Most Recent Newsletter - ELANCO Social Services Network

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from our mailing list, please contact
ESSN at 717.354.ESSN.
ELANCO Social Services Network
441 S. KINZER AVENUE, NEW HOLLAND, PA 17557
717-354-ESSN • elancossn.org
441 S. KINZER AVENUE
NEW HOLLAND, PA 17557
Fall, 2015
HOMELESSNESS;
SATURN MAN’S ORBIT
(Courtesy LNP, Lancaster, PA)
Determined social worker helps New Holland
resident living in car find his way to an apartment
Dear ELANCO Community,
E
SSN has news, and is in the news! We are thrilled to announce a special $25,000 matching gift available to us this
year, but first…
Did you read LNP’s coverage of ESSN’s successful campaign to
find housing for a local homeless family? ESSN provided tools
and resources to a family living in their car for over a year. Due
to ESSN’s growing understanding of poverty and homelessness,
this father and son have an apartment of their own. Thank you
for making this possible with your support!
Can you help us in other similar situations?
M
Thank you for your interest in the ELANCO Social Services Network.
We hope that you will choose to take an active role in this endeavor.
If you are interested in knowing more, please indicate below or contact any of the Board members. Please consider the following ways in
which you could contribute to the success of this endeavor.
I am interested in knowing more about how I can be involved:
Upcoming Events
Landlord Forum:
November 18, 2015, 6:30-7:45 PM, at
Garden Spot Fire Rescue, New Holland.
____ Committee Member
____ ESSN Ambassador Network ____ Mentor
____ Food Pantry Volunteer
____ Van Driver
____ Other
Name ___________________________________________________
Banking and Saving Basics
Workshop:
Address __________________________________________________
Extra-Ordinary Give:
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________
Phone Number ___________________________________________
Email ___________________________________________________
Monetary donations can be made payable to:
ESSN and mailed to:
ELANCO Social Services Network
441 S Kinzer Ave • New Holland, PA 17557
$ _________
___ weekly
___ monthly
___ yearly
___ one time gift
November 18, 2015, 6-8 PM, at the
ESSN office
November 20
Tenant Workshop:
Date: To be announced.
The curriculum, made up from PREP-It,
will consist of two sessions. The goal is
to inform people of practical information that will prepare, empower, and
offer guidance through the process of
finding and securing independent
housing.
ost of us can point to a favorite song that has lifted us out
of our gloom and taken us to a sunnier place.
For Steve Martin, a haunting, electronic melody
called “Out of the Darkness” offered a temporary distraction
from a dire situation.
Martin, 59, and his 21-year-old son, Matthew, were homeless and living in their car in New Holland for more than a year.
The music, however, couldn’t push away the harsh reality Martin
faced.
Where would they spend the night?
How would they combat extreme weather?
Was there any way out?
‘Saturn Man’
Joan Yunginger, director of the Elanco Social Services Network, first met Martin about three years ago, when he and his
family came to the New Holland Area Food Pantry. She saw him
there periodically, as he struggled to pay his family’s bills.
The social services network is a nonprofit organization that
serves the Eastern Lancaster School District by providing resources to nourish, shelter and educate residents in need.
In the summer of 2014, a resident notified Yunginger that a
person was living in a beige 1997 Saturn station wagon parked in
Community Memorial Park on East Jackson Street.
Yunginger says residents often call to let her know when
someone is in need, with the hope that her organization can provide assistance.
Martin would become known as “Saturn Man” to those who
became accustomed to the sight of Martin’s station wagon in the
park.
A change in seasons and an early threat of snow spurred
more concern about Saturn Man.
“I was absolutely bombarded with calls, especially going into
the winter,” Yunginger says.
She would drive through the park to see if he was still there,
Continued ON PAGE 3
-The New Holland Area Food Pantry serves 24 to 30 families a
week.
-Power Packs Project provides students from families in need
with healthy weekend food, recipes, and preparation tips.
- “Getting Ahead“ groups empower participants to get out of
poverty by giving them tools to assess their environment, and set
and evaluate goals.
- Landlord/property manager forums that initiate communication on local housing issues, including preventing homelessness.
-Helping Hands Fund that will provide over $30,000 of support
with temporary housing assistance, heating assistance, transportation, and medical bills.
Two opportunities to support:
Extraordinary Give: We have a $25,000 matching fund for the
Extraordinary Give event. A group of donors has committed
to match every dollar up to $25,000 raised during this oneday event. Our goal: Find 1,000 people to give at least $25 to
ESSN during the Extraordinary Give on November 20! Would
you please be one of those people, and also help us spread the
word? Visit www.extragive.org and make your donation on
Nov. 20.
Tax-deductible check can be mailed to us, or you can give by
PayPal on our website. Your gifts of $100, $250, $1000 or more
will go a long way in helping us meet the needs of our community.
Thanks to the continued support from churches, municipalities,
and local businesses, ESSN is making an impact in our community! We ask you to please consider continued financial support
of ESSN.
Sincerely, ELANCO Social Services Network Board
NOVEMBER 20, 2015
Providing hope and assistance for all who seek it within the ELANCO community.
ESSN Director Update
ER
AN YUNGING
DIRECTOR: JO
I
t’s hard to believe it’s time to
get out the cold-weather gear
and make way for winter. I find
comfort in the memories of summer,
and what a great summer it was! I had
the privilege of spending time with my
family and friends creating memories.
Once again I am in awe of God’s great
love and goodness.
I continue to be reminded of His
goodness. I know we are blessed to
live in a wonderful and generous com-
munity who gives of their hearts and
shows love and compassion to those in
need. I witnessed this most recently at
the White Out Against Hunger event
held at Garden Spot High School’s
football game against Lancaster Catholic High School on September 25. It
was so much fun working with Teresa
Bair and Allison Cuthie who helped
organize the event, as well as local
businesses that sponsored the t-shirts.
The ELANCO school district showed
tremendous support for the event,
especially the youth from the student
council who spent the evening receiving, sorting and packing collected
items. I was so impressed with the
community members and football
fans who contributed to stocking the
shelves at the New Holland Area Food
Pantry. It was a great event and makes
me smile every time I recall the event.
THANK YOU!
I am also thankful for ESSN’s
board, staff, and the various program
committees’ continued commitment,
and their work to address the many
issues this community faces on a daily
basis. I am humbled to learn of some
of the struggles our community faces
and realize it takes a team to address
the many varied situations.
We value relationships with other
organizations. We believe in education as well as showing God’s love
and support to those who face various
challenges.
Thank you for your continued support and be sure to get the latest news
on our website and Facebook!
Blessings!
Joan Yunginger, ESSN Director
Housing Committee Update
O
ur Lord continues to
provide leadership to
the Housing Committee
while also helping those with housing needs.
The second Landlord Forum was
held on March 24th at the Garden
Spot Fire Rescue in New Holland.
Plans are underway for the next Forum on November 18 at
6:30 PM at GSFR. ESSN met with Lancaster County Behavioral Health and Development Services (LCBHDS) this spring
and plans to use the county database and case management software named “Caseworthy” for case management,
reporting and monitoring.
ESSN also signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with Tabor Community Services for professional counseling
services for our qualified clients. ESSN has offered financial
assistance to qualified clients through security deposits,
rental subsidies, utilities, and emergency housing expenses
to a substantial number of ELANCO residents experiencing
“at risk” conditions of homelessness. ESSN assisted in finding
a permanent home for a family experiencing homelessness in New Holland. The committee has added four new
members: Wilbur Horning, Joe Leofsky, Kamini Malankar
and Rob Stippich.
A draft of a Tenant Help Workshop was created for those
tenant/clients who may be “at risk” with their landlords, or
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who may need some assistance finding affordable housing,
among other various conditions.
The committee anticipates continued dialogue with
Welsh Mountain Health Center, The Factory, the ELANCO
School District, and the Lancaster County agencies such as
Tabor Community Services, Lancaster County Behavioral
Health and Development Services (LCBHDS), Lancaster
Housing Opportunity Partnership (LHOP), and the Lancaster
County Coalition to End Homelessness (LCCEH). ESSN has
also joined the discussion with Garden Spot Village and
the Cooperative Living Initiative Committee in its plans for
2016. The participation with these groups broadens ESSN’s
network of knowledge and support in addressing homelessness and advocacy for affordable housing.
Looking ahead, volunteer teachers with some background in residential leasing, financial management or
household budgeting, property management, or related
experience is needed for the tenant workshops. Persons
interested may contact Joan Yunginger, ESSN Director. The
committee seeks monetary support for housing assistance
and tenant/client counseling. We invite your continued
prayers for ESSN and especially those we serve.
“Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7.
Jeff Good: ESSN Board Chair, and Housing Committee Chair
ESSN Board OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE BOARD
CHAIR:
Jeff Good, Retired;
COO Amelia’s Grocery
Outlet and Retail
VICE CHAIR:
Abby Keiser, MS;
COBY’s Family Life
Education Dept
SECRETARY:
Pastor Brian Martin
Weaverland Mennonite Church
TREASURER:
Tim Bender
Coatesville Savings Bank
VP Commercial Lending
BOARD MEMBERS
James Cox
Psychologist, retired
Travis Eby
MH Eby, President
Dr. Jack Estep
Pastor; retired
Garden Spot Village
Steve Good
Assistant Principal
Garden Spot Middle School
Pastor Brad Haws
Local ordained clergy
Pastor Titus Kauffman
Petra Christian Fellowship
Matthew Kulp: Owner
Showcase Group Inc.
Nancee Naranjo
Recording Secretary,
(non-voting)
STAFF
DIRECTOR
Joan Yunginger, BS
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Collette Bender
ESSN Whiteout Against Hunger
O
n Friday, September 25, at
Garden Spot High School
stadium, the ESSN White Out
Against Hunger event was held.
Over 650 t-shirts were printed to
give away in exchange for donations for
the food pantry. Football fans from both
Garden Spot and Lancaster Catholic came
laden with bags of food and goods to
donate. We gave away every shirt with the
last few being given away just as the game
was starting.
The final numbers from the food pantry
reflects the very generous support of our
community. ESSN was able to collect over
2,278 pounds of food! That is literally
more than a TON of donations.
The high school Student Council was instrumental in drumming up support within
the school, and they all donated food, and
wore their shirts on Friday to remind other
students. The cheerleaders for Garden
Spot all donated food as well, and wore
Whiteout shirts for their routines throughout the game. It was GSMAA night and
first responder night at the game and every
other person you passed in the stadium
had a Whiteout shirt on. There was an
exceptional air of appreciation and love for
our neighbors that night.
One New Holland resident, who could
not attend the game, still wanted to participate in the event. This person dropped off
three bags of groceries and shared how the
food pantry had helped her and her family
make ends meet in the past. She was so
grateful for the opportunity to give back in
such a fun way.
As food was being collected at the
game, a member of the community shared
how Yoder’s was abuzz with people in the
aisles, asking each other what they should
bring over for the Whiteout. Donors
included both young and elderly, football
moms, spouses of first responders, and students and teachers, each dressed in white
to reach out to their neighbors on Friday.
Special thanks to these local T-shirt
sponsors:
Berk-Tek
Coatesville Savings Bank
Garden Spot Village
Martin’s Trailside Express
New York Life
Superior Walls of America
Thank you ELANCO community for
truly making this event possible!
Allison Cuthie
The Power PacksProject
is designed to help families
stretch their grocery money,
prepare low-cost meals
for their families over the
weekend and have their children fed well and ready to learn and thrive for the rest
of the week. Each Thursday, participating families will receive a recipe and the main
ingredients to make one weekend meal. Power Packs Project will also distribute
other food like cereal, peanut butter, fresh produce and milk as well as helpful tips
on a variety of subjects. Please call ESSN to sign up.
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and “it got to be heartbreaking,” she says.
Lost his job
Banking and
Saving Basics
Date: December 16, 2015
Martin, a Lancaster County native,
lived in many parts of the county while
growing up. “My dad couldn’t seem to
make up his mind,” Martin says.
A lover of music who took piano lessons as a child and studied at the Lancaster Conservatory of Music, Martin
married, and he and his wife had their
son. He worked for International Signal
and Control as a material handler in production control, but lost his job when
the defense contractor was sold and collapsed in the 1990s.
Martin later sustained back and knee
injuries and was unable to work, so his
wife became the family’s sole breadwinner. Yunginger said the switch in financial
roles was difficult for Martin’s wife to accept, and she subsequently left her husband and son.
The father and son continued to live
in a rented New Holland townhouse. His
son contributed wages he earned at a local restaurant.
Soon, however, they could no longer
afford the townhouse. They stored what
little furniture they had and packed up
their two dogs and one cat. Their station
wagon became their home for the next
year.
Hunting for a home
The calls from concerned residents
led Yunginger to initiate a 13-month-long
fight to get Martin and his son out of the
Saturn and into a home.
She began by directing him to call
2-1-1, a national hotline and website
sponsored by the United Way.
The program offers guidance in several areas, including supplemental nutrition programs, and disaster and emergency relief.
He was advised to go to a local shelter. Martin, however, declined, mostly
because he owns two dogs, Ginger and
Chloe, and a cat, Baby Girl. He said he
would not abandon his pets, even if it
meant staying in the Saturn.
Yunginger was not deterred. She
continued to search for a solution to
Martin’s homelessness, even looking into
possibly finding him a camper and a safe
space to park it.
She sought guidance from Guy Boyer, a homeless outreach worker for Tabor
Community Services. He advised her to
have Martin evaluated for mental health
issues that could qualify him for federal
housing assistance.
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“Connecting (the client to available
services) is key,” Yunginger says, “but he
had to do the work.” She says she did her
best to make him aware of the options
available to him.
Martin consented to an evaluation
and qualified for housing assistance. Now
he had to find a home.
“There is a shortage of affordable
rental properties in this area,” Yunginger
says. The New Holland Apartments, 146
E. Franklin St., were Martin’s best option.
After paperwork was complete, Martin’s three pets were the final obstacles to
be overcome.
The animals needed preventive care
before he could move into the apartment. A local veterinarian’s office agreed
to provide the care at cost.
Martin and his son were allowed to
move into the apartment.
Surviving
Martin, now 60, displays some anxiety when he reflects on the time he called
his car “home.” He pauses when considering his words, and it seems difficult for
him to express his thoughts.
With pensive blue eyes, he stares
ahead and talks about how he managed
to survive the bitter cold of the winter
and the blistering heat of the summer.
“The summer is actually worse,” he
says. “The heat isn’t good for the animals,
and there was a time when I thought I
lost Baby Girl.”
During the winter, Martin says he
would park his car in the direction of
the sun to keep everybody warm. When
night fell, he says he would wake every
two hours to turn on the car and run the
heater.
“That car has two good things about
it — a good heater and a good radio,”
Martin says about his Saturn. Martin
would play his favorites songs, including
“Out of Darkness,” by Andy Pickford,
and “Tangerine Dream,” by Christopher
Frank.
According to New Holland police
Chief Donald Bowers, homelessness is
not illegal, but trespassing is. Spending
the nights at the park was not an option
because the park closes at dusk.
Martin says he spent most nights
parked at the storage facility where he
kept some belongings.
“Arresting a homeless person makes
little sense unless that helps us and/or any
social agency in finding a better solution
for that particular person,” Bowers says.
Bowers calls Elanco Social Services
Network and the work of Yunginger a
“true godsend to this community.”
Not the final step
It was hot and muggy July 1, the first
day Martin and his son would call the
New Holland Apartments home.
Yunginger and two board members
of the social services network helped
Martin move into his new digs.
For the first time in more than a year,
he was able to stretch out to sleep. And
he has space for his pets. One of the best
things about having his own apartment,
he says, is the kitchen.
“I love to cook and was always the
family cook,” he says.
While it might seem that having an
apartment is a happy ending to a harrowing struggle for Martin, Yunginger refuses
to recognize it as the final step.
“There is so much ahead for him to
work through,” Yunginger said of Martin.
“What he walked through was very difficult and required a great deal of perseverance. He is able to begin addressing
other issues now that he has a place to
call home.”
Martin says of Yunginger, “I wouldn’t
be here without her.” His voice breaks
slightly, and his eyes shine with tears as
he speaks.
How does he feel about his new
home? With a slight smile, he alertly answers, “It’s like being in heaven.”
BY THE NUMBERS
20
Students in Eastern Lancaster County
School District who have been identified
as homeless for the 2015-2016 school
year.
Source: Mindy Menard, social
worker for Elanco School District
35
Average number of students identified as
homeless per year in the Eastern Lancaster County School District.
Source: Mindy Menard
7
New Holland’s rank by ZIP code in the
number of calls to 2-1-1 for housing and
homelessness assistance. Source: July
2015 Housing/Homelessness Services
Report.
3
Growing Healthy Lives
Getting help with ‘Getting Ahead’
Workshop aims to fight poverty,
boost prosperity (Courtesy LNP, Lancaster, PA)
The birth of a child can be a beautiful
moment shared by parents, loved ones
and poverty resource mentors.
Wait, what?
When Meredith Dahl, a poverty resource mentor, was asked to assist in the
child birth experience of an anti-poverty
program participant, she agreed.
That illustrates the close relationship
that develops between facilitators and
participants in “Getting Ahead in a JustGettin’-By World,” a 45-hour workshop
empowering individuals to build resources for prosperity.
It is facilitated by both Dahl, executive
director of Cross Connection Ministries,
and Joan Yunginger, director of Elanco
Social Services Network. The program,
developed by Dr. Ruby Payne, is based
on “Bridges Out of Poverty,” a book
that guides professionals toward ending
poverty in their communities.
“This had been on our minds for a long
time,” said Yunginger, who collaborated
with Dahl in initiating the program in
the New Holland area. Both directors
recognized a need for empowering the
monetarily poor in the community.
They completed online training for facilitators and started with their first participants, termed “investigators,” in August
2014. They have seen two classes and
a total of eight people graduate. They
are now midway through the third class,
which has four participants.
Most of the participants have been
women, but there have been two men.
Ages range from early 20s to late 50s.
Looking to improve
“The investigators are looking
at their own lives, as well as
the community, in order to see
the strengths and weaknesses,
and where they can improve,”
Dahl said.
“They are also working on networking
and developing relationships,” Yunginger
said. Dahl’s experience in the labor and
delivery room came about because the
pregnant woman’s husband needed to
stay home to care for the couple’s five
children.
“We have become very close,” Dahl
said, recounting the experience with a
smile.
Another major topic addressed in the
program is goal setting. Facilitators train
investigators to establish realistic, attainable goals. Goals of past groups have
included controlling personal finances,
improving physical health and reconnecting with a church.
For 2½ hours a week, investigators follow a curriculum that enables them to
examine their experiences and explore
issues that impact poverty, such as banking, housing, transportation and employment. They assess their own resources
and how to build on them as they move
to self-sufficiency.
“One woman returned leased furniture
to put herself in a better financial situation. She really loved (the furniture),
but was paying way too much for it,”
Yunginger said.
Graduates of “Getting
Ahead” continue to meet on a monthly
basis to review goals in an informal setting the facilitators have termed “What’s
Next.”
“They just weren’t ready for the sessions
to end,” Yunginger said.
In the security of a closed group, sessions
focus on communication and building
trust, according to Dahl. “What’s Next”
continues the “Getting Ahead” emphasis
on accountability.
Participants must commit to the free
program and can only miss two sessions.
Typically, the program retains about half
the investigators who register initially.
Gas and grocery cards to encourage
program completion, and community
volunteers prepare meals for the group
to share during sessions.
The group meets once a week at Cross
Connection Ministries, 127 W. Franklin
St., New Holland. Anyone interested in
registering for the next “Getting Ahead”
session starting in March 2016 may
call Elanco Social Services Network at
354-3776.
Year to Date: ESSN has handled over 1,340 calls
for assistance, averaging over 33 calls per week.
Top call volume requests include:
• Food Pantry: 621
• Mentoring: 182
• Rental crisis: 109
• Homeless: 81
• Housing: 65
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