Fall 2018

From the Executive Director

Greetings Friends:

As we enter into the season of thanksgiving and generosity, I send my sincere thanks for all that you do to support the work of our organization. Welcome to the first ever issue of our enewsletter — Cluster Chronicles! We strive to serve our community in many different ways, and the enewsletter will be another means by which to partner with you.

In this edition, you will see some of the exciting things that have been happening, through your support, to offer hope and a greater sense of stability to the many households we serve each month. While we continue to focus our work mainly in Pottstown, PCRC has become a leader in improving systems across Montgomery County and has taken a stronger role in advocating for those we serve.

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.

Sincerely,

Barbara Wilhelmy, LCSW
Executive Director

P.S. I encourage you to look through the enewsletter and let us know what you think in the Comments Section as well as share the newsletter with your friends and family and invite them to subscribe! (Social sharing options at the bottom)

Greetings Friends:

As we enter into the season of thanksgiving and generosity, I send my sincere thanks for all that you do to support the work of our organization. Welcome to the first ever issue of our enewsletter — Cluster Chronicles! We strive to serve our community in many different ways, and the enewsletter will be another means by which to partner with you.

In this edition, you will see some of the exciting things that have been happening, through your support, to offer hope and a greater sense of stability to the many households we serve each month. While we continue to focus our work mainly in Pottstown, PCRC has become a leader in improving systems across Montgomery County and has taken a stronger role in advocating for those we serve.

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.

Sincerely,

Barbara Wilhelmy, LCSW
Executive Director

P.S. I encourage you to look through the enewsletter and let us know what you think in the Comments Section as well as share the newsletter with your friends and family and invite them to subscribe! (Social sharing options at the bottom)

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The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) VOLUNTEER HEROES FRANK CEBULAR and MICHAEL BEHE have been working tirelessly and faithfully several days a week from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for many many months, renovating PCRC’s newest property, known as “61,” so that programming can be expanded and PCRC’s staff can live into its mission to provide tangible services, support, and spiritual guidance to address the basic needs of persons within and beyond the Greater Pottstown area more fully and comprehensively.

“We are trying to return this house as close as it can be returned to its original glory, while at the same time providing much needed office and educational space for PCRC,” offered Frank Cebular, a familiar and friendly face at both the current PCRC building — which has been in use by PCRC over eight years — and the property next door, a historic Victorian-style home built in 1887. There were many challenges along the way, but with Frank’s leadership and dedication, the space is shaping up and should be ready for occupancy in the near future. When asked why he volunteers for PCRC, Frank responded, it’s “a way of giving back in service to people who need that service. A way to give my gifts back to the community.”

Michael Behe got involved with PCRC through his wife Anne’s congregation — Brownback’s United Church of Christ — which is also the congregation of PCRC’s Board President Mary Ann Glocker. Michael noted that Mary Ann often advocates for PCRC and informs fellow parishioners of the Cluster’s activities, and that inspired Michael to be interested in volunteering for the organization. He retired a little over a year ago, worked his whole life behind a desk, and likes doing physical work, so it was a perfect fit. “I get to come here and help a needy cause, and do something that I enjoy doing,” he said. Adding, “Frank definitely needed the help. Him trying to do this alone is just crazy!”

Michael wants to encourage others who are looking to volunteer, advising, “… they ought to do what I did — just come and take a tour and see if there is something here that they would like doing to help meet a need. Find something that interests you and is in pursuit of a worthy cause. That’s what this did for me.”

PCRC is in need of volunteers to help finish the renovations at “61,” especially laying floors and cleaning. All supplies are provided, as well as fun and fellowship! If you are interested in helping our volunteer heroes Frank and Michael, contact Frank at webedancing@yahoo.com.

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At work on “61”

This past June 25, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr., and Dr. Val Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, along with Renee Gorski, Patrick Druhan, and PCRC’s Executive Director Barbara Wilhelmy and staff member Danielle Gadsden, participated in a SNAP benefits Roundtable panel discussion held at PCRC. This was just ahead of the 2018 Farm Bill vote in the Senate, coming a week after the House passed its partisan measure.

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and is still commonly called “Food Stamps.” The program helps feed nearly 140,000 people in Berks, Chester, and Montgomery counties.

From The Mercury:

Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Val Arkoosh said about 10 percent of Montgomery County’s population — about 80,000 people — suffer from “food insecurity,” meaning they do not know where their next meal is coming from and 51,000 of them are children.

Many of them “make too much money to qualify for SNAP,” but even those who do receive an average of only $123.51 per month from the program, which covers, at best, two weeks of food bills.

“As a result, parents often sacrifice their own health and nutrition to feed their children,” said Arkoosh, who is also a medical doctor. “Cutting funding in the SNAP program will be devastating to these Montco families.”

A bill now coming out of committee in the Senate “with strong bipartisan support,” would restore the SNAP program to its current level, and even add a little more money to encourage the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables, Casey said Monday.

Calling the cuts in the House bill “draconian,” Casey said “this is wrong. This is a program that works. If you want to talk about return on investment, for every dollar you spend on SNAP, the economy gets $1.80 in return.”

“But beyond that,” said Casey, “there is the moral gravity of this issue.”

Read The Mercury’s coverage of the event here. Watch the CBS3 Philly feature below.

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Message from Mary Ann Glocker, President of the Board of Directors

The PCRC Board of Directors had a very busy and exciting past four months. The group participated in “A Day of Clarity” that focused on achieving excellence through best practices in board governance, facilitated by Laura Otten, PhD, Director of The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University. The Board quickly embraced its challenges, and as a result, revised the ByLaws and Committee Structures to reflect best practices learned — combining and streamlining committees and editing Bylaw language. Moving forward, the Board Committees are Finance, Development, and Governance.  

The Board also reviewed its programs and parts of the Strategic Plan to focus on Food Security, Housing Stability, and Educational and Supportive Resources. These changes will enhance PCRC’s ability to continue to provide tangible services, support, and spiritual guidance to address the needs of persons within and beyond the Greater Pottstown area.

A new Board, consisting of several new members will convene in January 2019.

We look forward to a new year of serving and supporting PCRC in any way we can.

If you are interested in serving on a Board committee, please contact Mary Ann Glocker, at maryannglocker@gmail.com.

PCRC 2018 Board of Directors

Mary Ann Glocker, President
Nurse Practitioner, Retired

Frank Cebular, Vice President
Retired Engineering Manager, Professional Engineer

Robert Rettinger, Treasurer
Vice President/Bank Manager, KeyBank

Elizabeth Peters, Secretary
Business Development Officer, TriCounty Area FCU

Roberta Body
Executive VP/Chair of Board, Palmer International

Charles Gulati
President, Sunnybrook LLC/Stokesay Castle LLC

David Kaplan
Attorney, O’Donnell, Weiss & Mattei, PC

Richard Knarr
Pastor, Grace Covenant Church

Bob Larkin
Real Estate Investor

Amy Lehman
Director of Partnership Programs and Leadership Coach, The Hill School

Rich Newell
CEO, Pottstown Hospital

Janet Simmons
Retired Business Administrator

Pantry Particulars

Currently, our needs include: canned fruit, laundry detergent, small dish soap

Volunteers – Drivers are needed to pick up food donations and deliver to our facility; a warehouse volunteer needed from 8:30 – 11:30 am who must be able to lift 50+ pounds.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Outreach Center Director Vicki Bumstead at vbumstead@pottstowncluster.org or call 610-970-5995.

Volunteer Voices

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are a vital part of our ability to provide services and assistance to our clients. Volunteer opportunities are available at the Cluster Outreach Center and at our community meal sites. Got a large group? Special group projects include: receiving and sorting large food donations, the holiday toy and food program, and special projects in the Dry Goods Department.

Opportunities at the Cluster Outreach Center, 57 North Franklin Street, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

• Warehouse: accept food donations, unload trucks, sort and distribute donations (ability to lift 50 lbs)
• Host/Hostess for Pantry: escort clients while shopping in the Food Pantry
• Client Intake: enter client information in our database (must have strong computer skills)
• Clothing/Housewares Coordinator: sort clothing and housewares to display
• Administrator/Receptionist: data entry, general administrative duties, answer phones, assist clients

Opportunities at 61 North Franklin Street

• Renovations

Ongoing Opportunities at the Community Meals

• Meal preparation
• Serving meals
• Cleanup after meals

For more information about volunteering please contact Vicki Bumstead at vbumstead@pottstowncluster.org or call 610-970-5995.

Word from PCRC’s Delegate Assembly

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Community’s (PCRC) Delegate Assembly is a meeting of the representatives and clergy of various religious and other organizations in the Pottstown region. It is a place where a meal is shared and relationships are formed with the staff of PCRC’s Cluster Outreach Center, the delegates, and clergy. PCRC staff members report on the need for fundraising, volunteers, goods, and services, as well as current projects and uplifting experiences. The delegates are then charged to pass this information to the communities they represent to motivate active participation in the work of the Cluster Outreach Center.

This group of assembled individuals representing the many faith communities in the Pottstown region is seeking to find the best ways it can continue to serve the needs of the Pottstown community through the work of PCRC. As the “Cluster” has broadened its scope of community engagement, so has the work of the Delegate Assembly adapted to the growing and changing needs. There is a place for you at the table. If you are connected to a local faith community or part of an organization in the Pottstown area that would like to participate with others in various service projects and opportunities, we invite you to come and join with others who are engaged in meeting very real needs of our neighbors.

We meet nine times throughout the year on the first Thursday of every month at 12:15 pm (except January, July, and August). You’ll find us in various local worship centers spread throughout the greater Pottstown area. (see below for this year’s schedule)

Come and See. Come and join us!

For more information contact: Pastor Rick Knarr at rickknarr@gmail.com or Julie Hardenstine at jmhardenstine@gmail.com.

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Pottstown COMMUNITY MEALS Schedule

Monday

Lunch – 11:45 am
Christ Episcopal Church
316 East High Street | 610-323-2895

Dinner – 5:00 pm*
Chesmont Church of Christ
699 North Pleasantview Road | 610-970-1630

*Van pick up at Library

Tuesday

Dinner – 5:00 pm
Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ
60 North Hanover Street |610-326-2243

Dinner – 6:00 pm
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
150 North Hanover Street | 610-323-4312

Wednesday

Lunch – 11:45 am
Salvation Army
137 King Street | 610-326-1621

Dinner – 7:00 pm**
First United Methodist
414 East High Street | 610-326-0560

**June through September Only

Thursday

Dinner – 5:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
750 North Evans Street | 610-326-0620

Friday

Lunch – 11:45 am
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
150 North Hanover Street | 610-323-4312

Saturday

Dinner – 5:00 pm
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
150 North Hanover Street | 610-323-4312

Drop in Center 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ
60 North Hanover Street |610-326-2243

(November through April)

Sunday

Lunch – 12:10 pm
Pottstown Bible Church
431 East High Street | 610-340-0738

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2018/19 Delegate Assembly Dates and Locations

Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 12:15 pm

Coventry Church of the Brethren
1373 South Keim Street, Pottstown 19465

Thursday, December 6, 2018 | 12:15 pm

Emmanuel Lutheran Church
150 North Hanover Street

Thursday, February 7, 2019 | 12:15 pm

Location to Come

Thursday, March 7, 2019 | 12:15 pm

Location to Come

Thursday, April 4, 2019 | 12:15 pm

Location to Come

Thursday, May 2, 2019 | 12:15 pm

Location to Come

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Everything you need to know happening at PCRC!

Fall Appeal

You will soon be receiving our Fall Appeal in your mailbox as well as your email inbox. We depend on your generosity, especially around the holidays, to help the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) continue to help our clients improve their overall stability. We thank you in advance for supporting this annual appeal!

2018 Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities Holiday Program

WHEN: Sign up Monday, November 5,  from 1:00 – 3:00 pm or Monday, November 12, from 9:30 am – noon

WHO: The first 200 families/250 children (must be currently registered to use the PCRC Pantry)

WHAT: Holiday food box and gifts for children ages 0-16 years old

QUESTIONS: Email Kelli DeSieno at KDeSieno@PottstownCluster.org or call 610-970-5995

PLEASE BRING A PERSONAL CARE ITEM TO DONATE (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.) Thank You!

download a flyer to copy and share

Cradles to Crayons Partnership

Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive — at home, at school, and at play. The organization supplies these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need.

As opposed to working directly with families, Cradles to Crayons has built a highly efficient network of approved Service Partners. The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) is one of these network Service Partners.

How it Works

PCRC’s Intake Administrator will work with a client, filling out the appropriate form, then sends the form to Cradles to Crayons through its website. Cradles to Crayons then fulfills the order, and the order is distributed to the client at its 57 North Franklin Street facility.

It can take up to a week to fulfill an order, but an emergency situation will be considered.

For more information, visit cradlestocrayons.org or contact Kelli DeSieno, Food Services Administrator, at kdesieno@pottstowncluster.org.

“61” Grand Opening Update

The Grand Opening of our new facility, known as “61” will be happening soon. Volunteers are working feverishly to complete the finishing renovations, so staff can occupy the building and our educational programs can be expanded. Stay tuned for details!

Check out the progress photos in the slideshow to the right.

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Wegmans Collects for PCRC Once Again!

Wegmans Food Market cashiers in Collegeville, PA, will once again be asking customers to support its holiday hunger drive “Checkout Hunger” to benefit PCRC October 21 – December 15.

The cashiers will ask you to either round up your change or donate any amount to PCRC. It’s a quick and easy way to support your neighbors this holiday season! Wegmans, Collegeville, has been running this drive for PCRC for over seven years, and we are grateful for their community leadership and support. The store is open 24-hours and is located at 600 Commerce Drive, in Collegeville.

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