2625 West Ninth Street, SPRING 2012 Bernardine Center Staff Chester, PA 19013 P: 610.497.3225 Sister Carolyn Muus F: 610.497.3659 Hunger Facts Coordinator of Westside Brunch [email protected] Sister plans the menus, www.bernardinecenter.org • More than one in seven Americans – prepares and oversees the including more than one in five children – serving of healthy brunch A NEWSLETTER OF THE BERNARDINE CENTER meals three times each THE live below the poverty line week for hungry folks in ($22,113 for a family of four). the neighborhood. Sister Sister Maria Denise Prorock also works alongside Food Pantry Assistant • The number of people at risk of hunger volunteers who offer Organizes and distributes Center in the United States increased from 36.2 to prepare and serve supplies and donated clothing Bernardine million in 2007 to 48.8 million in 2010. occasional brunch meals. to families and individuals who seek assistance from our center. Sister develops the diverse • Food banks in the United States saw a Mary Lou Laboy monthly thank you letters that 46 percent increase in clients seeking Food Pantry Coordinator receive so many compliments emergency food assistance between 2006 Orders food, organizes from our donors. and 2010. food shelves and plans Bernardine Center is grateful to Danny Califf (Philadelphia Union Defender) and his for the distribution ETHEL SARGEANT CLARK SMITH wife Erin with their children took the opportunity to learn of emergency and • One in seven Americans currently receive supplemental food; Sister Sandra Lyons MEMORIAL FUND SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance about hunger and served Westside Brunch during the Christmas holidays. creates the weekly menus; Director for a $6,000 grant to service its Food Programs Program) (formerly food stamps). is part-time bookkeeper Oversees all programs of Bernardine and prepares the thank Center, organizes advocacy educational • Nearly half of SNAP participants are children. you letters for mailing. programs, community garden, and overall "Souper" Bowl of Caring Another 8 percent are age 60 or older. building maintenance; creates annual budget and BC newsletters. I’VE NEVER BEEN AN AVID • 85 percent of SNAP households have SPORTS FAN, BUT THIS incomes at or below the poverty line. SUPERBOWL SEASON TOPPED THE CHARTS FOR ME! No, I • Refundable Tax credits, such as Earned did not sprawl in front of the TV Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax to hoot and howl over every good Credit (CTC), boost household earnings, Bernardine Center or not-so-good play. Rather, I Ryan Scanlon, Kim Laboy and Sr. Carolyn 2625 West Ninth Street, help unload the "Souper" Bowl food donations provide a critical buffer for emergencies, Stamp delighted in the 6,000-plus pounds from vans. Mission and lift millions of Americans out of poverty Chester, PA 19013 of food that St. Francis of Assisi every year. www.bernardinecenter.org Parish in Springfield, PA collected Statement during its “Souper Bowl of Caring” • These tax credits encourage work. Parents Fred, Terry, and Judy prepared and served Westside Brunch, food collection event, leading up The Bernardine Center provides with two children who work 10 hours a enjoying the opportunity to get together and provide service. week at a minimum-wage job receive less to the big day of football. Can you a helping hand to low-income than $100 from the Child Tax Credit. If they even imagine what 6,000+ pounds Chester area residents by of food looks like in one place? work full time, they receive about $1,800. Tom Wimer and the Panczner Family still distributing emergency or Bernardine Center staff and St. smile in the midst of transferring and weighing the “Souper” Bowl food donations. supplemental food and supplies. • In 2010, the EITC lifted 5.4 million people Francis of Assisi parishioners spent out of poverty, including 3 million children. several hours on Saturday loading Bread for the World Fact Sheet 2012 into vans and then unloading from The Bernardine Center also offers www.bread.org vans into every nook and cranny of educational, spiritual and advocacy Bernardine Center this magnificent programs to help clients build amount of non-perishable food, better lives for themselves, their destined to provide emergency and Advocacy Do we even have space for one more families and communities. supplemental meals for struggling box of food? Check out www.bread.org families who seek food assistance Tom counts All the ministries of the Bernardine www.youtube.com/breadfortheworld from our food pantry. We are so the boxes to grateful for the dedicated and make sure Center are rooted in Franciscan Write to your Congressperson in Washington, DC that all have concerned families at St. Francis of been delivered. hospitality and the social teachings urging her/him to create a circle of protection around (Front) Cass, Carolyn and Kate (Back) Nancy, Ted, and Charlotte from St. Mary Magdalene Community; members Assisi Parish! of our Catholic Christian tradition. critical tax credits for low-income working families. prepare and serve a delicious meal to the Bernardine Center brunch clients monthly. Bernardine Center staff initiated the Marylou phones each individual prior to the “Let us thank God for Homebound Food Program in 2002 after monthly food delivery date and reviews the “I was hungry and you fed me….I tell you whenever you did this for one of realizing that some in-need clients could no menu of available food so each person has Bernardine Center is grateful to God’s priceless gift.” these my brothers and sisters, you did it for me.” Mt. 25:35, 40 Connelly Foundation 2 Corinthians 9:15 longer get to the Center for food distribution a choice. Sr. Maria Denise prepares the are that gift! days because of compromised health and food boxes based on the chosen food items. In gratitude for your IN-KIND donations May 1, 2011 to February 28, 2012 for a $15,000 grant to be used over two years YOU mobility problems. Presently, 20 persons Marylou and volunteers travel together to to support its Food Programs Thank you for your cash donations receive Homebound Food services. deliver the needed food, as well as to offer May 1, 2011 to February 28, 2012 Acme Carol Faulkner Barbara Markowska Ruth Slowik & Sons camaraderie. Archdiocese of Philadelphia Frank & Mary Fee Dr. Timothy A. Martin & Rita Marie Smedile Gil & Joan Bardsley Belinda Ferley Associates Crystal Smith Richard Ailes Bob & Mary Fitz Jean McGarrey Sister Marinetta Harenza Cindy Barrar Thomas J. Feyas Martindale's Natural Market Soccer Hall of Fame George & RoseMary Alexander John & Mary Flynn Margaret McIntyre Sister Michele Grodzinski Mark Battaglia Dave & MaryAnn Fiebert Amelia Martinelli Sons of Ben Richard & Fran Alloway Gene & Nancy Foehl Chuck & Natalina McLaughlin Sister Patricia Lynn Farrell Mr. & Mrs. Blake Robert Futty James McCabe St. Anastasia Church Vincent P. & Veronica Anderson Fresh Baked Theatre Co. MaryEllen McTeague Sister Ruth Ann Rogozinski Shirley Blidan Mary Kate Gallagher Charles & Natalina McLaughlin St. Eugene's School Phillip & Eileen Askey Catherine Galvin Gene Miller Sister Shaun Patrice Malone John Bonella Kay Galvin Joan McLaughlin St. Francis of Assisi Parish Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Lucy Giancristoforo Bob Mitchell Sister Therese Immaculate Boscov's Granite Run Giants (West Chester) Anne McMenamin St. Francis de Sales Club Suzanne Betsch Independence Foundation Wilhelm F. & Terry Moller Sister Veronice Plewinski H Jane Brennan Nancy Gray Media Post Office St. Francis de Sales Parish James & Diana Billinger Tom Gallagher Britney Morgan Sisters of St. Francis Joe Brinker & Helpers Madeline Gudelunas Karen Mills St. Hedwig Church Fred Bilotta Girl Scout Brownie Troop #588 Angela Mulranen of Philadelphia O Judy Brown Bob & Maura Gustafson James Montgomery St. James Alumni Christine Blidan Dolores J. Gockel Richard T. Murray & Mary Tom & Terri Smedile Patrick Brown John Harrison Elizabeth Moore St. John Chrysostom CCD Edward Bonnes Robert Godbey O'Gorman John J. & Loretta Smith M Mrs. Burrier Eric Hartline Mt. Carmel Baptist Church St. John Chrysostom Boy Scout Vince & Joan Boyle Judy Gould Robert & Rosemarie Naef Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Charles Butera Keith Harvin National Congress of Black Troop # 605 Eugene F. & Christine Bradley Stuart Green Newcomers and Neighbors SJC Conference E Paul Cacciatore Richard Havyer Women St. John Chrysostom School Linn Bramble Elaine Greene-Upton Josephine Novak St. Corneluis KOC C. Carfitella Hillcrest Elementary School Carolyn Nelson St. John Chrysostom Parish Mr. & Mrs. Richard Brinkmann James & Karen Grugan Joe O'Leary Council#12391 Caring & Sharing Allan & Marilyn Holmstrom Newcomers & Neighbors St. Joseph School Jane Brennan Madeline Gudelunas William J. & Maureen Olphert St. Dorothy Parish B William & Sharon Chalker, Jr. Timothy Hoppe & Cub Scout NGA / Ruth Mitchell St. Kevin Parish Grace Bowman Edward & Marianne Gunther Dennis & Cheryl Orlewicz St. Francis of Assisi Academy Chester Post Office Pack 145 NGA / Rudy Tellmann St. Madeline Parish James R. & Margaret Bruno Robert & Maura Gustafson Sarah A. Owsiany St. John Chrysostom Youth Jim Judge (volunteer) and Ron Lee (Goodwill O Neshay (BC student intern) and Joseph James & Ann Clancey Betty Howanski Peter O'Konski St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Richard & Judith Burns Nancy Hardesty Polish American Club Group Trainee) prepare to deliver food to a homebound client. “It’s perfect. Thank you for your service and God bless.” Jon Cohen James & Charlotte Hyer Our Lady of Angels Convent Parish Paul Cacciatore Leon & Patricia Harenza David & Amy Pollack St. John Vianney Convent U Collingdale Church of the IMA Consulting Our Lady of Charity Parish St. Mark United Methodist Ola Cannon Brian & Barbara Harris Norbert J. & Carmella Poloncarz St. Joseph's Guild Nazarene Immaculate Conception of Sam Petrovitch Church Peter & Leondina Caracci Walter Heindl Sandra M. Powell St. Joseph Villa N Comcast Cable Lourdes PharmPro Inc. St. Mary Magdalene Barbara Caramanico Ron & Cheryl Hodgins Pat Pringle St. Madeline-St.