Pre-Event Crazies

A thousand apologies oh dear and faithful blog readers. The last few weeks have been super busy here at EECM and I'm afraid the blog has suffered a bit of neglect. I was planning to write something witty, clever and generally fabulous today but we are at T-minus 2 days to The Blessed Event (aka A Flavor of the East End) and I'm afraid there just isn't time for poetic musings on non-profit life today.

Have you ever worked on a big fundraiser? Whew. It's a wild ride. I'm loving every second of it but I'm not going to say it isn't a bit zany. We have at least 250 people coming (with reservations continuing to trickle in), darn near 100 items to prepare for the silent auction, decoration plans to finalize and implement, flowers to arrange, mystery boxes to package, drink tickets to buy, signage to create, and anti-rain dances to perform with wild abandon -- if you know any, please join in!

I promise you lovely blogs next week complete with pictures and stories from the evening. It's going to be an awesome time. But now I must go and pick up a handcrafted ornamental accent table. Cheerio!

Extreme Home Makeover -- Safe Haven Edition

Written by: Doug Myers, Youth Minister at First United Methodist Church. This post is his reflections on a series of “work days” spent by the youth of FUMC at EECM’s Safe Haven program. FUMC has earmarked the majority of its youth ministry budget for improvements to the Safe Haven apartments, including cleaning and providing new linens, beddings and other necessities.

I wish I could explain how cleaning bathrooms and kitchens at a Men's Shelter can be fun, but in addition to our 10 youth who spent their Saturday morning doing just that, I can assure you that Jesus was smiling!

Armed with buckets, rubber gloves, sponges, and various cleansers our youth attacked four apartments, and wiped, scrubbed, swept and polished. During the first work day, we helped the eight residents of Safe Haven to have the cleanest kitchens and bathrooms they have had in years! They also have new kitchen & bath towels and shower curtains. We returned several weeks later for a second work day spent painting four of the eight bedrooms. We also provided new mattress covers, sheets, pillowcases and blankets. A third workday in April was spent giving the remaining four bedrooms the same improvements.

These work days have been a tremendous success in many ways. First of all, eight men living at the Safe Haven shelter now have cleaner and more attractive living quarters. Secondly, these men were motivated to help themselves, working right alongside our youth. Karlin Bilcher of the EECM commented that he was impressed not only by how hard our youth worked, but that they didn't treat this as a charity project, thus preserving the dignity of the residents.

Aside from the physical help our youth provided, these men were visibly affected by these teenagers spending their Saturday working at the shelter, as evidenced by their standing at the windows waving as we left. No teenager wants to crawl out of bed on a Saturday morning to go to church to work – but this group did it with enthusiasm - and was rewarded with the glow that comes from serving others and the respect and admiration of their leaders for their faithful Christian witness. Our goal has not been to make the shelter a palace (fortunately!), but to show the residents that Christians, especially young ones, care about them and are willing to come to their home to help them.

Two images that will stay with me for some time are from the first work day. I was in the apartment in the neighboring building and came back to find two of our teens cleaning a bathroom and the residents of that unit cleaning the kitchen. It was obvious that the grime in the kitchen had been building for some time; that some teens were scrubbing the sink, tub and toilet motivated the residents to join in the work. Secondly, when we were getting into the van to leave that first day several residents were standing at the windows waving. I took that as confirmation that what we were doing was making a difference.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matt 25:40 NIV)

Get Ready to ROCK!

Are you ready to ROCK? No, I’m not inviting you to another concert. I AM, however, inviting you to participate in EECM’s summer fundraising campaign: Reach Out to City Kids (ROCK). Every year, between May 15th and June 30th, EECM focuses its attention and resources on reaching out to the at-risk children and youth in our community. As with the Have a Heart for Hunger campaign in February and March, the ROCK campaign is backed by an anonymous donor who will match all contributions made to Children and Youth Services, up to $10,000.

Why is the ROCK campaign important? Today, the youth in our community are growing up in a world that’s increasingly scarred by violence, crime, and substance abuse. They are forced to grow up too fast and must struggle constantly against the destructive forces that surround them. We strive each and every day to help these youth navigate the realities of daily life and envision a brighter future for themselves. Through our Children and Youth Services, we provide much-needed programs including educational support, one-on-one mentoring, substance abuse prevention, conflict resolution, goal setting and life management skills.

Our Children and Youth staff works with upwards of 1,000 students every year throughout our numerous programs. We rely heavily on the generosity of our loyal supporters to provide the necessary funding to continue these vital programs. If you would like to make a donation to the ROCK campaign, please call 412-361-5549 or send a check made payable to EECM to:

250 N. Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Mitzvah Day Part 2

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

I discovered that in my pre-Mitzvah Day blog, I forgot to mention a second aspect of EECM’s participation in the event. On Mitzvah Day, Rodef Shalom hosted a community service fair and invited representatives from various community organizations to staff a table with information about the organization as well as a small service project for members of the Calvary Episcopal and Rodef Shalom youth programs to complete right then and there.

We decided to have the kids make bags of trail mix for the men in our homeless shelter. Each child who came up to the table was asked to color in a pre-made EECM Trail Mix label that we had created. They added stick figures, flowers and short hellos to decorate the basic ingredient list then slapped the labels onto small cellophane bags. Each bag was then filled with a few scoops of home-made trail mix featuring pretzels, peanuts and M&M’s. The bags were distributed to our Emergency Shelter clients to give them something to gnosh on during the day. Yum!

Meditations on a Silent Auction

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

As you all know (I hope!!!), EECM is hosting its first annual fundraising event – A Flavor of the East End – on June 2nd at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. One of the main interest points of the evening will be a large silent auction. I’ve been working on the auction committee for the last few months and it has been quite an experience. The goal was clear: round up a sophisticated and awe-inspiring array of items that will cause our event attendees to froth at the mouth with desire and blissfully dole out large quantities of hard-earned cash.

The realization of this goal was somewhat more difficult. Let me tell you now – begging is exhausting work. Seriously. We sent out what felt like thousands of solicitation letters to all the businesses and restaurants we could think of. And some kind-hearted and heaven-bound individuals responded immediately with donations. But for the most part, it’s easy to ignore a piece of paper. So I spent a few days pounding the pavement and marching through the nearby shopping districts attempting to charm wary business owners out of gift certificates, gift baskets and fabulous items from their stores.

Their responses varied widely. Sometimes I got a: “oh yeah! EECM – I’ve heard of you. I’d love to donate!!” More often, I got furrowed brows and prevarications about how I was the twenty seventh person to come through their door today asking for a donation. Ouch.

And what do you say? “No, you silly person, don’t support AIDS research or Breast Cancer awareness!” Of course not. We just happen to be blessed (cursed?) to have a lot of worthy causes going on in Pittsburgh. Next year, I’ll start hitting people up in January.

But fear not gentle reader. I did ultimately prevail in my auction-stocking mission and can confidently assure you that the silent auction is going to rock. We have donations from more than 70 different sources, ranging in value from $5 to $1,000! From yoga lessons to restaurant certificates and baskets of chocolate to swanky furniture and snazzy home décor to car maintenance, there should be a little something there for everyone. Remember to Bid Early and Bid Often!

12 Ways to Help the Homeless

I confess that I did not write this article -- I read it, liked it and borrowed it. You can read the whole thing (35 Ways to Help the Homeless) here.

The world of the homeless seems very far from yours -- but in some ways it is quite near. For any 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 homeless people. Struck by personal tragedies, the people in shelters across America, have lost their homes and been deserted by the families and friends they once had. What can you do, personally, to help them? Sometimes the smallest gesture -- and a good attitude -- can go a long way.

1. Understand who the homeless are - Help dispel the stereotypes about the homeless. Learn about the different reasons for homelessness, and remember, every situation is unique.

2. Respect the homeless as individuals - Give the homeless people the same courtesy and respect you would accord your friends, your family, your employer. Treat them as you would wish to be treated if you needed assistance. Try a kind word and a smile.

3. Develop lists of resources - Carry a card that lists local shelters, food pantries and soup kitchens so you can hand them out to the homeless.

4. Bring food - It's as simple as taking a few extra sandwiches when you go out. When you pass someone who asks for change, offer him or her something to eat.

5. Give money - One of the most direct ways to aid the homeless is to give money to reputable non-profit organizations.

6. Donate toys - Children living in shelters have few possessions --if any-- including toys. Homeless parents have more urgent demands on what little money they have, such as food and clothing. So often these children have nothing to play with and little to occupy their time.

7. Volunteer your hobbies - Every one of us has something we can give the homeless. Wherever our interests may lie -- cooking, repairing, gardening, and photography -- you can use them for the homeless.

8. Take homeless children on trips - Frequently, the only environment a homeless child knows is that of the street, shelters, or other transitory housing. Outside of school -- if they attend -- these children have little exposure to many of the simple pleasures that most kids have.

9. Teach about the homeless - If you do volunteer work with the homeless, you can become an enthusiast and extend your enthusiasm to others. You can infect others with your own sense of devotion by writing letters to the editor of your local paper and by pressing housing issues at election time.

10. Educate your children about the homeless - Help your children to see the homeless as people. Volunteer as a family in a soup kitchen or shelter. Suggest that they sort through the toys, books, and clothes they no longer use and donate them.

11. Stand up for the civil rights of the homeless - In recent elections, for example, volunteers at shelters and elsewhere helped homeless people register to vote . . . even though they had "no fixed address" at the moment.

12. Contact your government representatives - Our legislators rarely receive more than three visits or ten letters about any subject. When the numbers exceed that amount, they sit up and take note. Personal visits are the most potent. Letters are next; telephone calls are third best. Housing issues don't come up that often, so your public officials will listen.

A Victorian Sunday Afternoon

Written by: Phil Hallen, Vice President, EECM Board of Directors

On a superb sunny Sunday afternoon, members of EECM's Council of Congregations and Board of Directors gathered in the newly restored Victorian Gate House at Chatham College to celebrate the creation of a new Council and Board structure as a way of marking a forward step for EECM toward the challenges awaiting us as we enter the 36th year of service to the East End community. Mark Bibro, President of the Board, and Myrna Zelenitz, Executive Director, welcomed the group, and commented on the new energy generated by this reorganization (which took place in 2005), as well as the expanded role of the member congregations in planning and carrying out new programs and ideas for service to the neighbors we care for (blog to follow).

Pam Smith, a former client and present coordinator of EECM's PennFree program, spoke on the meaning of EECM’s program throughout her life and struggle with addiction, and how becoming a staff member has changed her life journey into one of hope and service to others. Her moving comments captured the history and the promise of our work, and the new beginnings being celebrated daily.

I likened the gathering and the location to what was a well-known part of Victorian family life at the turn of the century - visiting friends on Sunday afternoons to share conversation and refreshments. The fifty people gathered did just that, renewing friendships, sharing stories of the early days of EECM, remembering past volunteers and staff. I closed the afternoon with a toast, asking the gathering to join me in a poem used by fellow Pittsburgher, Larry Mellon, founder of Hopital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti, as a reflection on the way EECM could live out its vision of "United by Faith. Dedicated to Service.”

Go to the people
Live among them
Learn from them
Serve them
Plan with them
Start with what they know
Build on what they have

Take our Sons and Daughters to Work

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Last Thursday, 56 middle and high school students in EECM’s Children & Youth programs participated in our annual Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day. Across the country, many youth participate in similar programs each year, tagging along with their parents to work for the day. The difference with our program is that the kids don’t go to work with their own parents -- unfortunately, many of our youth do not have career role models within their own families. But they dream of achieving more and reaching higher than their parents could and throughout our programs we seek to help them with these goals.

The Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day program pairs these students with mentors in a field of interest to them, allowing them to shadow a professional for a day and learn what it takes to enter that field. After a day at the office, the students meet back for a banquet at EECM and share their experiences over a good meal.

This year, students were paired with mentors in more than 20 different fields including:
Radio broadcasting
Teaching
Graphic Design
Athletics
Day Care
Cosmetology
Law
Medicine
Real Estate
Health and Nutrition
Music
Veterinary Medicine
Retail

One lucky student even got to spend the day in the cockpit with a pilot! She was thrilled. I’m hoping that if I ask nicely, they’ll let me participate next year. I’d like to explore whether perhaps I’ve missed my true calling as a trapeze artist.

Building Bookcases

Written by: Rachel Rothenberg, Sixth Presbyterian Church Confirmation Class

In April, members of the confirmation class (myself included) of Sixth Presbyterian Church in Squirrel Hill organized a mission trip at East End Cooperative Ministry to build bookshelves for children. Our goal was to do as many as possible, and it naturally seemed like a feat too daunting for mortals.

“But I’m horrible at hardware!” I groaned in the back of the car on the way over.

My mother looked at me. “Big deal, so is everyone.”

However, I soon learned that with motivation—and a Phillips head screwdriver—anything can be achieved. Between the group of us, we managed to assemble—from scratch—eight bookshelves in a little less than an hour. Although we had some trouble (such as building one backwards and having to take it down and rebuild it from the bottom up) we somehow managed to achieve what my mother predicted would take three hours.

How did this happen? Now, weeks later, thinking it over, I still don’t know. Was it the power of teamwork? Sure, that had something to do with it. Or the knowledge that lunch was waiting for us as soon as we were finished. Sure, that was also probably true. But I like to think that there was something more to it. I think that we were honestly trying to help the children that were going to get these shelves, children who had never really ever seen a book before. As we finished up our last bookshelf, one of my friends turned to me and said, “Let’s sign our names—I want whoever gets this shelf to know that I’m rooting for them.” That’s really a beautiful sentiment. And as I grow to know God and come to the end of my confirmation journey, I’m glad that I’ve rooted for someone.

The Need to Serve, Where the Rubber Truly Meets the Road

Written by: David Kaplan, Council of Congregations Representative for Rodef Shalom Congregation

Eight years ago, when I first became an active member of our Brotherhood, I was introduced to a core group of men who amazed me with their social awareness, their sense of purpose, their moral conscience, and their overwhelming need to serve the community. They embodied the phrase, “Think globally, act locally.” Among their many activities was membership on the Council of Congregations, a representative group of East End Cooperative Ministry. I was recently given the opportunity to carry on the tradition and serve as our EECM representative. I jumped at the chance to participate. I knew there was good work being done there and I wanted to contribute.

A while back, I stopped by EECM for a tour of the facilities. I knew that my morning was going to be educational. I did not expect it to be inspirational. My first glimpse was of the whirlwind offices, people scurrying in every direction. I sat with Rev Darnell Leonard who is responsible for Children and Youth Programs. Darnell is a very soft-spoken but powerful man. He has an obvious connection to the children he serves, over 900 at-risk elementary, middle and high school students. Darnell spoke of his activities with the school board and city government trying to get a stronger voice and more attention for his kids. They need all the help they can get in their part of our world that people love to forget.

The next stop was at the Orr Compassionate Care Center to meet Paul DeWalt who directs the Homeless Programs which include five separate facilities that provide interim shelter and housing for over 100 people on any given day. Paul is an incredibly busy yet patient man putting out a seemingly endless stream of emergency flare-ups ranging from facilities issues to personnel matters. Paul is here because he cares.

The last stop on my tour was at the EECM Soup Kitchen to meet Jim Hart who oversees all Hunger Programs. Jim has three programs to orchestrate and integrate: The Soup Kitchen, Meals on Wheels and the Food Pantry. Jim is a master juggler and a magician who manages to see that all of these efforts come together each day, managing a constant flow of perishable foods and eager volunteers who make it all work.

My friends, this is where the rubber truly meets the road. I am excited about the work being done and I am pleased to know that Rodef Shalom has long been a supporter of EECM and its programs. We have history as a congregation of providing financial, material, and physical help for many aspects and programs. As I talk to my friends and colleagues about the many faces of EECM, I am delighted to find a well of support that is all around us. During these times of great difficulty discerning direction on a world stage and ferreting through the propaganda and position statements all around us, it is nice to have an area of my life that is clearly defined, with no ambiguity or hesitation. My moral compass is perfectly clear. By helping those around us, we build a stronger community, a stronger nation, and a more peaceful world, person by person.