· Our Community celebrated Christmas with a pot luck dinner where the children presented and acted out the great Christmas story! We also had a visit from Santa who passed out the many wooden toys donated from the RSVP Titusville “Toy Shop”! Plus all the children and teens in the apartment complex (over 122) received a pair of gloves or mittens, and a winter hat and a pair or two of socks! (Thanks to the generous donations and wrapping efforts of First Presbyterian Church, Stone UM Church and Hamlin Chapel UM Church!)
· A contingency of 11 residents, board members and staff under the efforts of United Housing Board Member, Ed Edinger gathered and presented our concerns to the City Planning Commission. The delegation proposed a Neighborhood Improvement Project for the lower end of East Street as it reaches our apartment complex. Thanks to Ed, the proposal was complete with diagrams, photographs and maps! East Street is the only sidewalk entrance into the apartment complex. There is constant pedestrian use of East Street. We are concerned about the curb and sidewalk and its deteriorated condition. Most of the residents walk on the road because the curb and sidewalk is cracked, broken and uneven. Pushing a stroller or cart for groceries is almost impossible even for the healthiest and youngest residents! All of our school age children and teens go up and down East Street to go to school or to get their buses. Mix in automobile traffic to the very narrow, slippery brick street and it is a catastrophe waiting to happen. We thank Ed for heading the pack and for the city for listening!
· Sixteen children gathered for popcorn and the showing of “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” during a day off from school.
· Tons of diapers and diaper wipes have been passed out to mothers and their babies!
· New Borns have been greeted with layette sets, blankets, t-shirts and more!
· Personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, nail polish and accessories, and feminine products have been made available to our teens to help build esteem and self confidence!
· “Gently Used” children’s bikes have been given new homes for kids taking advantage of the unseasonable warm weather – we had!
· Afterschool homework help has been available every day after school!
· Winter coats donated by FPC have found new shoulders to keep warm with our children, teens and adults!
· Senior Food Boxes have been disbursed monthly to our seniors who have signed up for the program.
· Transportation to the Mobile Second Harvest Food Bank. (This program is no longer available in Meadville and Second Harvest Food Bank is looking for a new sponsor!)
· Computer and internet access is available at the Outreach for residents working on job resumes, applications, banking, registering for college classes or just keeping in touch with friends and family.
· After the Winter Break, our Allegheny College volunteers are back! We are looking forward in seeing our fifteen Big Brother and Big Sisters who come in weekly to the Outreach to meet with their “little’s”.
· The A.C. Bonners are back and working on special programs and activities for the teens!
· We have 12 children signed up to again gather with the Allegheny’s Rugby Team to learn some moves and strategies of the game!
· Two new computers have been added to our computer lab!
· “America Reads” and our tutors are back! Reading and helping us twice a week tackling the great big exciting world of books!
· “Jump,” a six week class taught by Allegheny College senior Brittany has started with six families! The families are “Jumping their way into a Healthier Lifestyle!” Having fun with their family around food and physical exercise! Learning how to feed the family healthier snacks and meals! Talking about what it means to “eat healthy”!
Like I said – local mission in action – your dollars – your prayers - your mission – in action.
