casto-Diephouse and Anja and Mia Castro-Diephouse
The 2007-­ 2008 Community OutReach
Partnership Annual Report was compiled by
Aileen Moleski and formatted by Jessica
Dunford. The featured articles were taken
from the Trinity Memorial Church
Newsletter or written by Jessica Dunford,
Aileen Moleski, or Maris Krasnegor.
1 Contents: CORP: An Introduction................................................................................................ 3 CORP’s Programs Today ............................................................................................... 4 A Message from Karl Miller ........................................................................................... 5 CORP Board of Directors ............................................................................................. 6 Wintershelter ............................................................................................................ 7-­13 Comminicare .......................................................................................................... 14-­16 Cook-­Off ................................................................................................................. 17-­18 Recycling Program .................................................................................................. 19-­21 CORP’s Supporters................................................................................................. 22-­24 Special Events ............................................................................................................... 22 Financial Statement ..................................................................................................... 28 2 Annual Report September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008 CORP: An Introduction
In 1984, after repeatedly bemoaning the plight of the homeless people who were more
and more visible around our city, Father Lou Temme, along with some parish and
neighborhood volunteers, developed a plan for a shelter for homeless men to be housed
in the Parish House basement of Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church during the five
coldest months of the year. The plan was presented at a packed community meeting.
The carefully planned out proposition was greeted with enthusiastic approval and the
meeting ended with many community members clamoring to volunteer for the shelter.
The volunteers, interested in adding other programs to meet perceived needs, in 1985
became the Community OutReach Partnership, or CORP, with its own board made up
of TMC parishioners and members of the community. The Communicare Program was
established to provide services to another group in the community, the frail elderly.
The Cook-­Off Program involves volunteers who prepare meals for other members of
the community. The Recycling Program, which has been a bi-­monthly, activity was
closed in February 2008, as Philadelphia adopted single-­stream recycling. The
Recycling Program is developing a continuing effort to recycle ink-­jet and laser toner
cartridges, items not included in Philadelphia’s single stream recycling.
CORP is a volunteer, nonsectarian community organization that provides programs to
help those in need in the surrounding community. CORP board members are together
a representation of diverse backgrounds and affiliations. CORP operates under the
nonprofit aegis of Trinity Memorial Church.
Our Mission:
The Community OutReach Program fosters volunteer programs that provide direct
help to those among us who are homeless, hungry, elderly, lonely, or needy. It seeks to
aid those who are most vulnerable in ways that are practical by offering clearly defined
opportunities for compassionate action. CORP seeks to call attention to the common
humanity of helpers and those who need help, and to break the barriers that separate
one human being from another.
3 CORP’s Programs
Wintershelter
Wintershelter provides a safe haven for 22 homeless men for the five coldest months of the year.
When it began, the founders thought they were addressing a temporary problem. Sadly, these
efforts are more necessary than ever. A large group of volunteers representing various
churches, synagogues, school groups, as well as individuals, prepare and serve appetizing and
wholesome meals. At Wintershelter, the men know they will receive a warm welcome. They
come to Wintershelter for more than a meal and a bed;; here they get security, counseling, and
comfort. Wintershelter operates in cooperation with Bethesda Project which supervises
overnight staff, screens and transports the men to Trinity. Once there, they are helped to take
steps that may move them out of the homeless cycle.
Communicare
Communicare volunteers visit elders in need of assistance, companionship, and advocacy.
With the aging and increased mobility of our population, many older people are no longer able
to live as independently as they wish. Communicare volunteers help these people to live easier
for as long as possible. Pairings are done with great care, so that close friendships evolve;; many
volunteers have helped, when the need arose, to find a nursing or retirement home, or to
advocate for better care. A professional coordinator recruits and trains volunteers and matches
them with elders who have requested help.
Cook-­Off
The Cook-­Off Program involves volunteers who gather semi-­monthly at Trinity Church kitchen
to prepare frozen dinners for distribution to frail or ill homebound persons. The need for the
meals is great. They have been picked up by the Salvation Army and other groups for
distribution to a wide range of people in need.
Recycling
The Recycling Program provided a double benefit for the community. While improving the
environment, it raised more than $7,000 each year, directly helping to fund CORP’s other
programs. For the past 15 years, CORP volunteers could be found at 22nd and Spruce Streets on
the first and third Saturdays of every month collecting corrugated cardboard, mixed paper, and
plastic containers for recycling. The City of Philadelphia picked up and paid for the recycled
materials. With the introduction of single-­stream recycling by the City of Philadelphia, CORP is
now focusing on the recycling of ink-­jet and laser printing cartridges to protect the environment
and fund its programs.
4 A Message from Community OutReach Partnership’s 2000-‐2008 Convener
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Thanks to all who helped make the Community OutReach Partnership a success during this past year.
Wintershelter, with the enthusiastic support of our Center City neighborhood, has fared well for over
twenty years. We extend heartfelt appreciation to our supporters led by Terry Hirshorn, a neighbor and
Coordinator of the volunteers for the Wintershelter, and our neighbors who have supported this clean,
safe haven for homeless men.
In addition, our Communicare and Cook-Off programs serve area seniors with visitation, support and
home-cooked meals.
For fourteen years, the corner of 22nd and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia had been home to a large
Community-based recycling effort - -2.8 million pounds of mixed paper and 8.6 million plastic bottles
contributed $ 115,000 to the operation of Wintershelter.
When our neighborhood recycling site was closed due to the City’s new single stream recycling program,
Mayor Michael Nutter, Deputy Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams and Representative Babette
Josephs joined with us to celebrate the programs of the Community OutReach Partnership and visited
Wintershelter. Representative Josephs presented CORP with a Citation from the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives, shown on the cover of this Annual Report.
During the past year, several long-term Board members resigned. I especially want to thank Terry Quirin
who has been involved since the inception of the Wintershelter, Jim Kenkelen who was involved in the
recycling effort and as a Board member for many years, Maryanne Conheim (a board member during
several periods over the past 20 years), Aileen Moleski and Faith Midwood, who also contributed
significantly to the operation of the organization.
Having served more than eight years as Convener of the Community Outreach Partnership Board, I felt
that new leadership for the Community Outreach Partnership was important to move it forward. I
resigned as Board Convener (Chair), effective August 31, 2008. I am working with John Randolph, the
new Interim Convener and a founding member of the Community OutReach Partnership, to plan a
smooth transition and to continue as a working member of the CORP Board of Directors.
Sincerely,
Karl F. Miller
5 CORP Board of Directors
Ex-­Officio
Maryanne Conheim*
Dick Ihrig, Administrator, Trinity Memorial
Church
Terry (Newirth) Hirshorn, PhD.
Jim Kenkelen*
Rev. Edward G. Rice, Priest-­ in-­Charge,
Trinity Memorial Church
Caroline MacMoran, PhD.
Maris Krasnegor, Director, Communicare
Program
Nicole Mark, Esq.*
Faith Midwood, M.D.*
Associated
Karl F. Miller
Colleen Davis, Grant writer
Aileen Moleski*
Sue Dichter, Director, Programs, Bethesda
Project
John Randolph
Terrence Quirin, Esq.*
Edward Manwaring, Trinity Financial
Services
Colin Shanahan
*served until 2008
A Letter from the Interim Convener
It is with great enthusiasm that I accept the role of Interim Convener of the Community
OutReach Partnership. It offers me the opportunity to come full circle, to return to an
organization that I helped found over twenty years ago. In accepting this new role I want to thank
Karl for his steadfast dedication and for the many hours that he put in over the last eight years.
His shoes will not be easily filled. My vision for the role of Interim Convener is to reinvigorate
the organization and its relationship to our community. It seems to me that the success of our
organization is based on providing opportunities for individuals to volunteer for programs that
are themselves based on the needs of the community. Ideally, both the needs of the community
and the individual's need to give back to the community are met. The hoped-for outcome of this
process of reinvigoration will be a renewed enthusiasm by the community for our mission,
revised programs tailored to fit community needs and a stronger and more robust organization. I
hope that all of you with enthusiasm and ideas of your own will join in helping me to
accomplishing these goals.
John Randolph
6 Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY A Winter’s Tale: “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger”
(One of a series of occasional interviews with Wintershelter guests. Names are changed to respect privacy).
Robert S. remembers the worst day of his life as clearly as if it was yesterday. It was the day his
grandmother died -‐-‐ and if that wasn’t bad enough, when the police came, they implied that he had killed
her.
“That hurt me so bad,” said the former Wintershelter resident, his kindly hazel eyes filling with tears.
“My grandmother took care of me and my sisters... The night before she died, I brought her a glass of
water and told her that I loved her.”
Robert’s grandmother had taken to locking her bedroom door at night to keep the family dog, a
yellow lab mix, from coming in and sprawling across her bed. When she didn’t come out one morning
and didn’t answer her call, Robert’s twin sister got worried. Robert, a tall, heavyset man, broke down the
door, “and we found her lying on the floor with blood on her head,” he said.
The paramedics could not revive her, so they called the police. The police brought a body bag. “They
just threw her in the bag and threw it in the back of the paddy wagon,” he said. “They didn’t show
respect. I got real upset, and they wanted me to get into the police car. They thought I was just some
dumb black guy. They acted like they were going to blame me for her death.”
Robert, 33, grew up in the Richard Allen homes in North Philadelphia. His light skin and curly
brown hair reflect his mixed ancestry: African, Portuguese, Cherokee and Blackfoot Indian.
“My mother died when I was 13. “She had a weak heart. She was a drug user, and that wore her body
down,” he recalled. “She was in the hospital for a year after my younger sister was born. She would try to
quit—and succeed for a time— but all the years of drug abuse took a toll on her body.”
Robert’s father died when he was 18. “I only met him three times,” he said, “but my grandmother and
mother loved me and my sisters a lot, so it didn’t really matter.”
Robert’s grandmother sent him to Roman Catholic High School, where he had a partial scholarship.
School was not hard for him. “Me and my grandmother, we had a kind of photographic memory,” he said.
“I could read something, and a month later, I could pull it up.” He got A’s and B’s, but in his senior year,
his grandmother couldn’t come up with a final $1,200 tuition payment, so the school withheld his
diploma. “For a year after graduation,” he said, “I was so depressed, I just stayed in my room,” he
recounted.
Robert’s pastor intervened and found him a job as a file clerk at a law firm. “It was a great thing,”
Robert said. “I had a reason to get up in the morning, and I had money in my pocket. I was happy.”
Robert got on well with the lawyers, and they took an interest in him. After only a few months, they
asked if he would like to go to college. “It really took me by surprise,” Robert said. “Any money I had, I
just gave to my grandmother and my sisters. But free college? I’m like, sure! It was a golden opportunity,
and I jumped on it.”
His missing high school diploma was no problem: “Vince (one of the lawyers) made a phone call to
the archdiocese, and they said, ‘Oh, no problem, just tell him to go to Roman Catholic and pick it up,’”
Robert said. “It still hurts that they wouldn’t do that for my grandmother and me.”
The law firm sent Robert to the University of Scranton, Vince’s alma mater. Central Pennsylvania
was “somewhat of a culture shock,” he recalled. “It was kind of, uh, boondockish. Where I grew up, you
7 Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY couldn’t go a day without hearing gunshots and police sirens.”
Halfway through his freshman year, Robert’s depression returned—
“full bore this time,” he said, “...probably because I was away from home. I
didn’t really socialize with a lot of people.” During the winter, as his
depression snowballed, Robert stopped going to class. “Eventually,” he
said, his voice downcast, “I flunked out.”
The law firm took Robert back, but this time his lawyer friends
insisted that he see a therapist. “After a year and a half, things were going
pretty good again, and then they asked me if I wanted to go to LaSalle,” he
said. Robert went to LaSalle part time for three semesters, but during the
third semester, he again became clinically depressed.
He resisted taking medication, he said, because “that would be like
admitting I was way messed up, like my uncle. He’s one of those people
you see on the street talking to himself.”
Robert eventually recovered and returned to the law firm. “The
depression was up and down,” Robert said. “When it was really bad, I’d miss
Wintershelter guests enjoying a two or three days a week, just sitting in my room contemplating suicide.”
warm meal
Five years ago, his friend Vince came up with another surprise. “He said
he had a house for me and my family... Heck, it was a mansion,” Robert recalled, awestruck. “And it was
in a neighborhood my little sister could grow up in. We jumped all over it.”
The house didn’t work out quite as expected, though. “We’d never had a house, and we didn’t know
how to take care of one,” Robert explained. “Pretty soon, the house was in disarray.” Meanwhile, Robert’s
grandmother’s health was beginnng to fail. After she went on dialysis, she lived for only another year.
“After my grandmother died, it was just me, my sisters, my nieces and nephews. Gradually they all
left, and it was just me and my dog in the house. I went to work and came home, and then I got too
depressed to go to work. I called the law firm and said I was quitting.”
The house, meanwhile, continued to deteriorate, and finally Vince told Robert he had to move. “After
I gave back the keys, I went to my sister’s and
stayed in her back room for a whole year,” he
said. I’d close my eyes, and a week would
pass.”
Robert attempted suicide twice—half-‐
heartedly, he admits. “I was afraid if I killed
myself I wouldn’t go to heaven,” he said. Then
things got worse: His sister informed him that
he had to move. “I wasn’t on her lease, and had
to get out or else they were going to evict her.”
Jobless, homeless, and clinically depressed,
Robert turned in desperation to his pastor.
Two of the guests relaxing in the shelter
“Father put me in touch with Sue Dichter (of the
Bethesda Project, CORP’s shelter partner).
8 Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY “Sue asked me what goals and plans I had for myself. I told her I just wanted to get through the day
without commiting suicide. I looked at all these (homeless) men at Bethesda, and I thought, “Is this how
it’s going to end for me?” Because Robert was not a drug or alcohol abuser, Sue referred him to CORP’s
Wintershelter, known for its friendly and helpful atmosphere.
“I actually liked the guys there. They were older guys, but they were nice to me,” Robert said. “We
had chores to do, and we had a TV in the front room. One of the men noticed I got up at all hours to go to
the bathroom, and he said, ‘You know, you really should see the nurse.’”
Robert saw Bethesda’s nurse, and discovered that he had diabetes. “They couldn’t believe how high
my sugar was,” he said. “Margo (the nurse) said I should have been dead of a stroke or heart attack, but I
guess God just decided it wasn’t my time to go.”
Robert was given medication for his diabetes and high blood pressure, and at long last, medication
for depression. He began to improve. “Ed Braxton (Wintershelter’s life counselor) noticed I was starting
to feel pretty good, and he said I was a good candidate for Bainbridge House.”
Bethesda’s Bainbridge House is a men’s residence. The men have their own rooms, and share living
quarters. Robert has been living there for six months now. He sees a therapist on a regular basis, and he is
on the Bethesda Community Council, which plans activities.
He is liked and respected. “I’ve always been a nice person,” he acknowledges shyly. “It’s easier to be
nice than to be a bastard.”
Robert enjoys reading (Clancy novels, Jack London, science fiction) and writing to his nieces on a
computer that Vince gave him. He has lunch with his lawyer friend once a week. He is starting to deal
with some of the underlying issues that contribute to his depression—like his mother’s illness and death.
His goal for now is simply to have a good day. “I still have bad days with thoughts of suicide that
come out of nowhere,” he said, “but I’m glad to be here today. I’m going to do what I can to have a good
day. I may not have the best life, but I don’t have the worst life either... You take baby steps. The next
step is: What can I do to have a good week?”
Robert Pate and Mark Thomas, two of the 22 men who benefit from the wintershelter, chat over a home-­‐made meal this past winter. This picture was featured in the Philadelphia Bulletin on December 21, 2007.
9 Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Larry’s Choice: “Live or Die?”
These days, Larry Smith is a busy man.
Weekday mornings, the 60-‐year-‐old former
maintenance man, onetime crack addict, and
former Wintershelter guest reports to the
Philadelphia Senior Center, where he volunteers
to watch the door. He often stays to play cards,
have lunch and enjoy a movie.
On a typical evening, the soft-‐spoken,
bearded and bespectacled Smith might be found
in the kitchen at the Bethesda Project’s
subsidized permanent housing on North Broad
Street, whipping up a mouthwatering batch of
spaghetti with meat balls, or meat loaf and corn
bread, for himself and fellow residents. “Some of
’em don’t know how to cook,” he explained in a
recent interview. (Bethesda is CORP’s shelter
partner).
Tuesday
afternoons Smith
volunteers
at
Inglis
House,
where he helps
handicapped
residents
play
pinochle. “I hold
the cards, because
they can’t lift
’em,” he said.
Other
Two men enjoying the hot meals in afternoons might
Wintershelter
find Smith helping
out
at
My
Brothers’ Place, Bethesda’s intake center for the
city’s homeless. He is also there Sunday mornings,
leading the Praise Sing before worship, and in his
spare time, recruiting singers for a gospel quartet.
“I’m not a bad singer,” he concedes modestly.
“Larry is an exceptional person,” says Sue
Dichter, program director for the Bethesda
Project. “He’s always looking for opportunities to
share his time and talents.” And his talents, in
addition to music, are many: “He is a real
community builder; a very positive person... And
he’s also a great cook! On holidays he’ll collect a
few dollars and cook up huge meals for the men.”
Our Brothers’ Place offers three meals,
showers and clean clothing to the city’s homeless,
and also houses 150 men. It has served more than
4,500 individuals since November, 2003, and
Dichter says Philadelphia’s homeless numbers are
continuing to rise.
Larry Smith’s portrait, painted by an artist in
the city’s Mural Arts program, overlooks the
common room at My Brothers’ Place as part of a
scene which proclaims: “To be aware is to be
alive. Keep hope for thy brother.”
Four years ago, hope was a scarce commodity
in Larry Smith’s life. Sick, out of work and living
on the streets, he didn’t look forward to much
beyond his next hit of crack cocaine. When he
was hungry, he joined the ranks of the city’s
homeless at Bethesda’s soup kitchen.
Three years ago, Bethesda’s church shelter
coordinator, Charles Robinson, told Smith about
CORP’s Wintershelter. Smith decided to give it a
try, and before long, he began to look forward to
going there. “They cooked for us and fed us... They
made us feel like we were wanted; they made us
feel like family,” he recalled.
“You knew you didn’t have to be out in the
cold. You knew somebody cared for you... After a
while, I’d be here at 6 o’clock to make sure I didn’t
miss the (Wintershelter) van.”
But life on the street, and on drugs, had taken
its toll on Smith’s health. “I was real sick,” he said.
I had an irregular heartbeat, and when it got cold,
I couldn’t breathe because of my asthma.”
One day, not long after Smith arrived at
10 Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Wintershelter, his chest pain got so severe he had
to go to the hospital. “They thought I had a blood
clot,” he said. “When they took my blood, they
found out I was still messing with crack. They
told me I had to stop, because my heart couldn’t
take it. They had to give me a pacemaker.
“At this point, I said to myself: Do you want
to live or do you want to die? I made a choice, and
my choice was to live—my choice was to stop
(taking drugs), and I’ve stuck with it.”
Smith was born and raised in North
Philadelphia. His family was from North Carolina,
but during the 1930s they came north, and his
father found work delivering furniture for an
appliance store.
When Larry was nine years old, his parents
separated. “My mother started to drink after my
dad left,” he recalled. Within a year she was too
ill to care for Larry and his siblings, and before
long, the courts intervened and put all four
children in foster homes, where they remained
for six years.
Smith, who didn’t complete high school,
went to work as a maintenance supervisor at U-‐
Penn. He stayed for eight years, until Penn
changed contractors and the company sent him
to Washington University in St. Louis. “I was in
Missouri for three years, and then that contract
ran out,” he said.
After a stint in maintenance at Cheyney
University of Philadelphia, Smith’s company lost
another contract and laid him off. “I had no work
at all. After a while I got on drugs... I tried crack
cocaine and I liked it, and pretty soon I was
sleeping out on the street.”
Although his sisters were married and lived in
Philadelphia, Smith avoided them. “I was
ashamed of myself,” he said. “The drugs had me. I
just wanted to stay to myself.”
Smith, whom Dichter describes as “a good
listener and a good friend,” is a loner no longer. He
gives 30 percent of his disability check to
Bethesda for rent and enjoys the fellowship of the
men who share his group residence. He is in touch
with family members. When he can, he likes to go
to ball games and take in shows at Penn’s
Landing. “I like oldies and jazz,” he said.
“I try to stay clean now and leave everything
to the Lord,” he said. “I put everything in the
Lord’s hands.”
A delicious meal of stew, green beans and barbeque chicken-­‐ one of the many varieties offered at the Wintershelter
11 Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Wintershelter Volunteers
Abrams, Jane
Clark Stuart, Sarah
Jacquette, Stephanie and Dennis
Anderson, Carl
Cohen, Julia
Jain, Bhuv and Sue
Barfoot, Fred
Davis, Dan
Kahn, Mary
Bedell, Joan
Del Soldo, Lou
Kantra, Andy and friend
Begosh, Marbie
Devor, Harris and family
Kimelman, Gay and Sam
Dichter, Gene
Kohlhas, Jenifer
Dick, Edna
Kuehner, Trudy
Dooley, Sharon
Kung, Marsha
Drecksage, Dan
Lawrence, Matt
Elliott, Charles
Laver, Phyllis
Fine, Deborah
Lehman, Hal
Finger, Joan
Leidy, Carter
A group of volunteers preparing a meal for the shelters guests
Fronheiser, Kate
Levine, Carmie
Beier, Ginny, coordinator for First
Unitarian Church
Garner, Rev. Jesse
Mammarella, Mary
Millhollen, Bill
Gatschet, Nancy
Marmorstein, Naomi
Blase, Fran and family
Gay, Jen
Blinebury, Gerry and Bess
George, William
Blume, Marlene
Gillen, Terry
Boehner, Nicole
Grossman, Ali
Bonner, Ann
Gulka, Joe and Helen
Bolz, Erin
Hart, Dan
Boss, Ken
Haverford College Women’s Soccer
Team
Bowman, Leslie
Brubaker, Jean
Burgwyn, Diana
Burling, Maureen and family
Cadwalader, Sandy
Cheung, Robyn
Amy Stafford, Philadelphia Bulletin reporter, with shelter guest
Henningsen, Pat
Hirshorn, Terry
MacMoran, Caroline
Horn, Jill
Hoffacker, Toni, coordinator of
volunteer cooks from St. Mary’s in
Wayne
Middleton, Adelia
Miller, Bob
Hoyer, Helen
Chiodo, Anita
Miller, Kathy
12 Melucci, Robert
Wintershelter CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Morrison, Karen
Roberts, Margaret
Sudock, Leslie
Moss-‐Vreeland, Jonah
Rovner, Ruth
Tanfield, Jeanne
Nahas, Josh
Rose, Allison
Turan, Louise
Nezu, Art and Chris
Rynkiewicz, Rick
Wang, Ed
Palmer, Meliesha
Schneiman, Rhona
Weinstein, Janet
Patterson, Meredy
Scott Gross, Paula
Philadelphia School District
Sharretta, Carrie
Whitcomb, Chris, coordinator for
servers from St. Mary’s Wayne
Quinn, Terrance M. and family
Shiung, Jen
Rawson, Roxanne
Smith, Debra
Will, Judith, coordinator for the
Ethical Society
Reames, Read
Spriggs, Jean
Zack, Elizabeth
Reindel, Andrew and family
Steinberg, Doris and Phil
Zankiw, Rosemary
Riley. Amy
Stinson, Nancy
Zussman, Ben
Roberts, David
Stuempfig, Daisy
Williams, Don
Amy Stafford, Philadelphia Bulletin Reporter, gathered with Winter Shelter residents, December 2007.
13 Communicare CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY A total of 40 Communicare volunteers have provided support to approximately 50 Center City elders
during the past year, with a current enrollment of 30 elders and 32 volunteers. This assistance is carefully
tailored to the needs of the individual and can include shopping help, accompaniment for errands,
appointments or exercise, advocacy with medical providers, help with reading, correspondence, and
record keeping, assistance with household tasks, companionship and connection, and telephone
reassurance. Volunteers give a minimum of two to three hours a week and endeavor to be a friend to the
elder they are matched with. A program of limited size, Communicare is able to be creative and flexible
in addressing requests from elders, as the following story shows ~
A Story of Communicare
Mrs. F., 93 is deaf and has limited vision. She is very independent and
goes out on her own most days. With no family in the area, however,
she is quite isolated. Communicare was asked by Mrs. F.’s daughter
(who lives in Australia!) to find a volunteer who could visit and help
her mother track and keep her various medical appointments – not
such an easy task since communication with a deaf elder is extremely
difficult. The happy ending to the story is her fortuitous introduction
to Zelda Litt. Mrs. Litt, an exceptionally caring and capable
volunteer, takes Mrs. F. to all her doctors’ appointments, advocates
for her, makes sure she understands everything and then reports in
detail to the daughter via e-‐mail. The following is taken from an e-‐
mail written by the daughter, Susan, to Mrs. Litt:
“Thank you once again for your e-‐mail. My mother said she was so excited about A Communicare volunteer with her elderly guest
going out for lunch that she could hardly eat!! But she did enjoy it, and especially
liked the company!! She sounded fantastic when I spoke to her today…Your spending time with my mother has given her a
new lease on life. She was getting so depressed and lonely – but now she always has something to talk about when I call her.
Thank you so much, Zelda, for your kind and caring attention to my mother and thank you once again, Maris, for finding
such a wonderful person for my mother.”
In Memory of a Dear Friend
Communicare recently lost an elder who, at 98, had been with the program for eight years. Ms. C lived
independently in her own apartment, though she had cerebral palsy since birth and in recent years was confined to
a wheelchair. She was a warm and understanding individual who managed, despite her disability, to earn a PhD.
from the University of Pennsylvania and to have a successful professional career supervising clinical services for a
social work agency.
Ms. C missed being useful in her work life and enjoyed using some of her supportive skills with the young volunteer
who began to help her in some practical tasks involving writing and record keeping. It was easier for her to accept
help if she could offer something in return. Gradually, the volunteer, Pamela, saw Ms. C’s condition worsen. She
began to develop new needs and, with declining strength, now required help with shopping, transportation, and
some personal care. Pam advocated for a visiting nurse to help with bathing and she followed up to ensure the care
was satisfactory.
14 Communicare CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Over the years Ms. C and Pam developed a close friendship- a strong mutual fondness, quite like family. Pam met
her friend’s two nieces, who were close to their aunt but lived in other parts of the country. The three began to work
together as Ms. C gradually became less capable of living and managing alone. Pam’s presence on the scene helped
the nieces play an important role from afar. When it became necessary, the Communicare director helped to
identify some nursing home possibilities. Pam and Ms. C went to visit and evaluate a couple of these in person, after
which Ms. C ad the nieces came to a decision. Once he elder friend made the move to the long-term care facility,
Pam visited her regularly to provide support and help her get settled in her new home.
Pam continued calls and visits until the end. When direct communication became impossible, she kept in touch
with the nursing center to monitor her friend’s care. She encouraged the nearest niece to do the same, knowing that
this kind of communication can have a positive effect on quality of care.
Training Volunteers
A major goal of Communicare is to give volunteers the background information and knowledge of
resources they need to provide effective long-‐term support and advocacy for elders in the program. In
addition to the ongoing coaching and individual back-‐up provided by the director, partnerships with
existing sources of community support help volunteers to do the best job possible.
A recent volunteer support meeting featured a presentation by the service coordinator from a near-‐by
affordable housing residence for the elderly. The meeting was an opportunity for volunteers to learn
exactly what roles a service coordinator plays, the kinds of issues they can help with, as well as the limits
of their ability to assist. Since a single individual in this position can be expected to serve as many as two
to three hundred residents, they welcome the collaboration of informed and capable volunteers who can
extend their effectiveness. As regular visitors, volunteers are often the first to notice a change in an
elder’s health or need for assistance.
Volunteers came away from the meeting with a greater understanding of the work done by coordinators.
They gained a better sense of how and where their own efforts can be most useful, as well as when it
makes sense to call on expertise of the service coordinator.
During the past year Communicare has been offering volunteer medical transport – especially for the
most fragile elders who can get lost in the shuffle when they use city subsidized Connect vans. Ill and
anxious, they find it difficult to tolerate the late pick-‐ups and missed rides that too often occur with this
service. With the hope of attracting more volunteer drivers (and keeping the ones we have), the Board
has decided to offer reimbursement for significant parking fees when incurred.
Finally, Communicare is pleased to be a recipient of a small grant from the Philadelphia Activities Fund
which will allow us to treat elders in the program to tickets to the theater, concerts and entertainments
they might otherwise be unable to afford. Elder / volunteer pairs can attend together and have their
tickets paid for by this grant.
15 Communicare CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Communicare Volunteers
Applebaum, Bernard
Holmes, Edward
Barr, Helene
Keeys, Mildred
Cohen, Julia
Lamac, Andre’a
Conheim, Maryanne
Lymburner, Melissa
Conolly, Terry
Manicka, Ania
Dych, Sandy
Mathiessen, Tamela
Dooley, Sharon
Nerz, Maggie
Esposito, Maryann
Ralston, David
Fien, Nancy
Rodgers, Cintra
Fox, Janet
Rothman, Sarah
Fox, Will
Schafzin, Sam
Freyd, Pamela
Seitlin, Sydel
Galin, Carol
Shanahan, Colin
Garvey, Raylean
Swenson, Jean
Graves, Frieda
Tanda, Joseph
Gondek, Emily
Thomas, William
Hazard, Mary
Hena, Zachary
16 Cook-­‐Off CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Every other month the parishioners of Trinity Memorial
Church hear a familiar feature in their weekly announcements- a
call to help prepare 200 meals for elderly or impoverished people.
The Cook-Off program lures around 10 to 15 Church-goers and
community members into service six times a year, preparing an
over-all 1,200 meals. The Trinity Memorial group participates with
other churches and neighborhoods in the city in an effort to keep
Philadelphia well-fed and healthy. The Cook-Off program is
headed by Missy Randolph, Margaret Tsukaguchi, and Marianne
Anthe. These three women are responsible for choosing the menus,
collecting the considerable bounty of ingredients, and putting it all
together in a chaotic spurt of scooping, stirring, and pouring. Every
Cook-Off runs smoothly and happily thanks to the commitment of
these women, who take the opportunity of an interview to remind
John and Missy Randolph preparing some community members that men need not shy away from the call to
of the 200 Cook-­‐Off meals after service at volunteer. The unfortunate trend, however, has been for males to
Trinity Memorial Church
sneak away from preparing meals in the church’s kitchen to eat
already prepared treats for the after-service coffee hour in the neighboring room.
The advantges of Cook-Off are not for the
beneficiaries of the program alone. Missy
Randolph, head coordinator of the program, sees
the positive forces of bringing community
members and TMC parishoners together in the fun
that she and the other volunteers have. Once the
four long tables have been drawn out, a cheerful
business ensues as volunteers rush from kitchen to
adjoining room carrying huge pots of healthy
ingredients and scouping generous amounts into
each plate. The mostly female crowd seize a
chance to catch up with one another. The amount
of stories and jokes that are exchanged rivals the
Some of the usual Cook-­‐Off volunteers demonstrate how fun number of meals they create. When the last
Cook-­‐Off can be
package of a frozen, pre-prepared meal has been sealed, the volunteers can together
celebrate a palpable sense of accomplishment. Searching to find any drawback to the
program, Mrs. Randolph concedes thoughtfully, “I guess you could say that the
biggest challenge is creating a colorful, nutritious meal every time.”
Though her ingenuity seems to know no bounds in this case, after creating
a menu that all of the volunteers enthusiastically agree they wouldn’t mind
having for dinner that night.
17 Cook-­‐Off CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Cook-‐Off Volunteers
Lackey, Keneth
Haskell, Jean R.
Anthe, Marianne
Bauers, Chris
Heida, Julia L.
Maehara, Louise S.
Blume, Marlene
Heller, Sharline
Maldonado, Camille
Henningsen, Betty
March, Sara
Brown, Martin
Henningsen, Patricia
Melucci, Bob
Brubaker, Jean
Jacobs, Rosalie
Phillips, Robin
Kahn, Joe and Jessica
Powler, Mady
Brotman, Merrill and Emily
Castro-‐Diephouse, David and
Rachel
Coraza, Catherine
Denney, F. Scott
Dichter, Eugene
DiLeo, Christopher
Dooley, Sharon
Kenkelen, Jim
Randolph, John and Missy
Kinzler, Abbie
Rivera, Rosalie
Kohlhas, John and Jennifer
Schnell, Phyllis
Kousharendo, Anna
Smith, Rheta
Kreibel, Katherine
Snyder, Norman
Kurian-‐Dutchie, Ray
Stevens, Judith
Dunford,
Elizabeth and
Jessica
Stuempfig, Daisy
Tanfield, Jeanne
Barnell
Evangeline, Linda
Thomas, Joan and
William
Eoyang, Thomas
Fleisher, Mary
Louise
Tsukaguchi,
Margaret, Jon, and
Ken
Friedman, Esther
van Merkensteijn,
Sallie
Glass, Deborah E.
Good, Jerene
Verna, Wendy
Hale, Susan
Williams, Connie
Hall, Grace
Widenhimmer,
Kurt
Cook-­‐Off coordinators: (left to right) Marianne Anthe, Missy Randolph, and Margaret Tsukaguchi
18 Recycling Program CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY The valuable and rewarding Recycling Program ended
February 16, 2008. On the Program’s final day of eco-friendly
production, Mayor Nutter, Deputy Streets Commissioner
Williams and State Representative Babette Josephs joined the
volunteers and neighborhood recyclers in a celebration
commemorating the environmentally friendly 14 year span of
CORP’s Recycling Program.
Mayor Nutter, speaking The hustle and bustle of a recycling day outside of Trinity Memorial Church From February 1994 to February
February 16, 2008
2008, this program accomplished a
tremendous recycling feat, collecting 2.8 million pounds
of mixed paper, and 340,000 pounds of plastic bottles
(roughly 8.6 million pieces). During the several years
that “New Threads,” a fabric recycling movement, was
stationed at Trinity, 28,000 pounds of used clothing
were collected. The program also provided home
composting bins to 55 households, most of which are still
used. All of this contributed over $115,000 for the
Community OutReach Partnership.
19 Recycling Program CORP’S PROGRAMS TODAY Recycling Program Volunteers
Castro-Diephouse, David
Dunn, Barbara
Dutchie, Francois
Dutchie, Ray Kurian
Gosfield, Wendy
Guttenberg, Marta
Ihrig, Dick
Kenkelen, Jim
Francis Dutchie, recycling volunteers, and members of the Philadelphia Sanitation Department. February 2008
Piccini, Bill
Stevens, Fred
Fred Stevens, TMC Sextant, at the February 16 recycling
Recycling volunteers and community members gather to hear Mayor Michael Nutter and representative Babette Josephs speak
This list does not include the countless community members who participated in
the recycling program for the past 14 years
20 HOMELESSNESS: A LOCAL EPIDEMIC x
x
x
x
Nearly 1800 homeless people live in Philadelphia Community OutReach Partnership (CORP) is a non-­‐profit organization that fosters programs that provide direct help to those who are homeless, hungry, elderly, lonely or needy One of CORP’s initiatives is WinterShelter, located at 22nd and Spruce, which provides refuge for homeless men during the five coldest months of year WinterShelter’s annual operating costs exceed $55,000 Evraz Claymont Steel became a corporate thINK supporter by recycling their print cartridges to benefit CORP's Wintershelter, Shown loading cartridges are Gary Madrack, owner Print Again Ink with Karl Miller and Tom Carr, Evraz Claymont Steel employees. thINK x
x
x
x
Collects expended ink cartridges, laser toners, and cell phones (with or without batteries) All proceeds support WinterShelter’s efforts thINK is a University of Pennsylvania student-­‐launched organization It aims to exand the Recycling for the Homeless program throughout greater Philadelphia WHY RECYCLE? x
x
x
40% of most toner cartridges are made of a high polymer plastic that takes over 1000 years to decompose Three quarts of oil are required to produce a single laser toner cartridge 65,000 tons of electronic garbage are generated annually from 130 million unwanted cell phones Please partner with thINK in its efforts to help Philadelphia’s homeless and protect our environment For more information, email thINKrecycling@gmail.com 21 CORP’s Supporters CORP appreciates the generosity of those congregations, foundations, organization,
individuals. And all who have provided support for our programs.
Congregations
Agencies and Organizations
Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia
Keep Philadelphia Beautiful
Church of the Redeemer, Bryn Mawr
United Way, Donor Options
First Presbyterian, Philadelphia
US Emergency Food and Shelter Program
Gloria Dei, Philadelphia
Holy Comforter, Drexel Hill
Other
Interfaith Donations
Krumboldt Sidewalk Sale
St. Christopher’s, Gladwyne
Liebesfreud Benefit Concert
St. Mary’s, Wayne
St. Thomas, Villanova
St. Peter’s Glenside, Stuart Fund
St. Paul’s, Chestnut Hill
Foundations
Connelly Foundation
Fleisher Foundations
Fourjay Foundation
Henrietta Wurts Memorial
Parker/Bulmer – Diocese of PA
Patricia Kind Family Foundation
Susquehanna Foundation
22 CORP’s Supporters Individuals
Adelman, Jean Shaw
Decker, John P.
Heston, Wilma
Aiken, Linda H.
Dichter, Eugene
High, Bertha
Applebaum, Bernard
Doering, Lucy T.
Hillyer, Priscilla M.L.
Barlett, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin
Dooley, Mr. and Mrs. Mark
Hirsh, Celia
Berger, Eric D.
Dooley, Sharon
Hirshorn, Terry
Berson, Lenora E.
Drye, Nancy
Hopkins, John and Mary
Bianchi, Rocco
Dunn, Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Hordis, Charles K.
Bitzer, Albert
Dzuba, Albert
Horne, Lee
Bobrowicz, Joseph
Eisenfeld, Bonnie W.
Huffman, Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Boeckheler, Uli
Eoyang, Reverend Thomas
Humbert, Karen
Bonovitz, Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon
Fishbein, Martin and Deborah
Ingster, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard
Booth, Mrs. Thelma
Forster, Mr. and Mrs. Dieter
Jackson, Scott F.
Bradford, Louise L.
Fox, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. William
Jacobs, Rosalie
Braff, Jeffrey
Frazza, Mark and Sally
Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W.J.
Briggs, Beverly
Gellman, Nancy J.
Katz, Mr. and Mrs. Elkan
Brown, Mr and Mrs. Martin
Gerson, Elliot S.
Krasnegor, Maris
Bulmer, Mary-­Lou
Glazer, Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Keys, Reverend Mildred S.
Cherry, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
Goldstein, Alan
Kenkelen, James F.
Cipoletti, Mark J.
Gosfield, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory
Kihn, Mr. and Mrs. Michael
Colbaugh, Nancy
Gavatos, Barbara
Kimmelman, Patricia
Comisky, Hope
Graham, Anne McGregor
Koenigsberg, Leon Axel
Conheim, Maryanne
Haggard, Constance
Koenigsberg, Linda
Cook, Carol
Hahn, Mr. and Mrs. Peter
Kono, Mr. and Mrs. Ken
Coryell, Jeanne Faith
Hale, Susan
Kornfeld, Judith L.
Cowhig, Caren Adise
Hart, Mr. and Mrs. Eric
Kreibel, Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Crews, Phillip and Jennie
Haskell, Jean R.
Krumboldt, William
Davidson, Devon L.
Hazard, Mary
Kulasooriya, Kuleesha P.
Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Helms, Dr. and Mrs. David C.
Kupfrian, Barbara
23 CORP’s Supporters Lawler, Jack and Alice-­Mary
Orourke, Sean
Schrader, Susan P.
Leonard, William L.
Oswald, Beth
Scott, Charles
Levy, Mr. and Mrs. Richard D.
Parker, Judith
Shay, Edward F.
Litt, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell
Penniman, Reverend and Mrs.
Charles
Shell, Nora C.
Loeb, William A.
Maehara, Louise S.
Marks, Lynn
McKenzie, Donald
Melucci, Robert C.
Miller, Karl
Millhollen, William
Moleski, Aileen
Mongan, Jr.,Mr. and Mrs. Edwin
L.
Moser, Rosli B.
Nelson, Douglas M.
Nierman, Dr. and mrs. Eliot
Piccinni, William Michael
Piland, Grace Anne
Quirin, Terrance
Reindel, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew
Rich, Walter
Soifer, Cornelia
Staff, Patrick
Stein, Rachel
Stevens, Judith
Stumpf, Neville E.
Stuart, Sarah Clark
Ripley, Mrs. Vernon
Roth, Marjorie A.
Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. William
Trotman Jr., George
Rothman, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard
N.
Tucker, Francis
Ryker, Peter
Underhill, Mr. and Mrs. John
Savage, F. Elizabeth
Vernon, Shirley
Schnell, George and Mary
Warden, Sallie and James
Schnell, Phyllis
Williams, Merrily
Wolman, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Zaroff, Sylvia
24 Special Events Liebesfreud Concert
Celebrating Beethoven’s Birthday
December 16, 2007
The fifth annual concert by the Liebesfreud String
Quartet was held on Beethoven’s Birthday, December 16th. Attended by an enthusiastic
audience of 185, the quartet performed two memorable selections. Their performance was
followed by a reception, during which a silent auction took place featuring items donated by
generous friends of CORP. Each year this benefit concert has grown in popularity. This year
the concert raised $2,000. CORP is grateful to the musicians for the entertaining and generous
contribution of their time and talent. The Liebesfreud Quartet includes as its members: Philip
Kates and Geoffrey Michaels, violins, David Giles, viola, and Charles Forbes, cello.
Concert Patrons
Silent Auction Donors
Conheim, Maryanne
Dougherty, Christine
Dougherty, Jack
Hirshorn, Terry
Hirshorn, Paul
Jewell, Mark
MacMoran, Caroline
Midwood, Faith
Miller, Karl
Moleski, Aileen
Poole, Allison
Quirin, Terry
Randolph, John
Randolph, Missy
Schnell, Phyllis
Tarbell, Roberta
Conheim, Maryanne
Ihrig, Dick
Krasnegor, Maris
Smith, Bill
Layland, Cathy
Miller, Karl
Moleski, Walter
Penniman, Annette
Randolph, John
Schnell, Phyllis
25 Special Events Building Renovations
26 Special Events Annual Volunteer Thank-­You Gathering
Each spring, CORP shows its appreciation for the many volunteers who are the heart and soul, as well as the hands,
of its programs. There are a total of nearly 200 volunteers in all, including those who cook and serve in
Wintershelter, those who visit the Communicare elders, the team who prepare the Cook-­Off meals for the
homebound, and the many dedicated people who have kept the Recycling Program running for nearly 15 years.
Many of those volunteers have been “on the job” since the beginning, and for some, volunteering their time is a
family activity. At other times school groups have worked as a team for the CORP programs. Without these efforts,
CORP obviously would not exist. This year the Volunteer Party was held on April 27, 2008. Maryanne Conheim
provided her gallery space at 23rd and Pine Streets for the event, a delightful contribution and setting for this event.
Annual Dinner at Salento, Fund-­Raiser and Social Event for 2008
As an annual tradition, members of CORP’s community and their friends gather for an evening of delicious Italian
food and good company. A mingling of old acquaintances and some new, CORP’s programs benefit from this event,
and, in 2007, $1,500 was raised from the dinner at the Gioia Mia restaurant.
In 2008, the annual dinner was held in an attractive newcomer to the neighborhood, Salento, at 2216 Walnut Street.
The meal was excellent, as was the service, and, of course, the company. We are grateful to our hosts, David and
Kathryn Faenza, who provided a most pleasant and welcoming ambience. This event raised another $1,600 for
CORP programs.
Dinner Patrons
Blize, Jeanette
Ihrig, Dick
Brozina, Mark
Jones, Sara
Brubaker, Jean
Kihn, Cicily
Cohen, Faith
Kimmelman, Patricia
Dodi, Fordham
Kohlhas, John and Jennifer
Dougherty, John and
Christine
Krumboldt, Bill
Hall, Grace
Hart, Adrienne and Eric
Hightower, Caprice
Hirshorn, Paul and Terry
Hixon, Teresa
Hook, Joan
Howe, Sam
Hufman, Richard and Susan
Roberts, Jr., Mr. and Mrs.
Donald
Sagan, Adrian
MacMoran, Caroline
Mantell, Joyce and guest
Schnell, Phyllis
Spriggs, Jean
Strumpf, Neville
Sgro, Angelo
Stuempfig, George and Daisy
Mark, Nicole
Tanfield, Richard and Jeanne
Melucci, Bob
Tarbell, Roberta
Miller, Karl
Millhollen, Bill and Lenore
Moleski, Aileen and Walter
Randolph, John and Missy
Rice, Ted
27 Schaffer, Ob and Kay
Temme, Lou
Tsukaguchi, Margaret
Vernon, Shirley
2008 Financial Statement August 31, 2008
Year Ending
Income
CORP General Revenue
$57,237
Shelter Revenue
$42,410
CommuniCare Revenue
$20,450
Miscellaneous Revenue
$395
$120, 492
Total Income
Expense
Shelter Expense
$51,485
Communicare Expense
$30,713
$1,132
Cook-­Off Expense
$25,023
Administrative Expense
$108,713
Total Expense
$11,779
Net Income
The Community OutReach Partnership Operates under the non-­profit aegis of Trinity
Memorial Church and is considered a part of the section 509(a)1 designation of TMC.
CORP is audited each year by a certified public accountant.
28 Community OutReach Partnership