Giving Thanks for Timely Press Coverage Locally

On Thanksgiving Day the Fluvanna Review printed a lengthy feature about Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) .  We are so very grateful to Correspondent Christina Dameo Guseman for this timely opportunity for further exposure in Fluvanna County, Virginia.   This public charity, located in a small community outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, functions 24/7 with a small core group of no-paid volunteers dependent on consistent supporters. The objective: To serve immediate unmet needs (lodging, food, co-pays, pediatric assistance, etc.) of  indigent patients and caregivers who must travel considerable distances for treatment at UVA Medical Center by making ourselves available to all Social Workers  when no other resource is available to them.   The Goal:  To never have to say NO when a Social Worker calls.    Your review of the article as time allows will offer a solid history of who, what, why and how this effort began in 2008. Please click here for further reading. Thank you ...   From All of Us at IHS

Holiday Helpers

Thanksgiving Week has arrived, and so did several Holiday Helpers. The IHS Food Program has received needed support for both the Full-day Meal Packet Program and the Thanksgiving Day meal at UVA Hospitality House(HH). Special Thanks    to Kristen Rabourdin, Marketing Team Leader at Whole Foods Market in Charlottesville for the Holiday Gift Card of $250 for purchase of turkeys for this special dinner.   to Desire Dawson, Hot Cakes Restaurant Manager, for pastries for the holiday week for Hospitality House.    to Elisheva Clegg, who is cooking the turkeys and making German Potato Salad for 30+ guests at UVA Hospitality House for the Thanksgiving dinner. The Next Holiday meal is Christmas Day at UVA Hospitality House Many of you who live in the Charlottesville area and surrounding counties are certainly invited to participate in making that meal a success.  You may call Mary Jackson, Supervisor at UVA Hospitality House at (434) 924-5722, beginning December 2nd.  Ask what is needed, and then pledge to show up with your items the day before. This allows Mary to fill in the blanks for providing a complete meal. Hospitality House is located at 205 - 14th Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903. Deliveries are made at the rear of the building by just driving around the block. The other alternative is to provide funds to IHS for the IHS Food Program Your donation made out to IHS can be designated for the Food Program which allows us to purchase items needed to fulfill the holiday meals, and continue our twice monthly delivery of food to stock Hospitality House for everyday food needs for the indigent population who are guests in the facility throughout the year.  Remember - all donations sent to IHS will receive a tax receipt letter for charitable donations when filing tax forms for 2013.  Just sharing.  The mailing address is:  IHS  P.O. Box 163  Palmyra, Virginia 22963.   A Note from Margaret Gorman, Meal Packet Coordinator The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist (TJMC UU) children in the first through sixth grade took time in their Religious Education classes to assemble 237 meal packets. The church's ministry theme this month is "Gratitude and Family (family of origin, family of choice, church family, human family, global community)." They were thrilled to learn that the church took up a social action collection in September for funds used to purchase meal packet supplies. After three (3) years of assembling the meal packets, these children and youth are very familiar and proud of their participation in this project. They now teach new children about the work of the IHS and cheer as the empty cardboard delivery boxes fill up with meal packets and cards that express their concern and good wishes for the people who will receive them. It is very rewarding to watch the children at work and hear parents report to the adult leaders that their kids could hardly wait to get to church that day. Making meal packets is a lot of fun and an excellent opportunity to consider gratitude for what we have as well as experience the reward of knowing you have helped someone. A Note from Dawn Cleveland,  IHS Volunteer On November 20, 2013, the Olivet Presbyterian Church Kids Connection youth group completed 41 meal packets for IHS, with some extra supplies left over.  There were 20 kids, from preschool to 5th grade, and each child made 2 cards and 2 packets.  They really had fun making the cards and assembling the bags, and they really understood how they were helping out needy families with their efforts.  This was their final Mission project for the fall, to close out the session on a note of Thanksgiving. Big thanks go to Betsy Dishman, Director of Music and Children's Ministries at Olivet Presbyterian in Charlottesville, VA, for making this project happen. Also, thanks to the families who contributed the food, and to the children who put their hearts into assembling the bags. FROM ALL OF US, TO ALL OF YOU -  THANKS FOR GIVING! Wade & Elisheva Clegg and Sam McLawhorn

October Helpers and Activities

Louisa, Virginia Cub Scout Pack 183 teamed up with Troop 183 for second delivery in 2013! A Note from Katrina Duff Louisa Scouts working like a hive of bees to complete meal packets "Our October 22nd assembly session produced 105 full-day meals. This  is the second gathering of troops this year  for making meal packets for underfunded caregivers who come to  the UVA Medical Center. The March session produced 82 meal packets for a grand total of 182 in 2013. Pack 183 is led by Cubmaster Brad Baber, Committee Chair Elizabeth Thomas, and  Katrina Duff is the Outings Chair for the Pack. We received a lot of help with set up from Alicia Fowler, leader for Bear Den 9, and Jen Baber, assistant den leader of Webelos 2 Den 3. We were assisted by Boy Scout Troop 183, led by Jim Harlow.  The boys that came from that troop are Ben Winslett, Tyler Snyder, Eric Clark, and Colin McCoy. They packed boxes with completed bags, helped the Cubs on their trip from each station, and graciously helped load my car afterwards! Each den within our pack was assigned a different food group to bring in, and everyone graciously volunteered their items, and usually items from other categories as well!  Den leaders supplied the Ziploc bags, Troop 183 supplied us with bowls and spoons, and Xen McCoy (mother of a Cub and Boy Scout) brought us the transport boxes.  The boys looped around our set up room, filling their bags and writing notes of support and encouragement.  Many were glad to make second and third loops around the room, until we ran out of supplies. We thank you for the opportunity to help our Scouts follow their oath, and "give good will!" The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Youth Group adds to October Supply! A Note from Sarah Rainey in mid-September C'ville 2nd Ward LDS Youth Group complete their service project "My Charlottesville Second Ward youth group  at our LDS church was interested in doing meal packets as a service project. The person who organized a project for my Key Club told me to get in touch with IHS. I'm the Laurel Class President for 16-18 year old girls, and it is our time to plan an activity. We collected donations for food items from members and stores in our area. The night that we put the packets together was originally advertized as an "etiquette dinner," where the youth would enjoy a nice dinner. We surprised the participants with this service activity so they would get a small taste of what it means to be hungry. When they arrived at church there was no dinner for them, but they were presented with some facts about hunger in our area and told specifically about the activity. Rather than moan and complain (they were surprised) they jumped up and eagerly got to work. We had one boy racing through the line to complete as many packets as he could in our given time.  It was an opportunity to do something meaningful and think about others." A special thanks to Sarah and the youth group for their delivery of 75 full-day meal packets. IHS  attended two Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) Fairs in October The first CVC Fair in many years in Albemarle County was hosted on the Campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) on October 14th. The outdoor activity was provided excellent weather for staff and students to mingle and learn of charitable activities by about twenty (20) CVC listed  charities. On October 15th we attended a very intimate CVC Fair in the Office of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in Glen Allen, Virginia. Regretfully, due to sickness, we had to cancel an October 24th visit to the CVC Fair at the Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents (CCCA) in Staunton, Virginia. The Center is the only state facility for acutely mentally/behaviorally ill children and Adolescents. The new CCCA Director of Community Services is Noel Dianas-Hughes, formerly Manager of Social Work at UVA Medical Center. CVC Fairs are an excellent opportunity for Virginia state employees to learn of those charities who are registered with the CVC Program, and where hosted, employees are encouraged to attend and meet those who seek to make a difference in the lives of so many in the Commonwealth. T. Wade Clegg III, Elisheva Clegg & Sam McLawhorn