Showing posts with label Non-profits Human Services Programs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non-profits Human Services Programs. Show all posts

Monday, November 3, 2014

Human Services Program in Carroll County MD announces end to annual holiday progam

Human Services Program in Carroll County MD announces end to annual holiday progam

Neighbors In Need Year Round


In 2012, HSP transitioned our traditional holiday giving program into an expanded format titled Neighbors in Need Year Round (NINYR). NINYR has mobilized the generosity of our community to meet the critical needs our low-income and at-risk neighbors face every day, in every season...housing, essential utilities, help working toward financial stability, and self-sufficiency.

Holiday Program of Neighbors in Need Year Round

Press Release
HSP ANNOUNCES END TO HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Neighbors in Need Year Round will Continue; Holiday Program Ends Following this Season
Westminster, MD - As Carroll County's Community Action Agency, Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc. (HSP) is committed to improving the quality of life quality of at-risk and low-income Carroll County residents, by assisting with basic needs, advocacy and linkages to resources to enhance life skills. 
As part of its outreach, in prior years, HSP's Neighbors in Need program matched families with adopters and provided a holiday shop filled with gifts and household goods for families not adopted by volunteers. 
In 2012, HSP expanded the program to create "Neighbors in Need Year Round", to deliver vital resources and services not only during the holidays but throughout the entire year. 
Following a critical analysis and evaluation of available resources, HSP has determined that Neighbors In Need Year Round will continue, but the holiday component will end after this season.
"This was a very difficult but necessary decision for our agency and our Board," explained Cindy Parr, HSP Executive Director. "The Holiday Program has served thousands of families for many years, but the continuous needs of our low-income and at-risk families, all year long, must be the priority for our agency."
This year, for the last time, HSP will provide the holiday component of Neighbors in Need Year Round in a modified version. HSP will again seek benefactors to adopt families for the holidays, which is an essential component of success for the program. Families not adopted, and who formerly visited the Holiday Shop, will instead pick up a package of gifts at a distribution center. Inventory stored from prior years will be assigned and distributed to families who are not adopted. Families will receive a letter with information stating the date, time and location for their gift bag pick-up.
"Our modified version will still provide our clients with gifts and goods," said Parr. "Volunteers are still greatly needed to assist us in this modified effort." Volunteer opportunities will be listed as a link on the HSP website.
Donations received from the Carroll County Times-sponsored "Holiday Hope" program will continue to be used for HSP's Neighbors In Need Year Round initiative. Members of the community who have previously collected gifts for the Holiday Shop should plan to provide these gifts to other organizations, or volunteer through HSP to adopt one or more families.
"Our mission is to provide a "hand up" for those who are struggling to maintain or achieve self- sufficiency," said Parr. "We believe that our limited resources, both financial and man-power, will be better used by focusing on our year-round assistance to more than 12,000 at risk residents."
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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

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Thursday, August 8, 2013

FW: HSP: Community Action Connection - August 2013



HSP Logo - rev 6/13  
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Dear Kevin,

Welcome to your Community Action Connection!  What an incredible summer so far!  The Month of Sundays Concert Series was a wonderful success...even if Mother Nature was a challenge for the first and last weeks.  Check out all of information below and celebrate all of our summer fun with us.  

UPCOMING EVENTS
"Share a Haircut" - Entire month of August
Take your child to a Hair Cuttery in August for a hair cut, and they will give a haircut to a child in need in Carroll County this Fall.  Click here for the information flier.

"Recycling Computers for Charity" - August 15 thru Sept. 20
Sponsored by NoWorriesIT to benefit HSP's "Neighbors in Need, Year Round" 
Do you have old, unusable computers just taking up space?  Wondering what you can do with them? Click here for the flier.

HSP to Receive the "2013 William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award" for Carroll County - Thursday, August 8, 10am
Comptroller Peter Franchot created this award for individuals and organizations in each Maryland county, and Baltimore City, who best exemplify William Donald Schaefer's lifelong commitment to helping people.  HSP was chosen as Carroll County's winner because of our demonstrated ability to accomplish one or more of the following:
  • improve the community
  • solve citizen problems through effective government intervention
  • aid the most vulnerable in society, and
  • create public/private partnerships to improve the lives of Marylanders.
Stay tuned for an email next week with a review of the award presentation and a link to photos.

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
"Month of Sundays" Summer Concert Series
Our 19th annual Month of Sundays was a great success in July, and raised over $12,000 for HSP.  Many thanks to all of the bands for their energy and enthusiasm.  We've received rave reviews for the two shows...that didn't get rained out!  The concert series could not have been a success without the support of our many partners, underwriters, sponsors, family and friends, including:

Partners

Underwriters
BGE
Lehigh Cement Company
Penguin Random House

Sponsors
Carroll Community College, Rager, Lehman & Houck, WTTR Radio
Carroll County Arts Council

Visit Facebook to see all of the photos

Living Waters Garden Center - Ladies Night Out to benefit HSP's Women and Children's Center
Many thanks to Living Waters for their generous $900 donation from the registration fee proceeds of their Ladies Night Out on July 25.  The center hosted a lovely evening of shopping for plants and pottery, which included wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres, massages, make-up, music, door prizes and more!  Thank you, also, to participant Galloping Goose Vineyard in Hampstead for supporting HSP thru this event.  Click to visit Living Waters and the Galloping Goose

HSP NEWS AND OPINIONS
Cindy Parr: Successes Mark Tax Assistance Program
Human Services Programs of Carroll County offers more than 20 programs that serve the County's low-income and at-risk population. About 9,500 individuals receive assistance through our agency to better their lives and make the necessary linkages that will move them out of poverty.  One program in particular that directly affects this goal is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA program. VITA is a program that is geared toward low-income and at-risk families who need tax assistance but cannot pay the fee normally charged for preparation. Continue reading . . . .

HSP's "Month of Sundays" concert series was featured in "The Advocate" of Westminster and Finksburg last month.  The article "Free Summer Concert Series Benefits Carroll's Most Needy" gave not only an appeal to attend the concerts, but also a concise overview of why HSP's signature fundraiser makes a difference in the community.  View the full article here.

HSP is an active member of the Circle of Caring Homelessness Board.  In July, the Circle of Caring was featured in a "Carroll County Times" article "Board to Prevent Homelessness Passes New Action Plan."  View the full article here.

An HSP volunteer was featured in a "Baltimore Sun" article "Westminster Resident's Story Time Connects with Kids at Shelters, Hospitals" in July. View the full article here.

As always, thank you for your support of HSP!
Cindy Parr
Executive Director
HSP
410.857.2999
Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc. (HSP) is the Community Action Agency
 for Carroll County, Maryland. Our mission is to improve the quality of life and self-sufficiency of
at-risk and low-income residents by providing assistance with basic needs, advocacy,
linkages to resources and opportunities to enhance life skills.
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United Way of Central MD Designation Number - 4685

Friday, December 9, 2011

Setting up shop in Westminster to help Neighbors in Need

Setting up shop in Westminster to help Neighbors in Need

Katie V. Jones – ExploreCarroll.com Setting up shop in Westminster to help Neighbors in Need

Annual holiday campaign collecting for area's less fortunate

By Katie V. Jones


Adults and teenagers enjoy presents, too, and that's why the Neighbor in Need's holiday shop tries to offer something for every member of the family, from young to old.

"Who wants to wake up on Christmas morning and not have something?' said Holly Hutchins, deputy director of the program. "That's the focus of the program, we serve the whole household."

Created in 1987 through the Human Services Program of Carroll County, Neighbors in Need has the goal of helping low income families and individuals during the holidays.