Our Community Needs Us !
Sisters and Brothers,
As you know, our church family is
moving forward with hosting the Carlisle Area Resources for Emergency Shelter
(C.A.R.E.S.). While our St. Paul CARES coordinators – Sheila and Mark Thesen, and Pat Shearer – begin to organize volunteers and
plan logistics for opening our doors to those less fortunate for the month of
May 2007, I wanted to clarify the program’s need for volunteers year-round,
beginning now. Currently the CARES program is looking for volunteers from the
community and local churches to participate and support the effort during the
other eleven months at our neighboring host churches (e.g. Evangelical Free,
First Lutheran,
Grace United Methodist, etc.). The
need is there now and the opportunities are available to better understand the
incredible value this non-profit program provides. We welcome your help.
Below you’ll find an excerpt from a
CARES brochure that explains the various roles needed at hosting churches (not
just our own). Please give prayerful consideration to participating; you may
reach the Thesen’s at 249-9690. [To
Mark and Sheila; Pat Shearer – A special “Thank you!”]
Darren Reighard
President, Congregational Council
Combined Area
Resources for Emergency Shelter
“To provide
shelter when no other shelter can be found”
In response to the number of person
turned away from local shelters already full to capacity, Carlisle CARES is a
church based shelter of last resort for homeless persons in our
community.
Shelter opens at
9:00 pm – 7 am
Intake by
professional social workers
Training,
Guidelines, rules and procedures are provided for volunteers
Hospitality and
oversight by community volunteers
Supplies will be
provided by
How
can you help
Overnight volunteer- To
stay overnight with our guests
Overnight volunteers will work in groups of three from
8:30 pm – 7:00 am, and will be responsible for welcoming guests,
distributing mats and supplies, supporting guidelines, and coordinating morning
clean up. Lights out for guests in 11 pm, and volunteers are encouraged to
sleep as well.
Contact Volunteer- Schedule
volunteers to stay in the shelter from your organization/church one week at a
time.
(7 nights x 3 volunteers = 21 total) Contact volunteer
will communicate with CARES coordinator all scheduling. How often your week
repeats will depend on number of churches/organizations participating.
Volunteer Social Worker- will
be responsible for the intake procedures of
Host Facility-Host
up to 12-15 supervised guests in their building for one month during the
winter. Sleeping areas and bathrooms are needed, guests remain in designated
area. Provide host volunteers to open the each night. To orient
volunteers and help with setup.
Hospitality group- Setup
hot beverages and light snacks for guests each night.
Cleaning Crew- Help
keep our facilities clean each day, and wash blankets used by our guests.
Supplies Provided by CARES.
Donations needed:
Monetary, blankets, light snacks, flash lights, totes
(to store blankets) toiletry bags (travel size toothpaste, toothbrush, wash
cloth, soap, tissues, lotion, deodorant) office supplies, comfort care items:
lip balm, Tylenol, hot water bottle, cough drops
Transportation Coordinator:
Volunteers to drive homeless guests
from Grace United Methodist to host churches on outskirts of town, outside
Borough lines – and back to Grace UM in a.m.