LOAVES AND FISHES MINISTRIES, INC.

Newsletter

Spring 2006

I.  Opening Doors Works!

Our newest component of the Opening Doors program, the “Jobs Link” offering, generates a tremendous number of new clients, as well as returning clients who want to update their resumes and/or obtain new job postings.   We are currently making an average of 7 appointments each week, and clients keep these appointments at a 70% rate.  “Job Link” provides direct interaction with clients in the soup kitchen every Wednesday, providing current job postings pulled from the DOL web site weekly.  Participants must first register for Opening Doors, and then are able to get appropriate job listings, make appointments for resume work and on-line job searches, as well as to apply to on-line postings.  In the first months this offering was available, we saw almost 20 individuals in the office; over the last three months, we saw 31 clients for on-line job searches and resume work.         

We began the Opening Doors program in fall of 2003, and are now successfully completing our third year of the program.  During the three quarters of the 2005 Federal grant period just completed, Loaves & Fishes worked with 118 individuals, who all received skills assessment.   Employment readiness training was provided to 47 individuals; 10 clients progressed through our ESL class, and 87 individuals received job search services.  Of these, 14 have been placed in jobs.   We feel very positive as we assess this program after ¾ of this grant year—the program has been beneficial to our clients who are motivated to look for work.

We’d like to share one particular story with you, indicative of several program participants.  Sadie Walker first came to Loaves & Fishes to eat in our soup kitchen, and soon learned of other opportunities here.  We helped provide her grandchild with toys at Christmas, and our nurse made an important discovery of Sadie’s high blood pressure and connected her to a doctor at Charter Oak Rice Heights who has helped treat the problem.  Sadie then became an avid member of our Sewing Program (working on a beautiful quilt), where she excelled.  We recommended that Sadie take advantage of our Opening Doors program, since she had obvious drive and personal skills but lacked employment training.  Her primary goal was to address her lack of computer skills, which she felt necessary to obtain the kind of job she wanted.  Sadie spent several months in our weekly computer class, mastering internet use, Microsoft Word, and keyboarding.  Once she was competent on her own, we helped her to create a resume, and Sadie found work very quickly at one of the Hartford CRT offices.  Sadie worked four-hour days scanning documents for CRT, “applying the computer skills that I gained from the program.”  Sadie continues “education and learning never goes to waste, it never goes away.  This was something I could use immediately.”

Sadie is very proud of her four months in the Finance Department at CRT (her work ended when her project was completed) where they gave her a farewell party, and offered to provide her with a recommendation.  Sadie buried her father in 1996, but was never able to afford a marker for his grave.  Walking past a cemetery on her way to work at CRT each day “made me very sad, to know his grave had nothing there.”  With the money she earned at her job, Sadie and her son bought a headstone that now stands proudly on her father’s grave.  Sadie is currently seeking further employment, hopefully using computers again so that she can build on her experience thus far.  We are proud to have helped Sadie help herself gain a foothold in the world of work.

2.      Sewing Program Facing Changes

In 1995, Loaves & Fishes Ministries began what has proved to be a highly successful Sewing Program, designed to provide job training skills and to increase the self-esteem of the participants.   A class of selected women learn to make and tailor their own clothing, with an eye towards job possibilities with area dry cleaners, factories, and self-employment (something several program graduates have pursued).  Some class participants train for six months; some have trained with us for eighteen months.  Program graduates know how to read, cut, and create sewing patterns, use a sewing machine with great facility, use a dress form, finish seams, measure material, and have learned other tailoring skills as well.  These female clients need education, support, and skills to begin to deal with problems specific to their gender and economic level.  This has been particularly vital as changes in Connecticut welfare laws have made it imperative for single mothers to have employable skills in order to provide for themselves and their children.  In late 1996, our Sewing Program was designated by Connecticut Business and Industry (at that time in charge of the State’s welfare reform changes) as an official “Welfare to Work” pilot program, which allows the women enrolled to complete state-mandated requirements through our program.

The women involved in this program have become tremendously excited about their new sewing skills, as they are aware that they have gained an employable skill.  The women have also created a wonderful sense of community and greater self-confidence amongst themselves.  They learn how to support each other as women through the difficulties they share as a result of poverty, absent or abusive partners, problems with literacy, and changes in state and federal support services.  The friendships these women develop grow outside of and beyond Loaves & Fishes Ministries, as they become aware of what is available to them through each other.  The Sewing Program has come to exemplify the development of self-motivated, independent individuals learning to help themselves.  This, in term, bolsters community development and the strengthening of families.

    We are sad to note that this excellent program will be losing its teacher, Margrete Olsen, due to her husband’s work transfer to Danbury.  Margrete has professional expertise as a seamstress and as a teacher, and has established a wonderful rapport with our clients over the years.  Every Tuesday and Thursday—come traffic, heavy snow, or car troubles—Margrete was here and ready to go, eager to encourage her students and keep them learning.  It has been a situation of mutual growth; in Margrete’s words “Teaching sewing at L & F has been a dream job…These past ten years have given me the opportunity of a lifetime.   Not only have I helped my students learn a very usable skill I have met some outstanding women.  Thank you.”  The President of our Board of Directors noted Margrete’s “dedicated service” and expressed “deepest thanks and gratitude for your many years of teaching such a valuable skill to so many people who may now be supporting themselves and their families because of what they have learned from you.”

    We celebrated Margrete’s tenure here on April 27^th with a party designed entirely by her students.  One student, Iris, made a delicious cake and fruit punch (both family recipes), and other students brought presents and cards to thank Margrete for her work on their behalf, and her friendship.   For now, the Sewing Program will be on hiatus until Fall, 2006.  During this time we plan to seek a new teacher, one who can be as sensitive to our clients and their needs as Margrete came to be.  We will most definitely continue this offering!

3.      Executive Director’s Report

A recent Hartford Courant article (2/23/06) provided some alarming statistics about the numbers of individuals and families in need of food in our nation.   According to the recent report done by America’s Second Harvest, more than 25 million Americans sought meals from food banks, soup kitchens and shelters last year.  This is an increase of 9% over numbers collected in 2001.  Included in these numbers are 9 million children and almost 3 million senior citizens who do not have enough food on a daily basis.

These numbers do not come as a surprise to us.  Our numbers in the soup kitchen continue to inch up—while some of the increase is due to new clients seeking out our Job Links program (described in more detail above), most is a result of growing need.  We have seen many new faces in the soup kitchen this winter and spring.  All are welcome, but we continue to work towards finding ways to decrease hunger in Hartford.  Our clients reflect the national picture shown in America’s Second Harvest study, which found that “the face of hunger doesn’t have a particular color, and it doesn’t come from a particular neighborhood…They are your neighbors, they are working Americans, they are senior citizens who have worked their entire lives, and they are children” (Ertharin Cousin, Executive V.P., America’s Second Harvest). 

We continue to value all you do for us in our soup kitchen, as financial supporters and as volunteers at many levels.  To this end, we are planning a volunteer appreciation event to recognize those long-term volunteers (some more than 15 years!) who continue to put their time and talents where their mouths are – they don’t just talk, they act, to the benefit of our clients.  We hope to spotlight all who regularly help prepare, deliver, and serve our noon meal here at Loaves & Fishes, with special emphasis on those who have been with us the longest and gone the extra mile.  Stay tuned for more information as we develop details about this celebration, and thank you to all of you who help us feed our neighbors, of all colors and ages.

 4.    In Recognition of Special Volunteer Efforts

·           Thanks to Renbrook School’s youngest students in the junior kindergarten and kindergarten classes, who made and delivered 815 sandwiches to Loaves & Fishes Ministries in April!  Parents of the students generously donated cheese, deli meats and bread for this community service project.   In addition, the students donated some snacks and cheese not used in the sandwiches.  The Beginning School Teachers have warned the parents that “their students are now sandwich experts” and our clients agree!  This has set a new record for soup kitchen deliveries, and our clients have been thrilled to receive these delicious sandwiches for meals in the evenings and on weekends.   We have also been told that in the first week of May, Renbrook 9^th graders will be making and delivering 300 sandwiches – clearly the kindergartners have set an excellent example!

·            We could not have accepted the above donation of such a huge number of perishables without another wonderful surprise.  In April, a homeowner who was moving out of state notified us that his family had a beautiful double-door stainless steel refrigerator/freezer that they would like to donate to Loaves & Fishes.  We were thrilled, but the complication of delivery put this donation in jeopardy.   Hartford Despatch (and owner Anson Mooney) to the rescue!  Several years ago when we moved to our new location Hartford Despatch moved us for free, so of course we contacted them immediately to see about hiring them to deliver this refrigerator.   Happily, Hartford Despatch was the company involved in moving the family, and Anson generously offered to send another truck to the location, load the refrigerator and bring it here—at no charge!  Space for food storage is always an issue, and this refrigerator/freezer has made an incredible difference to our program already.  We are grateful for the spirit of caring that those involved showed to L & F and our clients.

5.      The Walk Against Hunger

        The 23^rd annual Walk Against Hunger was held on Sunday, May 7^th, 2006.  Loaves & Fishes has participated and has had teams sponsoring us for a number of years, and this year was no different.  We have been able to rely on the funds raised through the Walk and this year we set a goal of raising $25,000!  Loaves & Fishes benefited immensely by an increased number of teams, walkers and contributions raised through the Walk Against Hunger.  Thank you so much to all who created a team, helped get the word out, walked for us, or supported another walker.  We couldn’t do it without you!

If you have any questions, please call us at (860) 524-1730 or email us at: contact us

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