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SOCIAL CONCERNS
The
Social Concerns committee met on January 14 to plan some of the activities for
the upcoming year. Due to your continued generous giving we still had
benevolence money to allocate. Three local organizations were each given $300
to help their operations:
My Friends Place
–
Recently opened in partnership with (and adjacent to) Safe Harbor Crisis
Nursery, MFP, provides emergency overnight shelter for teens 13 to 17 years of
age in a safe and welcoming environment. Teens must be unemployed or only
partially employed, not evidencing obvious drug or alcohol use, have no
outstanding warrants or official runaway status, and agree to a required
parental notification. MFP plans to provide youth with information on other
available social services and training and reconciliation services for
their families. They would also appreciate used DVD’s – PG13 rating tops! – a
collection box will be on the Social Concerns table for any you want donate.
Wagenaar-Pfister House for Transitional Veterans
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Also recently opened in Kennewick, and named in honor of Daniel Wagenaar and
Travis Pfister, two of our area’s fallen war heroes, this facility can house
up to seven homeless veterans. They will be offered counseling, substance
abuse programs, job referrals, clothing and food, among other help. Modest
rent may be charged, depending on each veteran's situation. The Columbia Basin
Veteran’s Coalition worked with the city of Kennewick to get the house, paid
for by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Neighbor
Stabilization Program. Approximately 80 veterans are homeless in the
Tri-Cities – veterans who gave years of service to our country and now need
our help.
Grace Clinic
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Provides free medical services and counseling to uninsured people in the
Tri-Cities – at the rate of about 5000 patients a year! In addition to the
monetary contribution, it was decided to kick off 2012 with a food drive to
restock the pantry they maintain to help families in emergency situations.
Suggested donations:
canned or dried beans rice canned
tuna/chicken peanut butter whole-grain
cereal/oatmeal hearty soups/crackers canned fruit/vegetables,
light sugar/low sodium
WORK CONTINUES . . .
the third Wednesday morning of each month at the Union Gospel Mission. Please
join us to help sort and hang donations of clothing and house-hold items. We
meet at the church at 9:30 AM to carpool to the mission or you can meet us
there. Our next work party is February 15. Hope you can join us and bring
a friend, no experience necessary!
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