By Beth Rhodes, Executive Director of Shoreline Community Services
Even though we’ve just begun, there are many exciting things happening for Shoreline Community Services…
Through a wonderful new member of PB UMC, Shoreline has been able to develop a partnership with St. James Episcopal Church‘s Health Services Committee. This committee manages a fund dedicated to helping those who cannot afford the medical care they need. This committee has approved funding to assist with surgeries, outpatient procedures, and special eye-wear and wheelchair replacement for children with disabilities. We are excited to partner with the clinic to help more of our guests get needed healthcare.
Our clinic leaders voiced a need for a Spanish speaking volunteer to help with our guests. Reaching out to a former colleague, we now have an excellent Spanish speaking volunteer to assist starting after the first of the year. She currently works as a rapid rehousing case manager for Father Joe’s Villages and brings a vast knowledge of helpful services. If you know of someone who fluently speaks Spanish who could assist one week out of the month we would love to hear from them so this doesn’t become a burden to any one volunteer.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015, Feeding America worked in partnership with Health and Human Services providing the opportunity for our guests to sign up for Cal-Fresh (more commonly known as food stamps). This was the pilot of a new program of this partnership to go out into the community in an effort to reach more of those in need. With a goal of helping 8 guests complete their process for receiving Cal-Fresh, they were able to meet that goal and assist 4 more complete expedited applications. The professionals from Feeding America and HHSA, who used the lanai for the evening, admired the facility, stating it is beautiful and com- fortable. They also shared that this was a very successful beginning and they look forward to returning in March.
I feel so blessed to be a part of this exciting venture. God has blessed this new beginning with opportunities we had never imagined. We pray for the discernment necessary to stay focused on our mission and uplift those in need with opportunities for greater self-sufficiency with dignity. Thank you all for your prayers, words of love and encouragement and generous support. This endeavor would not be possible without you.
