Faith at Work
Faith at Work Community Outreach
April 2011
Spring has sprung—we hope! The winds and chill of March have extended into April. Bright yellow daffodils and forsythia are emerging and the subtle hues of green are appearing. Fruit trees are in full bloom, at least until they are nipped by our late frosts. And we were truly blessed with gentle rains falling on our very thirsty soil. All contributes to our anticipation of the days, the season to come, including rites of Easter and Passover.
Thank you for your generous support of Faith at Work on March 15th at Zia Diner’s Zia Gives Back. A check arrived from the Zia the next week with thanks for the number of people who participated. Tuesday, April 12, is the Interfaith Community Shelter’s day at the Zia. Please lend your support to this group too.
We see minimal change in the Santa Fe area economy. While some people are obtaining new part-time jobs or increased hours, others are losing hours or jobs in other sectors of the economy. There is an ongoing juggling occurring to make ends meet among our clients. Adelante, the Santa Fe Public Schools program that works with homeless children and youth in the city, reported they have 1367 registered as of last week, the most they have ever recorded. We continue to assist with apartment set-ups, at minimum three to four apartments per month.
Unduplicated calls received by FAW during March numbered well over 300. Rent assistance calls numbered 136 and 100 for utilities assistance. Twenty-one calls were for furniture needs. And food requests are also increasing, especially at the end of the month. FAW is also represented every Wednesday morning at SF-ROC aka Pete’s Pets, where we coordinate set-up, clean up and the scheduling service providers for assistance to homeless people. Twenty to forty people have signed in for resources every Wednesday morning since January 5th of this year.
Regularly requested items to support client requests include: Food--peanut butter and jelly, 1 lb size, canned fruit, rice, small boxes of powdered milk, canned milk, canned peas and green beans, saltine crackers, snack bars, fruit juice—larger bottles and individual servings. Clothing--men’s denims, short sleeve shirts, windbreakers/light weight jackets, canvas shoes for women and men. Furniture—twin and double/queen size beds, dining tables and chairs, couches and chairs, end tables, dressers. House wares—toasters, crock pots, electric skillets, coffee makers, pots and pans, skillets, silverware, cooking utensils, microwave ovens, serving and cereal bowls.
We also appreciate your financial contributions in support of our case management work, client support and operating costs. Our focus on empowerment of clients through budget counseling and linkage of service provider support holds out the goal of stability, health and hope for clients. Thank you for your generosity in support of this largely “invisible” population of Santa Fe.
Blessings to each one of you and gratefulness for your support of Faith at Work and its clientele.
Angela Merkert, Executive Director Diana Grabowsky, Case Manager
angela@faithatworksf.org diana@faithatworksf.org
Office: 505.471.6323