Hunger Fighting Flowers

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

I am wowed by the enthusiastic response we've gotten to the Have a Heart for Hunger campaign from the students of the Pittsburgh area. Nearly a dozen schools -- from elementary through college -- have signed on to participate in the campaign this year. Their efforts include a variety of food drives and creative fundraisers (stay tuned for more stories).

Today's spotlight shines on Catherine, a junior at Saint Joseph High School. Catherine represents the youth of her school on the Diocesan Youth Council of the Pittsburgh Diocese (the same people who bring us the Love Walk each year). She organized a Carnation Sale fundraiser at her school to benefit EECM and raised $100 - which becomes $200 for EECM, thanks to our matching gift.

Catherine says: "I wanted to donate this money especially to you at the EECM food bank because I wanted to give back what I could to you. You offer such wonderful works to the community and I wanted to help. I wanted to give back any way I could to show how much we appreciate your hard work and generosity. Thank you for all that you do and may God bless!"

Our hats are off to Catherine and the students of St. Joseph High School for their great hearts for hunger.

The Personal Health Cornucopia Returns

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

I blogged last summer about a wonderful donation from Katrina Brown, who rounded up personal health products for EECM using pharmacy rebates. Well, she's at it again. This time, she showed up at the Food Pantry armed with 353 items. Here's a sampling:

Sure deodorant. Maybelline mascara and nail polish. Aussie shampoo/conditioner. Bic Soleil razors. Colgate toothpaste. Loreal lip gloss. Fructis shampoo. Gilette fusion razors. Gilette deodorant and body wash. Bald Guyz gel. Reach Ulta Clean dental floss. A surge protector.. Phillips head phones. Bottles of Vitamin D and E. St. Ives lotion. Cough drops. Bandaids. Robitussin cough syrup. Arm & Hammer laundry detergent. Listerine mouth wash. Zantac. Excedrin. Soy Joy bars. Huggies diapers and wipes. Scrubbing bubbles cleaner. Antiseptic mouth wash.

I could go on, but I think you get the point. And what's extra cool about these donations is that you'll notice most of them are "name brand." These are high quality, often-expensive, much-in-demand items that Katrina was able to collect for next to nothing. And that our clients will greatly appreciate.

Thanks again, Katrina!

EECM Receives Neighbor-Aid Grant

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

Nonprofits across Pittsburgh are scrambling to find the resources to meet the surge of increased demand stemming from the country's current economic woes. That includes us here at EECM. Over the past six months, we've experienced a tidal wave of new clients at our Food Pantry. More than 450 new families turned to us for food; many found themselves in dire straights because of lost jobs.

But this isn't a downer post. I'm writing with good news!

EECM will be receiving $69,000 in emergency funding through Neighbor-Aid, a joint project of The Pittsburgh Foundation, the United Way of Allegheny County, and several other local foundations.

Thanks to this generous grant, we will be able to purchase additional groceries for our Food Pantry and Men's Emergency Shelter and will also be able to extend the hours of case management available at our Food Pantry.

When clients come to the Pantry, we don't just hand them a bag of food and send them on their way. Each client sits down with a trained volunteer for an interview to determine if they have any other needs that we can help meet. The volunteers help fill out applications for food stamps, work on household budgets, and generally just offer a supportive ear. We also have a full-time Case Manager who can help with larger issues and specific program applications like Dollar Energy (which helps with energy bills).

The increased demand for our services has brought our peak service level at the Pantry to 55 households daily per two hour operating session. Which is clearly an unmanageable amount! Thanks to the Neighbor-Aid grant, we'll be able to offer additional hours of case management to clients in need, helping them through their crisis and setting them on the path to self-sufficiency.

Souper Bowl Version 2.0

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

We'll kick off the Have a Heart for Hunger showcase blogs with a great story about another Souper Bowl collection (click here to read about the first one).

Katie and Michelle are a pair of civic-minded twins. They're freshman at Oakland Catholic High School and they, along with their mom, are always on the lookout for opportunities to help the community. The family has organized special events at EECM's Men's Shelter (including special meals for Thanksgiving and Cinco de Mayo) and do regular food drives in their neighborhood.

This year, for Have a Heart for Hunger, Michelle and Katie opted to promote a Souper Bowl challenge. They passed out fliers in their neighborhood, at their church, and at their mom's work, encouraging everyone to donate cans of soup.

The Souper Bowl collection was a huge success, resulting in more than 20 grocery bags and a big box full of canned soup for EECM's Food Pantry (so far! The collection at church will continue throughout the month).

What's particularly great about Katie and Michelle's ongoing involvement with EECM is the ripple effect it produces. I've been contacted by two different people who live in their neighborhood, heard about EECM through the girls' food drives, and wanted to get involved or make donations themselves. Very cool.

Have a Heart for Hunger

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

Valentine’s Day is a holiday of the heart. It’s about love and romance and chocolate and all those other great warm and fuzzy things. But at EECM, we try to make it about something more than candy hearts and flowers.

For us, Valentine's Day is about feeding the hungry because February 14th marks the official kickoff to our annual Have a Heart for Hunger campaign.

Each year, between February 14th and March 31st we make a special effort to rally the greater Pittsburgh community to combat hunger. Businesses host food drives, school students organize fundraisers, and local congregations help to raise awareness about the problem of hunger among their members.

And during those six weeks, we have a very special fundraising challenge in place: an anonymous donor has agreed to match all donations that come in, up to $30,000. These gifts will benefit our Hunger Programs including the Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, and Meals on Wheels.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be showcasing community efforts to Have a Heart for Hunger here on the EECM blog. Stay tuned to read about the amazing and creative ways our neighbors come together to feed the hungry in our community.

Reflections from an ELPC Volunteer

Written by: Gail Noden, Food Pantry Volunteer & Member of East Liberty Presbyterian Church


As a volunteer at EECM's Food Pantry, I was recently reminded of the loving, generous spirit that pervades our congregation at ELPC.


It started on the Sunday that the more than 150 Thanksgiving bags were brought into ELPC for the Food Pantry distribution. On Monday, November 16th, it continued when I helped give them out. On that day, over 33 people received the extra Thanksgiving bags. That week, more than 250 people came through the Pantry. Turkey vouchers were also distributed. I share with you the many "thank you" and "God bless you" phrases that were spoken to us.


During November, I interviewed some of the families registering their children for the giving tree. Again, it was wonderful to see those tags flying off the tree. Thank you ELPC members and staff for your continued caring.


And thank you, Gail, for your commitment to EECM and for sharing with us about ELPC's important involvement in our work.

Love Walk 2009

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

Well, they did it again! Yesterday, more than 1,000 young people from the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh gathered at Sacred Heart Parish and then marched to East End Cooperative Ministry's Food Pantry during the annual Love Walk for the Poor.

Each year, youth groups from across the city join together to collect donations for EECM's Food Pantry. They carry their contributions from Sacred Heart to the Pantry (about a mile) to simulate briefly what it would be like to be homeless, carrying all your belongings with you.

The Love Walk marks the kick-off to EECM's annual Have a Heart for Hunger campaign, which gets under way on Valentine's Day.

There's a great article in the Post Gazette today about the event. Click here to read it!

Bob the Big White Truck

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator


First there was Clifford, the Big Red Van. Now his brother, Bob the Big White Truck, has joined the EECM family. Behold!




Bob was a gift from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and is a welcome addition to our fleet. What will we do with a big white truck, you ask?

Bob's number one purpose is to enable us to pick up large donations from individuals and community groups, be it mountains of groceries from food drives or furniture for our housing programs.


And speaking of...our Bridge Housing program is in need of the following items. Do you have any to spare? We'll happily take new or gently used items.

Twin beds (frames and mattresses)

Washer

Dryer (electric or gas)

Refrigerator

If you can donate any of those items, please contact Kenny Wilmer at 412.361.5013. We'll pick them up. Thanks!

The Souper Bowl Continues

Written by: Kate Snyder, Development and Donor Communications Coordinator

The Super Bowl may be over (Go Steelers!) but the Souper Bowl continues. Why not celebrate Pittsburgh's glorious victory while also feeding the hungry?

Here's the Souper Bowl Challenge: donate one can of soup to East End Cooperative Ministry's Food Pantry for every point that the Steelers scored in last night's game.

You can go it alone -- 27 cans of soup cost less than a dinner out -- or pool together with friends, co-workers or neighbors.

Donations can be dropped off at the EECM Food Pantry in East Liberty Presbyterian Church between 9am and 3pm weekdays.

Thanks to Mt. Lebanon Christian Church for this great food drive idea!