DDB Fall 2015 Newsletter

From The Director

Fall 2015 Issue 27

DDB Mission: Feed the hungry & provide services for the homeless of Harrisburg.

Inside This Issue:  Client Stories  DDB Makes It Happen  Drop In Center  Holiday Giving  New Board Member  Wish Lists

Downtown Daily Bread 310 N. Third Street Harrisburg PA 17101 www.downtowndailybread.org www.facebook.com/pages/ Downtown-Daily-Bread-DDB

717-238-4717

Elaine Strokoff Executive Director Kobie White Kitchen Manager Christine Patrick Client Counselor Selma Sanders-West Career Counselor Cheryl Hawkins Career Counselor Cynthia Swanson Mental Health Outreach Counselor Linda McGuire Newsletter Editor

DDB Advisory Board

Chris Baldrige Elaine Blass Carlyn Chulick Georgia Lee Coffman Jonathon Freeman Lee Freeman John Jewett Lisa Landis David Saurman

As I enter my 20th year at Downtown Daily Bread, I write you this message. The part time job I accepted many years ago has become my long term professional commitment. The reason for this is simple. I still believe that hungry people have a right to food and that poor, homeless people should be helped. I see men and women who wait in line every morning to collect their mail, take a shower, or check their lockers. I see individuals line up each day for their daily lunch. I know that everyone who comes to Downtown Daily Bread will be treated with respect and kindness. I also know that there are always more way to help those living in poverty and always more challenges to be met. Our latest accomplishment was opening the Drop In Center for the Homeless in Harrisburg. (Please read Drop In Center article for more information.)

Downtown Daily Bread makes a difference in the lives of many. The folks who come to DDB are not just numbers; they are individuals with names and stories. We feel good knowing that a veteran can keep his apartment because of DDB help with his rent. We feel wonderful when an abused woman and her three children are safely housed. We feel proud when a client completes his GED and moves on to additional training.

As a team, we are thankful for the dedicated men and women who volunteer and for all of our friends in the community who help finance DDB. We are also grateful for the human service agencies that collaborate with us to bring more services to DDB clients.

DDB has been, and will continue to be, a community mission made up of people helping people.

Pope Francis on his recent visit articulated my thoughts beautifully when he prayed, “O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth…Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature…Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love, and peace.”

With the holidays approaching, I wish you all good Health and Happiness and I offer heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support.

Best Regards, Elaine

New Faces At DDB

DDB welcomes Selma Sanders-West and Cheryl Hawkins to the DDB family. Both Selma & Cheryl will serve as DDB Career Counselors at our newly opened DDB Drop-In Center for the Homeless. Selma comes with 30 years experience in working with low income families & minorities. Cheryl comes with many years experience as a counselor and caseworker with area non-profits.

We look forward to working with them and we give each a warm welcome.

New Board Member

DDB is pleased to announce that Jon Freeman has joined the DDB Advisory Board. As Director of Stonebridge Financial Group, Jon assists individuals, families, and charitable organizations to implement strategies for building wealth and realizing their financial goals. Jon enjoys family, outdoor fun and volunteering. His expertise and skills will be an asset to the DDB board.

DDB Makes It Happen!

The Monday morning of August 24th was a very busy time at DDB. While Kobie, the DDB cook, was preparing lunch for the DDB clients, there was much activity outside of the dining room. This was primarily due to collaborations DDB has in place with many different services and friends in the community.

First, monthly haircuts were being provided by twin sisters who are barbers and come to DDB from the Mechanicsburg area. The DDB-YWCA van provides transportation for them since they do not drive. The hair cuts are always a “big draw” for men and women who are poor or living on the streets and do not have the money to pay for a haircut.

Next, the Pinnacle Health nurses provided free HIV testing for men and women. Fourteen people took advantage of that service. The testing was so well received that the nurses plan to provide on-going HIV testing at DDB. While the hair cuts and the testing were going on, a recruiter from one of the temporary employment agencies set up a table and began taking applications for temporary jobs in Carlisle and Lewisberry. This agency also provides transportation, which is so important to most DDB clients.

He was very busy.

All this was taking place, in addition to showers being offered; mail distributed; food and clothing vouchers handed out, and general casework taking place with DDB counselors. What more could have been happening?

There’s always more. DDB is always looking for partner agencies who share the respect for collaboration and who want to help others by sharing their talents and services with those in need. Please consider how you, your business or organization may be able to share your time and talent to serve those in need.

Thank You To…

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To all our volunteers who helped at DDB over the summer months.

The “Bears For Bread” ladies for working at the pumpkin fest on behalf of DDB. For all the committee members who worked for the “Glee For DDB” fundraiser in March —it was a huge success! Thanks to everyone coming together to promote, sponsor, volunteer, and contribute.

Blue Mountain Lotus Society’s 2015 Compassion In Action Award Congratulations to the 2015 winner, Elaine Strokoff. The award is based on the Bodhisattva ideal, for selfless giving to one's community with great wisdom and compassion. Some recent recipients include Joyce Davis; Professor Alfred Bloom, University of Hawai'i; Professor Christopher Queen, Harvard; Konchog Gylatsen Rinpoche, India and Tibet; and the Rev. Sandy Strauss. Elaine is honored to be joining this distinguished list of leaders.

Did You Know?

DDB served 7,411 during the summer months

Feeding Harrisburg’s hungry since 1983!

Client Story She came to Downtown Daily Bread first thing in the morning with her three children because they all needed to shower. Her name is Sheila, and she is renting the only apartment she can afford. She was forced to move because of a domestic violence situation. This apartment is not the best, but she is stuck for now. The landlord has promised to get running water in it soon. I told Sheila that it is against the law for him to rent the apartment to her if it does not have basic things such as running water. After she and her children showered at DDB I gave her contact information for a caseworker at the Center for Peace and Justice. Sheila and I also talked about some other agencies that might be able to help her through this rough time. I suggested she contact the YWCA so she and her children could get counseling regarding the domestic violence issues in their lives.

At Downtown Daily Bread we meet people from all walks of life. We never know what each day will bring; we just embrace all people who come to us. Sheila called me a week later to thank me for the help I gave her. She now has running water in her apartment, and the landlord is working to fix other things. She and her children are doing much better!

Chris DDB Client Counselor

DDB has earned the Outstanding Non-Profit Award presented by The Conference For Women in October 2015.

Student Volunteer “Hello! My name is James McGregor. I am a rising junior at Hershey High School. I enjoy band, soccer, and scouts. I found Downtown Daily Bread when I was looking for a volunteer opportunity over the summer.

They graciously opened their arms to me and let me become part of their family. The whole staff has let me in from Ms. Chris letting me use things in her office to Kobe letting me talk about the issues of the day. Every homeless person I have met has been let in with a smile and often returns it to all of us. I have learned a lot about happiness and the little things that brighten up days. I’ve heard stories of clients moving forward after the hard work of the staff, and the clients still in the facility are given anything they need to strive out in the world. I love the work that I do at Downtown Daily Bread and can’t wait to do more in the future.”

James McGregor

Holiday Help As the holidays approach, DDB is faced with the challenge of securing provisions for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s meals. DDB men, women, and children will be counting on the soup kitchen to provide their special meal. We in turn will be counting on you.

With your generous donation of $200, you, your family, friends or business can sponsor a holiday meal for 100 clients. ($2 for 100 meals) Please make your safe, secure donation online via the DDB website through PayPal or mail checks payable to Downtown Daily Bread.

We invite you to give yourself “the gift of giving”. Please see our Wish List to find out other ways you can help!

DDB Wish List

Thanks to ACS (Art Communication Systems), for printing this newsletter. We are pleased to have a partnership with ACS! Harrisburg’s Premier Commercial Printing Service offers printing, graphic design, sales/marketing, and web development.

Call Park Cook, ACS, @ 717-232-0144.

Suggested Food Items: Ham, Turkeys, #10 Cans Fruits, Vegetables, and Soups, Spices, Sugar, Salt, and Pepper.

Non-Food Needed Items: Styrofoam cups and bowls, Plastic forks and spoons, Napkins, Kitchen towels and Steel wool pads.

Lunch Plus: Laundry soap pods, Bath towels, Men’s socks, Soap, Wash cloths, Men’s underwear (boxers), and Razors.

Pine Street Presbyterian Church

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARRISBURG PA PERMIT NO. 293

310 North Third Street Harrisburg PA 17101 Forwarding Address Requested

Feeding Harrisburg’s hungry since 1983!

Announcing DDB Drop-In Center The Drop-In Center at Downtown Daily Bread opened on Tuesday, September 8th on the 3rd floor of the Boyd Memorial Building. The hours of operation are Mondays through Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Drop-In Center is a place where the homeless can go during afternoons to find a warm, dry, friendly, peaceful, gathering place—rather than remain out of doors in peril and with nothing to do. After eating lunch at Downtown Daily Bread, individuals can visit the Drop-In Center to read, sleep, or play board games. The center also serves as a place where they can learn computer skills and utilize available resources to apply for jobs, housing and other services.

An experienced, caring counselor assists clients with case management and provides a listening ear. A registered nurse and medical social worker from Pinnacle Health Community Health Network provides screening and medical health support. Hopefully with increased funding, the center can expand. The Drop-In Center provides an environment where clients trust that no one will harm them as they sleep, and no one will disturb or take their belongings. Please join DDB in making this new project a success.

Drop-In Center Wish List Compassionate volunteers to assist clients with activities  Commerical coffee pot  Small TV with VCR player  VCR player • Crossword puzzles, board games, chess, checkers  Coffee, creamer, sugar, styrofoam cups, non-perishable snack foods  Paper towels, napkins, air freshener 

All donations are tax deductible.

PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT 2015

Once again DDB will play a part in the annual Project Homeless Connect. The event will take place at the Farm Show Complex on November 20th. The purpose of this event is to match homeless men, women and children to crucial services and housing assistance. Last year 400 guests attended the session, including 40 children. DDB is pleased to partner with Project Homeless Connect as it has done since the inception of the event.

Save The Date Share The Love

Valentine Concert & Fundraiser For DDB February 13, 2016 7:30pm Pine Street Presbyterian Church Featuring The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University

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