News from Community Resource Services

News from

Community Resource Services

July 2023

Welcome Mindy!

We are pleased to welcome Mindy Penn as she joins CRS as a Client Coordinator and Grant Writer. Mindy was a dedicated and invaluable volunteer for CRS and now, we extend a warm welcome to her as she officially joins our staff!

Mindy's impressive qualifications include a Master's in Social Service Administration and she is a Licensed Independent Social Worker. With her rich background in counseling and therapy, we are confident that Mindy's empathetic nature and ability to connect with others will have a profound impact on our clients' experiences.

Join us in congratulating and welcoming Mindy Penn to the CRS family. With Mindy on board, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.

On June 24^th the 10^th annual Hooks for Hunger event was held and once again, it was a tremendous success! Thanks to all the participants, sponsors, donors and volunteers who supported the event. Your generosity is amazing and it’s great to see everyone come together and have fun, all in support of CRS. This year’s event raised over $20,000 bringing the total raised since 2013 to almost $240,000!

We recently met with a client who is in school to get a license so she can work at a Med Spa. She is a single mother with three kids and has experienced many challenges during her time in school, but she is determined to finish so that she can give her kids a better life. She was $300 short on her tuition and came to us for assistance. We were able to help her with her final tuition payment so that she can finish strong with one less thing to worry about.

SUMMER SNACK BAGS

Our Summer Snack Bag Program continues to be very popular! Designed to provide kids with tasty treats while they are home for the summer, such as granola bars, juice boxes, fruit cups, and more! Special thanks to the parishioners from St. Joseph Parish, Avon Lake United Church of Christ, and Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church for donating hundreds of snack bags! Your kindness and compassion are greatly appreciated!

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

The CRS food pantry is completely out of toilet paper! If you are able, please consider making a donation. Other items that we currently need include pasta noodles, Velveeta Macaroni & Cheese, canned fruit, canned chili and canned stew. We accept donations during our regular business hours, Monday - Thursday, from 10am - 2pm. Just drive down the alley behind our office and ring the doorbell by the CRS sign. Thank you!

We are pleased to announce our Annual “Homeruns for Hunger” event on Thursday, August 10, 2023 at Mercy Health Stadium. Support CRS while watching the Lake Erie Crushers take on the Washington Wild Things! Game time is 7:05 pm. Tickets are $10 each and for every ticket we sell, the Crushers will donate a portion to CRS. By purchasing your tickets through CRS you are supporting our food pantry and other emergency assistance programs which directly assist Avon and Avon Lake residents. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Summer Fun Program

With school out for the summer, many kids lack access to recreational resources. Our Summer Fun Program aims to provide children from low-income families with a variety of outdoor toys and activities like side walk chalk, jump ropes, kites, Frisbees, bubbles, etc. that will not only entertain but also encourage physical activity, creativity, and social interaction. If you are interested in donating any of these items to the Summer Fun Program, we will be accepting donations during our regular business hours: Monday - Thursday, between 10:00am - 2:00pm.

Thank you for considering our request to brighten the summer for deserving children!

CRS has been blessed this month with many donations of non-perishable items for our food pantry and gift items to support our Mother's Day Program. Thank you to the following businesses and organizations:

Avenbury Ladies of the Lake, Avon Hospital Nursing Institute - Cleveland Clinic, Avon PTA, Avon Lake Giant Eagle, Barry Bagels, Christ Church Westshore, Holy Spirit Church, Holy Trinity Parish, Hooks for Hunger, Hunger Network Food Rescue, New Westsiders, Normandy Elementary School, North Coast Mustang & Ford Club of Ohio, St. Joseph Parish, and Susan's Sugar & Spice.

We are so grateful for all of the donations that help keep our food pantry well stocked. Thank you for making a difference, right here at home!

Community Resource Services is a responsive, community-based organization whose mission is to diminish the effect of poverty in Avon and Avon Lake. We provide basic needs assistance and individualized resource and referral services in a compassionate and confidential manner.

We believe in a community where every resident is free from poverty.