Community Impact - Testimonials from our Partners
One80 envisions…
a world transformed by compassion. Founders, Julia and Dwayne Johnson have an incredible redemption story of their own. One filled with second chances, hope and a whole lotta Jesus!
Now through ONE80 Ministries they are taking their faith story and bringing it to life by extending that very same hope to others right here in our local community.
Relationship building is the focus of ONE80 and they are making those connections by offering transitional housing for women in vulnerable living situations. They also provide assistance to 200+ households with every day necessities such as hygiene products, cleaning supplies, laundry supplies and food items.
One80 Ministries is honored partner with CommunityAid as they care for the overall well being of our community neighbors!
10/10/23
This summer, Anchor Lancaster…
celebrated 7 years on the corner of Duke and Walnut Streets in Lancaster City. During those 7 years, Anchor Lancaster has dished up over 250,000 meals for our hungry neighbors. Since starting the shower ministry in late 2019, Anchor Lancaster has provided over 10,000 showers to our unsheltered neighbors.
CommunityAid funding has made it possible for Anchor Lancaster to operate a Winter Warming Center the last two winters. CommunityAid funding also allowed us to begin a laundry ministry for those who call the streets of Lancaster home.
At the end of June, we opened a Summer Day Center to offer a cool place for our unsheltered neighbors to gather. Every weekday, guests are welcome to come inside out of the heat with access to water, use of the restrooms, a place to charge their phone and work with our case manager, Connor.
Much of the work Connor does revolves around housing related concerns, such as finding housing, shelter, hotels, and supplemental finances related to housing. Connor also assists with social services: acquiring SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, SNAP, and CASH benefits amongst others, while also working to secure photo IDs, birth certificates, and social security IDs.
Thank you for donating to CommunityAid, allowing them to support the work of Anchor Lancaster.
Voted #1 Non-Profit. Here Every Weekday Morning. We are an Anchor in Lancaster City.
-Patty Eastep, Executive Director of Anchor Lancaster
7/21/23
Midwest Food Bank of Pennsylvania…
rescues and distributes food, free of charge, to more than 200 nonprofit partners such as Fruitbelt Farmworkers Christian Ministry (FFCM) with Vida Life Bilingual Church, Hummelstown.
Volunteers from FFCM deliver food, obtained from Midwest, to more than 2,500 migrant workers living and working in camps throughout southcentral PA. While meeting physical needs, FFCM builds relationships for support, social and spiritual care as well for workers who are often isolated and separated from their families for months at a time.
The ministry also provides outreach to homeless individuals in the Harrisburg area. But it starts with food from Midwest Food Bank PA thanks to support from CommunityAid.
-Kathy Anderson-Martin, Executive Director of Midwest Food Bank of PA
7/18/23
Hoffman Homes for Youth…
(HHY) is a nonprofit organization providing hope and a brighter future for youth and young adults, ages 6-21, who need mental and behavioral health treatment in a residential setting. Most individuals at HHY have experienced significant trauma including abuse, loss, and neglect.
We offer three unique programs, an onsite school for grades 1-12, a 24-hour medical services team, and several creative therapies including Equine-Assisted, Animal-Assisted, Art, and Music. We share CommunityAid’s commitment to addressing basic human needs and strengthening our communities.
7/21/23
Building Bridges for Brianna…
is located in York County, Pennsylvania, to help deal with and prevent suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury in members of our community. Even though we are located in York, we stretch nationally with our efforts.
Building Bridges for Brianna is the creation of Matt Dorgan. Matt created the organization in response to his grief from the loss of his 15-year-old daughter, Brianna Dorgan, to suicide on December 3, 2020. He formed a board and team that have had similar experiences that want to work toward helping others. It was after the loss of his daughter Brianna to suicide that Matt decided that things need to change. Matt wanted to channel his grief into something positive for the community so others would not have to suffer the way Brianna suffered and so other parents would not have to suffer the grief of having to bury a child. In January 2021, Matt started putting together an awareness and fundraising event called Building Bridges for Brianna. After several weeks, Matt decided we need to build the bridge between people that need help and people that can provide help. That was when Matt realized that this can not be an event, it needs to be a movement and expanded the organization to reach as many people as he can.
“It takes a strong community foundation to build the bridge for mental health.” - Matt Dorgan
Matt Dorgan wants the community to know that it’s ok to not be ok; we just can’t stay that way. He wants to build the bridge, so people don’t stay that way. Matt has said many times that we need to build the bridge to connect people that need help to the people that can give help.
Since that first event, Building Bridges for Brianna has grown to be able to assist with co-pays, coping skills and mechanisms, and help pay for medication. Building Bridges for Brianna has also helped to educate the community in ways they can help community members dealing with a mental health condition. We have recently opened an office in Dallastown and hired a therapist to give free and reduced therapy and counseling to those in the community that are on a waiting list for a permanent facility.
We are excited to work with CommunityAid as they have our same beliefs. They want to help the community in any way possible. With this partnership, we will be able to add additional resources to our community members that are struggling. Mental Health can come and affect people on many levels and to be able to provide household goods to them that can ease some of the stress and anxiety they are facing. It’s Neighbors helping neighbors with Building the Bridge for mental health.
8/2/23
Last spring, DIG Furniture Bank served…
a young couple that were homeless and living out of their car. This couple was brought to our attention by CommunityAid Selinsgrove staff, as they expressed needing crucial household items like blankets, a hot plate, and pillows and didn't know where else to go. Their goal was to find a campground to stay at for a few days, but they ran out of gas money and found themselves stranded.
DIG came to them with the items they requested so that they could eat and make their transition more comfortable. During conversation, they expressed a need for clothing and shoes, as they only had what was on their backs. Because of our partnership with CommunityAid, DIG was able to provide them with Care Cards so that when their gas assistance came in the next day, they could visit the store again - this time for a more hopeful shopping trip.
DIG's partnership with CommunityAid is the perfect complement to our respective missions. While CommunityAid provides gently used clothing to the community at affordable prices as well as through their Care Card program, DIG provides gently used furniture and household items that CommunityAid may not otherwise be able to accept. We've received so many beautiful donations via referral from CommunityAid Selinsgrove staff when they come across pieces that they cannot accept for their store. Further, the CommunityAid Foundation has helped DIG financially during a critical time of growth for our young, budding organization.
We are so grateful to be able to work with, learn from, and be inspired by the CommunityAid team. Together, we're Neighbors Helping Neighbors!
-Emily Gorski, Founder of DIG Furniture Bank
8/24/23
Jewish Family Service is…
a small faith-based social service organization that incorporates the Jewish value of “tikkun olam,” repairing the world, into everything we do.
One way we help our neighbors in need is by fighting food insecurity. We have two monthly food pantries, serving 500 households each month. Our pantries serve all individuals and families who meet federal poverty guidelines.
Another example of tikkun olam is providing emergency rent and utility assistance for Jewish community members in crisis.
A few months ago, a single mother contacted JFS. Her rental house was badly damaged in a fire and she lost all her possessions. She and her young son were staying in a shelter, but they needed to quickly find somewhere to move permanently. The mother was in tears because she had nowhere to turn for assistance with a security deposit and rent. Her family could not help and her credit was bad. Thanks to our partnership with CommunityAid, JFS was able to provide her with the security deposit and also give her an interest free loan for the first month’s rent. We solicited donations from the Jewish community for furniture and household goods. These donations were enhanced by the Care Cards from CommunityAid, allowing our client to shop for clothing for herself and her son. CommunityAid’s support was invaluable to this young mother and her son and very appreciated!
11/21/23
