The Ministries News
Recent Events
At the end of 2006 The Ministries endured a financial crisis caused by declining donations, difficulties in fund-raising, and the loss of a government-funded program for the homeless in our community. In response to a December 22 Newsday article describing our plight, many generous people came to our rescue. Unfortunately, we have been forced to curtail our operations to make ends meet. We have given up half of the physical space in our Coram facility and severely cut back of our Community Information and Referral and Case Advocacy programs. At the time of this writing, the Board of Governors is making a concerted effort to increase both donations and fund-raising, and these efforts appear to be off to a good start. We are hopeful that by the end of 2007 we will be able to fully restore our services.
One Person's Story
Periodically we will tell one client’s story on this web site in an attempt to show the human face of The Ministries. Since privacy issues are involved, real names are not used. Here is Emily’s story.
Emily is 69 years old and on Social Security. In some ways she is the typical grandmother. In other ways, Emily is not so typical. She is raising 11 of her grandchildren. This means early morning wake-up calls, parent/teacher meetings, school lunches, enormous amouts of cooking, cleaning, and laundry, and a very busy homework time. To complicate life even more, Emily is an amputee confined to a wheelchair due to diabetes, and she goes to the dialysis clinic for treatment three times weekly while the children attend school.
Without The Ministries, Emily would receive little or no help and no emotional support. With our help, she continues raising the children. She keeps them out of the foster care system. With our help, she keeps the family together. The children are polite and loving and remain good students. They love to read books and play games together. Emily is a loving and nurturing grandmother who always puts the needs of the children first.
Over the years we have helped Emily and the children with assistance from our Emergency Food Pantry, summer camp scholarships, holiday gifts, books for the children, help with utility bills, and consistent support and care. She is greeted with a hug and a smile (and so are we).
Emily's family is one out of tens of thousands of local families who we are honored to help each year. Our neighbors. Our friends.
Food Pantry Donations Request
The Ministries needs you! If you can volunteer your services once weekly on Monday through Thursday from 1 to 4:30, please call Vinny at 736-4800.
Please help us keep our Food Pantry stocked by making a donation by cash or by check or by donating any of the following items to our pantry:
Canned tuna, fruits, vegetables and hams
Baby food, formula and diapers
Peanut butter
Cereal
Pasta and rice
Juices
Supermarket gift cards
Did you know that you can now make a donation to the Ministries online? Click on the Donate button in the column at the left of this page and donate securely with your credit card.
Honoring Your Loved Ones...Only a Phone Call Away
We will be delighted to honor your loved one for a special occasion (birthday, wedding, anniversary, birth of child, graduation, or any other milestone or special event). For a donation of $20, your special event will be recorded in our Book of Life, and an announcement will be sent to the recipient.
Our Book of Memory provides an opportunity for you to honor a life that has ended. For your donation of $20, the deceased will be enrolled in our Book of Memory as a lasting tribute, and a beautiful certificate will be mailed to either you or the family of the deceased. Call us today for more information.