Need for assistance up this season

By Rose Hooper

Most service agencies were strapped to fill the needs of food, clothing, emergency shelter and supplies, as well as Christmas presents for the little ones. Although they were strapped, no one was turned away, all agency officials agreed.

But with the new year and colder temperatures, that might change, said Paula Lumb, director of United Christian Ministries.

UCM "does a little bit of everything," according to Lumb, including helping people whose utilities have been cut off or assisting those who need emergency fuel assistance.

"God's been good to our poor this season," said Lumb. "Temperatures have been extremely mild until recently, so we haven't had a great request for fuel assistance. But now that it's getting colder and the Department of Social Services has run out of fuel assistance money, people are coming to us to cover the gap. This could become a big problem for us since we don't have the funds to help everybody."

UCM filled all requests for emergency food assistance, preparing some 112 holiday boxes. At Thanksgiving, they prepared about the same number of boxes.

"The numbers are up, for sure," said Lumb. "But they were up last year, too. So far, we've handled the crisis needs this season, including helping one person have a tooth extracted and another get their insulin refilled. We've also had a lot of requests for diapers."

The statewide Low Income Energy Assistance Program, administered by DSS, took applications the first two weeks in November.

"It was warm back then," said Rachel Wilkie, who works with the program. "I can't say our number of applicants was up at that time. But, now with colder temperatures, requests for emergency fuel assistance will probably start." Currently, DSS has no emergency fuel assistance funding.

Generally, the end of each month the Community Table sees an increase in attendance. Coupled with the end of the year and the holiday season, the last days in December were busy for the non-profit agency, which feeds the county's hungry, said director Linda Knauer.

One night the all-volunteer staff served 121, followed by 104 on Dec. 27. That's more than doubled the amount served on a regular evening in the past.

"We served three or four large families, a homeless person, some couples, but mainly older people who live alone," said Knauer. "Some come for a hot, nutritious meal; others of them come for just the company... especially this time of year, they don't want to be alone."

Food donations from restaurants closed for the season helped the Community Table this holiday, as did a $2,000 contribution from the county.

"The county's support is encouraging," said Knauer of the first-time contribution. "It shows they recognize [our] stability."

The Community Table, which provides free meals to those who cannot pay and accepts donations from those who can, has been in operation for two years. It operates Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4-6:30 p.m.

REACH of Jackson County received an unprecedented number of calls requesting assistance this holiday, officials there say.

"Our calls for help weren't just related to domestic or sexual violence. We had people calling simply needing food," said REACH Executive Director Jean Bockstahler.

Requests to this non-profit agency serving victims of domestic and sexual abuse doubled this season, said Bochstahler.

"Thankfully, the Webster Post Office coordinated holiday donations for us. We received timely end-of-the season support from Sports Plus, Harrah's Casino and several individuals. We felt blessed that we could serve all the requests we received. But it made us realize the great, underlying need out there."

In Jackson County, even requests for toys and Christmas presents for children were up. The Jackson County Christmas Store helped Santa Claus fill stockings and holiday wishes for more than 600 children this season.

When the Christmas Store began operating 14 years ago, 25 families were served. Last year the number served rose to more than 500, but this is the first time it has ever topped 600.

What's amazing, agree organizers Wanda Kidd and Elaine White, is that the amount of sponsorship for each child ­ $50 ­ has not changed in 14 years.

"That tells you about the shopping abilities of these dedicated people who perform this labor of love," said longtime Christmas Store sponsor Florence Sumner.

The Christmas Store has no major fund-raiser, and contributors vary from year to year. "In November, we start out with not much in the bank account. But it seems like each year we get what we need, just when we need it," said White, who admitted this was not an easy year.

Even with the greater need this year, the non-profit agencies do all in their power to meet the community's needs because they understand the needs are real.

"We are like the people we serve," said one agency volunteer. "The people we serve aren't deadbeats or those just looking for handouts. Most of them are hard working people whose dollar just doesn't stretch far enough. They are struggling to make ends meet, just like we are."

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