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EPICThe Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $5,000 from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®. This is a new partner for PCRC. The grant supported the Eviction Prevention and Intervention Coalition (EPIC) pilot project designed to stabilize vulnerable families and individuals who are facing eviction by providing them with legal and social services support.

The project included case management services, carried out by PCRC, to prevent eviction in the short term and to connect the household to community supports necessary to maintain long term housing stability. Financial assistance will also be provided to households as appropriate and necessary to prevent eviction. PCRC supported the program with a Housing Stability Coach working in conjunction with legal representation on-site at the Magisterial District Court in Norristown, PA.

The project served 81 households in 2018 within and beyond the Greater Pottstown area during the one-year grant period. A Housing Stability Plan and a budget was created for each eligible participating household.

“Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities was extremely honored to receive a grant from the TD Charitable Foundation,” said Executive Director Barbara Wilhelmy. “We were able to address the significant and debilitating impact that evictions have on vulnerable populations as we worked to help those living in poverty prevent eviction, maintain housing stability, and find their voice within the legal system.”

This contribution supports TD’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment through The Ready Commitment, a multi-year platform that actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality, environmental wellbeing and health, enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As part of The Ready Commitment, TD targets CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through this platform, TD aspires to create a more inclusive tomorrow — helping people of all backgrounds feel more confident, not just about their finances, but about their ability to achieve their goals. For information, visit td.com/thereadycommitment.

 


About Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities

For over 50 years, through interfaith cooperation, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) has provided Food Security, Housing Stability, and Supportive Services and Education to address the basic needs of persons within and beyond the Greater Pottstown area. PCRC coordinates its programs and referrals to help clients improve their overall stability. For more information, call 610.970.5995, or visit pottstowncluster.org.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $200 million and more than 19,400 grants through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including the online grant application, is available at TDBank.com

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On June 12, 2019, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) celebrated five empowered UP3 (Understanding Poverty to Plan and Persevere) graduates during a ceremony and celebration at The Hill School Center for the Arts. The UP3 graduates successfully completed a 16-week UP3 program dedicated to getting out of poverty, building social connections, and goal planning. We are proud to announce that our graduates are now on a path to creating a brighter financial future for themselves.  

Understanding Poverty to Plan and Persevere (UP3) is a mentored 16-week program which builds on the framework of Bridges Out of Poverty, and helps individuals build their resources and social capital.

For more information about UP3 visit: pottstowncluster.org/supportiveservicesandeducation or contact Ryli Meyer at 610.970.5995 or RMeyer@pottstowncluster.org.

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“Celebrate Service with Heart” is the theme of the upcoming You Gotta Have Heart fall FUNraising event.

SAVE THE DATE You Gotta Have HeartYou are invited to join us at our 8th annual fundraiser “You Gotta Have Heart” on Thursday, September 26, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at The SunnyBrook Ballroom.

“Celebrate Service” with us during an evening of fine food (dinner), awards, inspirational stories,
entertainment, FUNraising, and more! All proceeds support PCRC’s mission.

To learn more, or to become a sponsor, please contact Merri Brown: call 610.970.5995 or email mbrown@pottstowncluster.org; or visit pottstowncluster.org/yougottahaveheart.

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GRATITUDE.

It is defined as “The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” At the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC), it is with a deep and abiding sense of gratitude we present this 2018 Annual Report of Gratitude and list of supporters as a public acknowledgment of your kindness, and in appreciation for your continued support for the work we do together to improve the overall quality of life for individuals and families in our region.

You have blessed PCRC with your gifts of time, talent, and treasure, helping us help your neighbor. For that we are eternally GRATEFUL.

 

Click to view and print the PCRC 2018 Annual Report of Gratitude (pdf)
Annual Report of Gratitude
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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 Roundtable

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.

PCRC Roundtable

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.

To share your thoughts in the Comments section – scroll down

Senator Bob Casey (center) with PCRC Board President Mary Ann Glocker and Executive Director Barbara Wilhelmy

Senator Bob Casey and PCRC Executive Director Barbara Wilhelmy

PCRC Executive Director Barbara Wilhelm and Senator Bob Casey discuss food issues in the PCRC Pantry

PCRC staff member Danielle Gadsden was part of the panel with Senator Casey and Commissioner Arkoosh

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