Posts filed under: Cluster Chronicles

Spring 2024 Match Giving Challenge

Please make twice the impact while helping us provide a hand-up. 

We have a matching gift opportunity of up to $12,000, and we are still working towards reaching our matching challenge goal. You can help us achieve 100% by April 30 by making a donation, which will be matched.

Thank you to our 2024 spring match giving challenge sponsors who generously agreed to match all gifts, up to $12.000.

  • One of our long-time donors, who have been giving since 2009, wants to increase their impact by matching your gift. This local couple will match $9,000 of giving.
  • A local church will match all gifts up to $3,000.

The food pantry is serving almost twice as many individuals, and the number of unhoused individuals in Montgomery County is on the rise. Thanks to our donors, we’ve maintained our services despite increasing costs of food, rent, and living expenses. Your increased support will ensure we can continue to provide our services without any service reductions.

 

 

 

 

Share this:
Share
Continue Reading →

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities participates in the Community Connection Project (CCP) as a Community Service Partner to Pottstown Hospital – Tower Health. The CCP is an Accountable Health Communities Model funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The project works to screen Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries’ and connect individuals to local resources, such as the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities for any food related needs.

This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $4.5M with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Share this:
Share
Continue Reading →

The 2020 Toyota Hunger Relief On Demand X1 Video Series Features The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities in Partnership with Philabundance to Raise Awareness About Food Insecurity Throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area

 

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, as a Philabundance partner, is featured in the 2020 Toyota “Hunger Relief” On Demand X1 three-part video series to raise awareness about food insecurity throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. The three-part video series is available in a “Hunger Relief” folder in a Toyota On Demand X1 destination and Xfinity subscribers can use their X1 voice remotes to say “TOYOTA” to learn more.

The videos are also available below.

Part I – What is Hunger?

Have you ever wondered what the face of hunger really looks like?

Part II – Bold New Strategies

Take a look at the “Bold New Strategies” of “Ending Hunger. For Good.” – a partnership program between the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, Philabundance, and Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties. “Ending Hunger. For Good.” provides critical services and supports to improve food security and financial stability as well decrease the number of people facing hunger throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. “It’s not just about handing out food, it’s about helping people create stability in their lives through counseling services, life coaching, education about how to manage and save money, and building resources,” Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities Executive Director Barbara Wilhelmy said.

Part III – “Hunger Relief Partners”

Take a look at the local Tri-State Dealers Association 13th annual Toyota Haul Away Hunger Event which not only provided nearly half-million pounds of food to Philabundance in 2019, but also raised awareness about the severity of food insecurity throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. At least 90,000 people will benefit from the truckloads of food, but organizers said “it’s just a fraction of the people who need help in the region.” “There are about 700,000 people who require food and are food insecure. Of that, about 60% of them have somebody in that household that is working,” former Philabundance Executive Director Glenn Bergman said at the time. The majority of these food insecure households are the working poor.

Share this:
Share
Continue Reading →

Greetings Friends,

Summer is officially here and I hope you are doing well, staying safe, and in good spirits.

While the past few months have been challenging to navigate, I am proud to report that despite a decline in volunteers and on-site staff due to limiting the number of people in the Pottstown Cluster Outreach Center and following health and social distance guidelines, we have been able to keep our public community food pantry open and operating as safely as possible to meet growing demand. We have also been working to support and protect our most vulnerable by delivering food to older adults and high-risk individuals so they can remain safe in their homes as well as provide easy access Community Meals at several locations for anyone in need of a meal. Additionally, we have housed and maintained housing for the families we work with through our Pottstown Housing Resource Center (HRC).

While all of this has been going on, we have been blessed to have strong support from our community in many ways. We have had many, many offers of support, volunteers wanting to help, monetary donations, storage space – both dry and refrigerator, and transportation assistance to move food. All this speaks to how a community can come together in a difficult situation and do the best for everyone in need.

As you read this issue of Cluster Chronicles, I hope you will find ways to continue to be engaged with our work and be excited to hear about the difference your support is making for those we serve. In this issue you will read about the 2020 Signature Page Showcase of Support. I encourage you to join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Signature Page. While the page is always a demonstration of your commitment to ending hunger in our community, this year’s page will offer an opportunity to thank our volunteers, employees, and local heroes who have been supporting the Pottstown Cluster’s response to COVID-19 and committed to providing food security and housing stability to those in need.

In this issue, you can also watch the Pottstown Cluster in the 2020 Toyota Hunger Relief On Demand X1 three-part video series that was created to raise awareness about food insecurity throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. I also hope you enjoy reading more about the many acts of kindness we have been receiving over the past few months from our #COVIDCaringPottstownCommunity.

Check out “Take Action”, paying special attention to opportunities including ways you can help neighbors in our community. From volunteering to donations, all help is greatly appreciated.

And remember, your support is a reflection of your deep commitment to our mission and local families and neighbors in need of food security, housing stability, and supportive services and education. Please keep our work in your prayers and share your interest in our organization with a friend. Together, we are helping to nourish lives and strengthen families in this community, and for that I am truly grateful.

Thank you for your faithful commitment to the work we do.

Sincerely,

 

 

Barbara Wilhelmy, LCSW
Executive Director
bwilhelmy@pottstowncluster.org

Share this:
Share
Continue Reading →

Hello friends,

Greetings to you and best wishes for this new year. We hope you have recouped from the holidays and are ready to roll up your sleeves and join us in our work throughout the year ahead. We are excited to announce that this new year has already brought about some exciting changes, changes we hope will encourage you to renew your commitment to our mission and local families and neighbors in need of food security, housing stability, and supportive services and education.

In this issue of Cluster Chronicles you will read about upcoming events such as our inaugural non-event, “All You Need is LOVE” on Thursday, February 6, 2020, our second annual Women Helping Women “Wine” Not event, and the George Bell Plaque hanging ceremony and reception to honor the tremendous work of our board presidents; meet our newest Board of Directors members — Ann Maletsky-Morton, Jill Dennin, and Rev. Joshua M. Caler — who have already started getting to work to help support our organization; learn how we are planning to have focused discussions around topics that relate to our programs and community throughout the year as well as the successes of our educational programs’ graduates. I also encourage you to check out “Around PCRC” and “Events, Happenings, and Opportunities”, paying special attention to other exciting upcoming opportunities including information about our monthly donation drive challenge, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help.

I am also happy to report that we have occupancy of the 1st and 2nd floors of our 61 N. Franklin Education and Administration building. We will be providing more information about a grand opening celebration when we are moved into the full building. Stay tuned!

Please remember, your support is a reflection of your deep commitment to our mission and local families and neighbors in need of food security, housing stability, and supportive services and education. I hope you will find ways to continue to be engaged with our work and be excited to hear about the difference your support is making for those we serve. Please keep our work in your prayers and share your interest in our organization with a friend. Together, we are helping to nourish lives and strengthen families in this community, and for that I am truly grateful.

Thank you as always, for your faithful commitment to the work we do.

Sincerely,


Barbara Wilhelmy, LCSW
Executive Director
bwilhelmy@pottstowncluster.org

Share this:
Share
Continue Reading →