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Dear Members,
So many local families are seeking assistance for the first time in their lives. We are doing our best to meet their needs with sufficient food and benefit information but we need more members to pair with the new clients. Please talk to family and friends about the Society. The time commitment is flexible though the new member must come to at least one meeting to learn about our mission. Hopefully working together, we can meet the challenge. This newsletter I want to give you some web sites and telephone numbers that your clients may find helpful: 1. www.mybenefits.ny.gov My benefits allows users to anonymously see if they are eligible for Food Stamps; Home Energy Assistance Program; WIC - Women, Infants and Children; School Breakfast and Lunch Meals; Federal and State Earned Income Tax Credit. Applications can be downloaded and the status of the completed applications can be tracked. 2. www.pparx.org Partnership for Prescription Assistance / Telephone 1-888-477-2669 The user is guided to answer a few eligibility questions then the user receives information about different prescription programs that they qualify for. Downloadable application. 3. www.fideliscare.org Fidelis Care / Telephone 1-888-343-3547 Fidelis Care is a ministry especially for those who lack adequate healthcare. The organization promotes quality, accessible care and services for all. |
4. www.rebuildingtogetherdutchesscounty.org
Rebuilding Together Dutchess County / 845-454-7310 This program use to be called Christmas in April and does major home repairs for low-income families. Heroes at Home, a program for military people, veterans and their families, works in conjunction with Rebuilding Together. Another home repair resource is Hopewell Reformed Church / telephone 845-221-9542. Their services are for low-income, senior or disabled people at little or no cost. Home Energy Telephone Numbers: HEAP 1-800-342-3009 or 845-486-3249 Community Action Partnership 845-452-5104 (Helps with emergency oil or other fuels and furnace replacements) Central Hudson Consumer Outreach 845-452-2000 Social Services 845-486-3000 Our next meeting will be November 12, 2008 at 7 PM at St. Columba's Convent Meeting Room. Please come and share your views. Sincerely, Carole Grafer, President |
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Minutes October 8, 2008 Carole opened the meeting at 7:05 pm with the prayer The Search for God by Father Richard. The minutes were read by Barbara Yannaco, accepted by Linda Hunt, and seconded by John Lucid. In attendance were: Betty Riggio, Linda Hunt, Ed and Dianne Ryan, Laura and Bucky Ryan, Yvonne Alexander, John Lucid, Ray Reilly, Bill and Carole Grafer, Janet Kenny, Laura D’Angelo, Jack Kiely, Kim Busche, Kay Coyle, and Barbara Yannaco. Our HPNAP report for September: we served 103 households which included 174 children, 170 adults, and 28 elderly. This represents an increase of 56% over September 2007. Fishkill Plains elementary school and The Ark and the Dove school both have ongoing food drives for us. Small groups from St. Denis parish will also be helping us out with donations. As noted above the number of people in need is increasing rapidly and so we appreciate even more all the help that these organizations give to us. Thank you all. Four people signed up as new members of our society at the St. Denis Ministry Fair. Thank you and welcome. Although we do not have all of the details yet Tricia from Stop and Shop has told us that they are planning to have their “Food for Friends” program again and that we will be a part of it. Chuck and Joanne went to the food bank on October 6th. They returned with 5185 pounds of food spending $3898.43. On hand at the closet to help put this away were: Kay, Betty, Tom, Bucky, Laura, Ed, Linda, Ralph, Carole, and Stephanie. Thanks to all for all your hard work. We have received 6 -18 count cartons of eggs from Debbie Simco of Hickory Pond Farms. Thank you Debbie. Carole handed out a membership list to all present. Chuck has ordered a new answering machine. Carole will be buying a bin for Blessed Kateri so that the donated foods can be placed in it. There will be construction starting on the school at some time. We do not have many details yet but is sure to be an inconvenience to our clients as well as to us. We will do our best to keep things as close to normal as possible. The parish will help us in any way possible. If you run into a problem trying to serve a client ,Gary our Parish manager is on site and always willing to help. We have decided that due to the economic conditions we will not ask people to include breakfast in the basket for Thanksgiving. We will also accept any item that people wish to donate towards a basket if they cannot do a complete basket. These donations will be accepted on Nov.23rd along with the baskets. |
Due to the economic conditions and the rise in the number of families that need help with food a discussion was held on whether or not we should include gifts in the Christmas baskets this year. As much as we would like to include gifts we decided that it is more important for people to have the food they need. A vote was taken on this matter and was unanimous. We will address this issue again next year. Carole ended the meeting at 8:14 with a prayer. Submitted by Barbara Yannaco
SVDP Meeting Schedule November 12 December 10 January 14 February 13 June 10 Our meetings are open to all and we welcome new members. We meet in St. Columba Convent Meeting Room. LINDA'S CORNER
Once again it is time for the Thanksgiving baskets. The drop-off date is November 23rd between 10 AM and 12 PM. Disbursement will be after the blessing at 1:30 PM. PLEASE, if there are changes, let me know immediately. Call me at 896-5492 or mail information to Linda Hunt, 43 Shirley Ave., Fishkill, NY 12524. Christmas baskets will be dropped off December 21 with the same times as above. As you read in the minutes, we voted not to ask parishioners to donate Christmas gifts this year. Also, you should receive a personal telephone call on this issue. The Lifeteen Group will put tags on the Giving Tree for children up to 17 years. Please find out sizes and a reasonable gift suggestion. I need the information by November 6th or "Gift of your choice" will be put on the tag. Thank you all for doing your part. I am looking forward to the holidays and with your help, everything will go smoothly. Also, do you know someone who would like to join the Society? There are so many clients and no representative for them. I answer the telephone and the situation is critical. Thank you for all your help. |