May 4, 2009
Crittenton Services Challenges Other Non-Profits to Help the Hungry
Crittenton Services, Inc. is issuing a challenge to all area non-profits and businesses to help less fortunate people in the Wheeling area by collecting food and donating it to the Soup Kitchen and Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center. In addition to Wheeling, Crittenton’s Wellspring Family Services has locations in New Martinsville, Weirton and Morgantown, each of which is also collecting food and donating it in respective local communities.
“This is a little outside of our normal service, but we know that there are many of our neighbors who are suffering during these difficult financial times,” noted Crittenton President and CEO Kathy Szafran. “Feeding people who are hungry is fundamental. If you’re hungry, you can’t work, you can’t help others, and you’re going to become ill. We thought we could help these agencies who help feed people by asking our employees to bring in one or two small items each week and contributing to a food basket, which we then pass along to the Soup Kitchen and Catholic Charities, who help so many people every day.”
Above: Working in the main area of the Soup Kitchen in Wheeling are from left, Caitlin Rodocker, volunteer and her mother, Becky Shilling-Rodocker, executive director.
The Soup Kitchen, located at 1610 Eoff Street in downtown Wheeling, serves meals free of charge six days a week. Operated by Becky Shilling-Rodocker, executive director, the Soup Kitchen is fully community funded and volunteer driven. In the past three years, Shilling-Rodocker said the kitchen has cut its debt in half.
“Being a community funded soup kitchen, it’s important for the community to know exactly what services we are providing,” said Shilling-Rodocker. “The hardest step is the first
step into a soup kitchen. Our main goal is to make it a very easily accessible place. It belongs to this community. This community supports it, and the people of the community should come in and see the work it does.”
The Soup Kitchen serves around 150 patrons per day; a number Shilling-Rodocker said is likely to reach 200 by the end of summer. Of that number, many of the newer faces who frequent the kitchen are those of lower middle income status. Both instances are related to the troubled economy.
“This is the first time these people have even asked for help,” Shilling-Rodocker said. “Anyone who asks for help gets it. A lot of working people stop in for lunch. It’s not the old standard person who just doesn’t have a job – the (phenomenon of) working poor is an epidemic in Wheeling.”
For those wanting to donate to the Soup Kitchen, Shilling-Rodocker said there is no amount too large or too small. She also encouraged the public to stop in and see the work that goes on within the walls of the facility – a place that she views as “socially nourishing. “
“I do believe people have stepped up with the poor state of the economy,” Shilling Rodocker continued. “It’s not like with 9/11 (when) you saw the whole country rally. I think a lot of people in this community are always ready to help others.”
Aside from serving hot meals, the Soup Kitchen provides various services for children through programs such as “Cory’s Kids.” In that program, during the back to school season, classroom essentials are collected and distributed to those in need. Birthday cakes are also provided to families.
“We are getting more and more kids – a lot of children – and that really breaks your heart,” Shilling-Rodocker said. “We know the people who have kids and we do everything we can to take care of them.”
Shilling-Rodocker said volunteers are always needed at the kitchen. For more information call 304-233-2992.
Above: Mary Ann Burke, left, a volunteer at Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center in Wheeling, receives some help cutting vegetables from Sister Linda Sevcik, director.
Another area charity dedicated to feeding the hungry is Catholic Charities Neighborhood
Center which is located at 125 18th Street in Wheeling. Sister Linda Sevcik, the director of the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center, said on a day -to-day basis her facility delivers 250 meals to shut-ins and the elderly. Additionally, 150 meals, including breakfasts, lunches and dinners, are provided to walk-ins. Sevcik said that twice per week, food baskets are given to 130 to 150 families.
Under the Direction of Catholic Charities West Virginia, the neighborhood center is a United Way Agency functioning mostly on direct charities, volunteers and in-kind gifts. Aside from meals, the center also provides an array of emergency assistance services. Like its sister agencies, the economy has impacted Catholic Charities, according to Sevcik.
“Numbers are definitely up because of the economy,” Sevcik said. “I wouldn’t say dramatically up, but up. They are gradually rising so you almost don’t realize it.”
Sevcik stressed that her agency serves all walks of life. “We see everyone from people who are homeless, to people who are well educated,” she said. “We are here to help when they need help.”
The center even offers a utility assistance program for those who are eligible once per year. Sevcik said that those who receive a termination notice and meet certain qualifications may receive help in paying their utility payments. She noted it was “something to get them on their feet.”
“I think this community is a very generous community,” Sevcik said. “When the people of Wheeling hear of needs, they help. I think it’s pretty exciting. I am proud to be a part of it.”
The community is always encouraged to donate to the neighborhood center and volunteers are always welcome. At this time, Sevcik said her greatest need is for drivers to deliver meal routes.
For more information call 304-232-7157.
Szafran noted that Crittenton Services has been helping people in Wheeling for over 113 years. The residential services specialize in behavioral health treatment for adolescent girls who may or may not be pregnant, while the Wellspring Family Services division provides community-based mental health services. The agency also operates Cradles to Crayons childcare centers in Ohio County. “We want to be good citizens in ways that extend beyond our normal services, and this is one way we can do that,” Szafran said. “We are hoping that other area agencies and businesses will take our challenge to help people in our community.”
END
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Butch Maxwell
(304) 242-7060, ext. 133