Samaritan House News

2011-10-24T20:26:00.002-04:00

Sinclairville’s Samaritan House Struggles To Keep Up With Area Need

October 24, 2011

By Sharon Turano (sturano@post-journal.com) , The Post-Journal

SINCLAIRVILLE - With 17,000 families having incomes below the poverty level in Chautauqua County, volunteers at Sinclairville's Samaritan House have been kept busy.

"We've done nothing but grow in eight years," she said.

"People need more than we can give," said Maureen Schafer, director, adding she strives to help some make a choice to rise above the poverty level, as some coming have a "curse of living in generational poverty." She said they may have grown up living in poverty, meaning that is all they know and not having skills or knowledge to rise above their circumstances. She said that could lead to people becoming comfortable with living in poverty. With bills becoming higher due to the economy, she said, living that way has become more difficult for those on fixed incomes.

Ms. Schafer said others who have lost jobs or are single parents taking care of families have also been seen more.

"There's just not enough to make ends meet," she said.

The Samaritan House began eight years ago, taking whatever donations come in to offer to others. Although donations are suggested, the service provides whatever is needed to people.

"It's something I can't not do," she said, adding that opening the centers were "a call from the Lord."

"There have been more and more families that have needed our help," she said. Ms. Schafer said there are agencies in the northern portion and southern portions of the county that serve people, leaving a void in the center, with those residents unable to get to other places as they may not have vehicles.

Located in the center of the county, she said the agency serves families from both Dunkirk and Jamestown.

Samaritan House provides clothing and household goods at low-cost through donations and volunteers from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays in Sinclairville and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Friday in Dunkirk, where it also offers English and reading music classes.

Seeking its nonprofit status, it opened in 2004 in Sinclairville, with staff wanting to "be a helping hand" to those in need of household goods, furniture, appliances and clothing, reports the agency's website. On an average day, it reports that more than 300 clothing articles leave the building. Requests for appliances and furniture are "never-ending," the website states.

The agency accepts bagged clothing donations anytime in its parking-lot shed and takes household goods when it is open or by appointment.

Spring News 2011

2011-03-25T17:20:00.001-04:00

As we move into the newness of spring, and put behind us the long winter months, we are Thankful! God is Faithful! What He has begun He will provide for and see it through to fruition.

Things have not slowed down here at Samaritan House. We continue to receive donations beyond our understanding and serve families in greater numbers than we could have ever expected.

We are partnering with Dove International Ministries to help the people of Haiti. Dove has 4 churches in Haiti where we can send goods the people need there. We have sent a truckload of shoes already, and look forward to sending more out of the abundance of donations we receive here.

Our Board of Directors is working on our transition into our own non-profit status. Many hours of paperwork ahead of us! We look forward to the culmination of the vision of Samaritan House for the future ministry to come.

The Chili Cook-off at Gerry Free Church was a great success and great fun! There were 24 entries of Crockpots full of wonderful chili for taste testing. 2 First place winners from Gerry Free Church and 2 second place winners from Park Church took home some fun prizes and over $400 was donated to Samaritan House!
Thanks to Pastor Jeff & Dana Bellinger and Gerry Free Church for hosting our 3rd Chili Cook-off! This is a great way to help out Samaritan House!
We welcome any new fund raising opportunities for Samaritan House. If you have an idea please let us know!

When you think about spring cleaning this year, think about donating your useable extra things to families who could use some extra help with household goods.
We have more requests for help than ever before, and thanks to your donations we are able to help many families!

VISION
"I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." Acts 26:19
If we lose the vision, we alone are responsible, and the way we lose the vision is by spiritual leakage. If we do not run our belief about God into practical issues, it is all up with the vision God has given. The only way to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to give our utmost for God's highest, and this can only be done by continually and resolutely recalling the vision. The test is the sixty seconds of every minute, and the sixty minutes of every hour, not our times of prayer and devotional meetings.
"Though it tarry, wait for it." We cannot attain to a vision, we must live in the inspiration of it until it accomplishes itself. We get so practical that we forget the vision. At the beginning we saw it but did not wait for it; we rushed off into practical work, and when the vision was fulfilled, we did not see it. Waiting for the vision that tarries is the test of our loyalty to God. It is at the peril of our soul's welfare that we get caught up in practical work and miss the fulfillment of the vision.
Watch God's cyclones. The only way God sows His saints is by His whirlwind. Are you going to prove an empty pod? It will depend on whether or not you are actually living in the light of what you have seen. Let God fling you out, and do not go until He does. If you select your own spot, you will prove an empty pod. If God sows you, you will bring forth fruit.
It is essential to practice the walk of the feet in the light of the vision. ~Oswald Chambers March 11~
This devotion really fits our Vision for Samaritan House. We hope it blesses you in yours as well!
Blessings from the Samaritan House Team!

2010-12-29T13:20:00.003-05:00

Samaritan House News
Winter 2010-11

Our 7th year of operation and coming into our 8th year at Samaritan House has shown us just how important it is that we are here and blessed to be in this mission the Lord has called us to!
Helping families get through times of tough financial crisis is why we are here. There are so many right here in our county who need our help and your donations are what keeps this mission doing the work we are called to do!
People living under the Poverty Line in Chautauqua County is at 17.7% This means that 23,630 people in our County are below the Poverty Line!
Think about that! 23,630 People!! It is a great possibility that some of these folks are your neighbors!

We have had a great time with work teams coming to help out! November brought us a team from Mission Meadows comprised of kids from all over the country. What an amazing group of workers!!

We will be going out to Churches and Organizations to promote our mission of helping families at Samaritan House.
If your organization or church would like to host our presentation please contact our office at 716-962-2246, or email us at info@samaritanhouse.us or through our website www.samaritanhouse.us

We would like to THANK all our partners for their financial support commitments!
THANKS to:
Gerry Free Methodist, Kiantone Congregational, Kidder Memorial UMC, Park UMC, South Stockton Wayside Chapel, South Ripley UMC, The Beacon Church, and many individuals who partner with us also.
Without your help, financially, we would be hard pressed to keep the doors open to help all the families that need Samaritan House!

Samaritan House Needs:
FUNDS
VOLUNTEERS
MAINTENANCE

As we enter a new year, we look forward with hope and joy as the LORD supplies all our needs according to His riches in Glory!

Thanks for your continued prayer support!

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Blessings for the New Year
from your Samaritan House Team!
Maureen, Della&Larry, Joyce,
Christine, Vanessa&Scott, Bronwyn,
Aimee, Polly, Brett, Brian.

2010-08-11T13:40:00.001-04:00

Samaritan House
Summer 2010

Matthew 25:35-46 (Amplified Bible)
35For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me, 36I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.
37Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? 38And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You? 39And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?
40And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.
Are we being doers of this Word?
Donations are pouring into our Shed and our Sorting Rooms! We are so grateful for all the opportunities to help the “least of these, His Brethren”, who are OUR Brethren, with clothing. We have a constant need for appliances, beds, and dressers. So many families are having a hard time finding these items, and our stockroom is empty right now. There is also great need for these same items at our North County Branch. PLEASE! If you have unused furniture or appliances, remember the needs of our neighbors!
Building Maintenance is an ongoing process! We are housed in this beautiful historic building that is in need of constant care. Preserving some of the historical value of the building and upgrading certain energy issues is quite challenging! The main challenge being, funds to purchase materials for upkeep. We have a new opportunity for labor-free workers coming to help out with some energy issues from Chautauqua Opportunities. Our cost will be for materials such as windows, paint, drywall, light fixtures, etc. As we receive estimates for materials we will send out updates for opportunities for you to be a part of helping this mission to have a safe and energy updated building.

Missions Teams from Florida came to western NY in June to bless us with their skills of hands on ministry! You may have seen the article in the Post Journal about them and what they did while they were here. Samaritan House wasn’t mentioned in the article, but we had teams here from the 14th -17th of June doing work in the basement and around the building. The teams finished our sewing area in the basement which entailed tearing out a platform and scrubbing and painting walls, installing work areas and a counter unit. Staining the stairway and railings at our backside exit was finished. Their handiwork was much appreciated!
Shoes & Clothing to Nashville was packed into the truck & off we went to deliver them to Hickman County families who were flooded out last month. So many places can use our help and we are so glad we have an abundance to share! David and I enjoyed our family reunion in Nashville and then visited friends in other areas of Tennessee. The load we took down was received with Great Thanks!!! The woman that was running the giveaway warehouse had been flooded out herself and she was so grateful to receive our donations! As we meandered our way back home we met with folks in Liberty Kentucky who were also flooded out during that tragic storm. People that we never hear about from our media are in need of help!
Remember Samaritan House as you are cleaning out your households and having yard sales or just need to find a place to give unwanted useable items around the house!
Volunteers: If you have a heart to help, please stop by or call. Many hands are needed to do what we do here at Samaritan House. We reach out much farther than Chautauqua County with our donations that are pouring in!
God Bless You as we Serve our Community!

Shoes for Haiti

2010-01-26T23:05:00.002-05:00

January 2010

2010-01-19T11:07:00.004-05:00

I would like to clear up a misconception about our DONATION SHED in the back parking lot.
We DO bring the donations into our building! When donations are placed in the DONATION SHED they DO NOT all leave the area, donations are subject to our discretion of needs inside the building. St. Pauly partners with and allows us to use the SHED for our donations, and in turn, we are able to send things to areas of the world that we were not able to before their partnership with us. St. Pauly also gives back into our mission $40 for every thousand pounds that goes out of the SHED.
The SHED is tended daily by our Volunteers who will scan the donations and bring things inside that we need to restock shelves and racks. Children’s clothing is always brought inside the building as well as bedding, which are our greatest need most of the time, and any other items that are needed at that specific time. Then the Volunteer will tie up the bags, bag the loose clothing and anything that comes in boxes must also be bagged and moved to the far end of the shed so that the entry shoot remains clear for more donations to be placed inside the SHED. Any items that are not bagged, such as household goods, which are not to be put in the SHED, but when they are, those items are brought inside the building. We’ve been very surprised sometimes at what has landed inside the SHED!
Inside the building our racks and shelves are sorted for seasonal changes. Anything that is out of season here will be bagged and placed in the DONATION SHED to be sent to specific climates for that season by St. Pauly.
Inside our sorting room clothing will be scanned for cleanliness, tears, zippers and buttons missing, etc. If an item is not suitable for wearing, it is either washed, or repaired or tossed into various bins for recycling. We throw out very little compared to what comes through our sorting rooms because we have found ways to recycle many things.
Our general rule for stock inside the building is this: IF YOU WOULDN’T USE IT OR WEAR IT… it’s not going on the racks!
We have various ways to recycle things we cannot use at Samaritan House. We have FREE Rag bins for anyone who needs rags. We send cotton shirts to be stripped for Rag Rug making, blankets and towels for pets and the SPCA’s use. Teddy Bears go to Salamanca for Burden Bears for our soldiers in the hospitals. We send many craft items to the Afterschool program, and to the Nursing Homes, via Sonshine Ministry, along with several items needed by their residents.
These are just a few of the many works in progress at Samaritan House. If you would like to learn more about what we do here, please come by and see if the Lord is calling you to be a part of this outreach mission! As you can see, there are many tasks to be done, but many hands make light work. We always need more hands at Samaritan House!

Last year was a year of Blessings financially, as well as outreach expansion.
Earlier this year we sent a truckload of shoes to Haiti. (Totally orchestrated by the Lord!) We are preparing to send more needed items this year.
God blessed us in so many ways, and through those blessings, we are able to bless others.

Our goals for 2010 are to be a blessing, and Do what He tells us to do, and Go where He tells us to go.
We are excited about what the Lord will do this year!

Please pray for us, and ask the Lord how you can be a blessing to your neighbors in need.

When we ask the question:
"what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Our answer is:
" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:25-27 the parable of the Good Samaritan

God Bless you as we love our neighbors!
The Samaritan House Team

2009-12-09T14:46:00.002-05:00

Winter Warnings!
When CVCS is closed due to weather conditions Samaritan House will be closed.
We will also announce closings on the Buffalo TV channels.

2009-12-03T19:35:00.001-05:00

Samaritan House
2009

Do you recognize Jesus in your community today? Have you seen Him lately? Do you realize that the Son of the Living God lives inside you today? He is always present with you, Saints of the Most High God! It’s not so much calling on Him to come, as it is recognizing He is already there with you. The Kingdom of God is within YOU!! Let it out! Let the Kingdom principles reign in your life. Let Him out to BE and DO what He wants to do in the world around you!
This year has been a year of abundance in so many ways! Donations have been overwhelming, and our donations going out globally have greatly increased. Out of our abundance we are able to give to people way beyond our borders of local ministry. Families who suffered loss in North County have been blessed with needs being met. God is more than capable of providing for us when there is a need no matter what it is!
We just had another visit from a team from Mission Meadows volunteering community service time to help out our mission of serving families in need. It is so true that many hands make light work!
We are also looking forward to the Key Club kids coming to volunteer from CVCS on through the school year.
Some of our local churches’ youth are coming to do community service and we are so thankful for them lending a hand at Samaritan House as our work is always never done!
Various Work Teams focused on local ministry projects within the County this year instead of traveling across our state borders. We benefited greatly from their help here, and they spent many weeks of working in North County after the flood.
As we move into a new year, we look forward to serving families who need our help in a greater way than ever before. The needs of our communities have increased greatly over the past 6 years of service, and our God has provided in so many ways to meet those needs. Jesus is Alive and well!
Blessings for the New Year, and thank you for your support! ~from the Samaritan House Team~

September News 2009

2009-09-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

Samaritan House
2009
Maintenance Needs

Inside the Building
General Cleanup throughout building

Upstairs
Back Hallway Ceiling: replace tiles
Shelving installed in office
Paint Prayer Room: (skilled painter please!)

Basement
Louvered windows - repair & replace
Front stairwell door framed in and hung/locking doorknob
2 windows replaced in block walls/wood sash
Paint Walls & Doors in meeting room
(skilled painter please!  )
Ceiling Tiles replaced in basement rooms
Furnace ductwork replaced with energy efficient ductwork

Outside the Building
Paint Block walls at ground level (finish it)
Wash Window Trim: (pressure washer needed)
Wash & Paint Window trim: All around
Screen Door Painted
Paint Front and side Railings & Steps (2010)

Funds are needed for the following projects:

**All windows replaced**
~Buy a window Campaign~

**Basement Block Walls
Repaired&Sealed & Drainage installed
!!! We have a bad flood-leakage problem !!!

**Kitchen Remodeled
Upgrade to Health Dept. Standards
**Washer & Dryer hooked up

**Build 2nd Floor across main room from balcony floor

**Removal of 10 Stained Glass Windows
Upon sale of windows, funds will be used for:
New energy efficient windows
One window is spoken for!

Many Thanks & Blessings go out to the workers that volunteer at Samaritan House!! Fredonia UMC Team, Busti Church of God Team, Mission Meadows Team, and Bryan Decker who, through Chautauqua Works, has helped out here and at the church for a month, Brian & Brett Roy, who take care of our yard work & snow removal, Della Downey, who sorts & does our laundry, Joyce Tolman, Wendy, Elaine, Tiffany & Billie Jean Best, Amy Scott, Christine Valella, & Della, who maintain the sorting rooms & restock the shelves & racks, Tom Mackinder, who maintains our furnaces, Larry Downey & Mike Harrar who stops by to help load & unload whenever we need help, and to the many unknown donors who give out of their abundance to help others, and to those who sow financial seed to keep this mission running and our building maintained are: Park Church, South Stockton Wayside Chapel, Gerry Free Church, South Ripley UMC, Gerry UMC, and the United Church of Christ Women’s Conference of WNY “Pennies for People Campaign” who donated $1,000 to 8 different ministries in WNY! from Pennies!!!
Thanks to those friends who cheer me on when I need it most!
Thanks be to God who called us to this mission and provides our every need!!

Book-bags for Kids will have been handed out by the time you read this. Thanks!! to Dollar Tree in Jamestown for donating many items that will bless many kids! And Thanks!! to those who leave items in the donation bins. All the book-bags have been donated and Della faithfully washes and repairs them to be filled in August. We will be handing some out in the Silver Creek area as well as our own school district.

Hygiene Drive will continue as we are on-call, to help with the families in the Silver Creek flood areas, as well as the families we help locally. Thank you for your donations!

Any donations for the Flood Relief areas of Chautauqua County can be dropped off at Samaritan House for transporting to North County.
Please call ahead to make sure someone is at the building for your donations to be accepted.
716-962-2246 or 640-6819

Thanks for Being His Hands and Feet!
Maureen Schafer, Director @ Samaritan House

Silver Creek Disaster Response

2009-08-16T14:09:00.003-04:00

The results of our Faith Based Initiative meeting with Emergency First Responders at Silver Creek, 9/14/09:
Thank you for coming and caring so much for this community. Thank you to all of the partners I have worked with.
You are all amazing people. Our community is so blessed to have all of you. Paula Pichon

Volunteers: Groups are recommended but individuals are still welcomed. Your group should have one lead person who will communicate and organize your group. Groups should be from 5-8 people/1-lead person. Volunteers need to first report to the fire hall in Silver Creek, to complete paper work and get assignment. Your group will then get an assignment and hopefully a skilled volunteer to work with. You need to dress for chemical exposure, long pants, rubber boots, gloves, change of clothes, goggles. There are other volunteer opportunities but laborers are needed most at this time.
Your contact person at the fire hall is Troy Smith, 397-3152, or Bill Tucker 450-2842
Transportation: There is a need for transportation of volunteers around Silver Creek to various clean up sites. Any Church with a van and a driver, or gator's are needed to help get volunteers around Silver Creek. You can provide a van and driver or a van. Please contact the above two men if you can help with this need.
Donations: Please, No More Clothing. At this time we are in the clean up phase.
CCRM (Chautauqua County Rural Ministries) and Samaritan House are both accepting furniture donations toward the relief effort. Samaritan House has offered more storage in Dunkirk for furniture designated to this effort & will accept any donations for the Relief Effort to be transported to Silver Creek. CCRM 716-366-1787 or 450-6059 Samaritan House 716-962-2246 or 640-6819
Money donations and the following are most in need at this time. Money can be donated to the Red Cross and Salvation Army and earmarked for Western New York Relief efforts.
Items Needed:
Drop off Point is AM VETS - 234 Central Avenue for the following items:
(CCRM also stated that we would continue to accept personal care/hygiene donations, and would work with AMVETS and the Silver Creek pantry to distribute these items. We will also accept the new socks/underwear/undergarments noted below from anyone not looking to drive into the confusion of downtown Silver Creek.)
New Socks
New Bra's
New Undershirts
Hygiene Products
Church World Services is providing up to 1200 "flood buckets", which contain cleaning supplies supposed to be adequate for one room in a house.
Drop off Point is Silver Creek Fire Hall on Central Avenue for the following items:
Cleaning Supplies
Drinks/Water
Shovels
Wheel Barrels
Rubber Boots / gloves
Masks
Goggles
Tentative items: Volunteers will be fed at the Fireman's Exempt Club, and lodging will be provided for large group coming to volunteer.
Confirmed Items: All Human Service Agencies will be moving to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel School on Central Avenue, Silver Creek, on Sunday August 16th. Services are DSS, COI, OFA and Counseling services. They will be ready for services on Monday and lasting through the week.
Again Thank you all very much for your help this effort will be moving forward for some time, it is wonderful working with such dedicated people. Paula Pichon

August News

2009-08-16T14:03:00.002-04:00

Samaritan House
2009
Maintenance Needs

Inside the Building
General Cleanup throughout building

Upstairs
Back Hallway Ceiling: replace tiles
Shelving installed in office
Paint Prayer Room: (skilled painter please!  )

Basement
Louvered windows - repair & replace
Front stairwell door framed in and hung/locking doorknob
2 windows replaced in block walls/wood sash
Paint Walls & Doors in meeting room
(skilled painter please!  )
Ceiling Tiles replaced in basement rooms
Furnace ductwork replaced with energy efficient ductwork

Outside the Building
Paint Block walls at ground level (finish it)
Wash Window Trim: (pressure washer needed)
Wash & Paint Window trim: All around
Screen Door Painted
Paint Front and side Railings & Steps (2010)

Funds are needed for the following projects:

**All windows replaced**
~Buy a window Campaign~

**Basement Block Walls
Repaired&Sealed & Drainage installed
!!! We have a bad flood-leakage problem !!!

**Kitchen Remodeled
Upgrade to Health Dept. Standards
**Washer & Dryer hooked up

**Build 2nd Floor across main room from balcony floor

**Removal of 10 Stained Glass Windows
Upon sale of windows, funds will be used for:
New energy efficient windows
One window is spoken for!

Many Thanks & Blessings go out to the workers that volunteer at Samaritan House!! Fredonia UMC Team, Busti Church of God Team, Mission Meadows Team, and Bryan Decker who, through Chautauqua Works, has helped out here and at the church for a month, Brian & Brett Roy, who take care of our yard work & snow removal, Della Downey, who sorts & does our laundry, Joyce Tolman, Wendy, Elaine, Tiffany & Billie Jean Best, Amy Scott, Christine Valella, & Della, who maintain the sorting rooms & restock the shelves & racks, Tom Mackinder, who maintains our furnaces, Larry Downey & Mike Harrar who stops by to help load & unload whenever we need help, and to the many unknown donors who give out of their abundance to help others, and to those who sow financial seed to keep this mission running and our building maintained are: Park Church, South Stockton Wayside Chapel, Gerry Free Church, South Ripley UMC, Gerry UMC, and the United Church of Christ Women’s Conference of WNY “Pennies for People Campaign” who donated $1,000 to 8 different ministries in WNY! from Pennies!!!
Thanks to those friends who cheer me on when I need it most!
Thanks be to God who called us to this mission and provides our every need!!

Book-bags for Kids will have been handed out by the time you read this. Thanks!! to Dollar Tree in Jamestown for donating many items that will bless many kids! And Thanks!! to those who leave items in the donation bins. All the book-bags have been donated and Della faithfully washes and repairs them to be filled in August. We will be handing some out in the Silver Creek area as well as our own school district.

Hygiene Drive will continue as we are on-call, to help with the families in the Silver Creek flood areas, as well as the families we help locally. Thank you for your donations!

Any donations for the Flood Relief areas of Chautauqua County can be dropped off at Samaritan House for transporting to North County.
Please call ahead to make sure someone is at the building for your donations to be accepted.
716-962-2246 or 640-6819

Thanks for Being His Hands and Feet!Maureen Schafer, Director @ Samaritan House

2009-04-01T15:18:00.000-04:00

Samaritan House News

Furniture needs:
We have many calls for furniture coming into the office, if you know of any furniture or beds that can be donated, please bring them to Samaritan House. We also need these items in the north county branch of Samaritan House.
Sometimes people who are moving or replacing furniture don’t know what to do with the old when they bring in the new! Samaritan House is a great choice for these items, we make sure they get to people who need them. So, let folks know we are here to help them with their donations of furniture to get them to families in need of these items. J
Volunteers are always needed for sorting and cleaning.

~Hours Open~
Wednesday & Friday 2-6pm
Tuesday Workdays begin at 10:30am

We are looking forward to having work teams come to help with maintenance needs this year. When we get dates set we will let you know, if you’d like to take part in the projects we have lined up to do. A Maintenance Needs List is available if you’d like to see one call the office 962-2246 or email us @ info@samaritanhouse.us

Shoes for Haiti
A man who comes into Samaritan House several times a year, came in last week and asked about shoes. “How do you sell the shoes”, he asked. So we told him, “Shoes go in with your bag of clothes for a dollar, or a whole bag of shoes for a dollar donation”. Then he began to tell me a story of a woman in Florida who gathers things together to send to her people in Haiti. I immediately related to this woman, as he told the story of her gathering things together and carrying bags and boxes into their building to be sorted and cleaned and prepared for shipment. So, I said to Howard, “We’ve been looking for a way to send shoes to where they are needed! And we’d be glad to give the shoes for this lady to send to Haiti.” So we boxed and bagged shoes to fill Howard’s truck to go to Florida!

This is very typical of how God puts us together with others to help out in ways that we don’t even think about! I’m always thrilled, and know that I know, when the Lord does this that it was all His doing!

Galatians 2:10 (The Message)
6-10As for those who were considered important in the church, their reputation doesn't concern me. God isn't impressed with mere appearances, and neither am I. And of course these leaders were able to add nothing to the message I had been preaching. It was soon evident that God had entrusted me with the same message to the non-Jews as Peter had been preaching to the Jews. Recognizing that my calling had been given by God, James, Peter, and John—the pillars of the church—shook hands with me and Barnabas, assigning us to a ministry to the non-Jews, while they continued to be responsible for reaching out to the Jews. The only additional thing they asked was that we remember the poor, and I was already eager to do that.

I see Paul as a pretty practical guy, just like us. Let us take heed to his words of truth about having no reputation, walking in the calling God has called us to, preaching the good news and helping the poor.
God Bless you as we serve the Community together!
Maureen Schafer, Director @ Samaritan House
716-962-2246
info@samaritanhouse.us
www.samaritanhouse.us

2009-03-01T08:57:00.000-05:00

Samaritan House News

What Lessons Have You Learned From the Homeless?

Ann Arbor has a lot of homeless people, but I can understand that. If I were homeless, I'd want to be in Ann Arbor too, because people here tend to be generous. There are many homeless people downtown, but there are also a number of freeway exit ramps or shopping center traffic light exits where they regularly stand. Of course, I cannot give every person money every time they ask when I'm walking downtown, or when I am at a ramp or traffic light. It feels rough to pass them by, but I just can't, especially since I lost my job last August.
Sometimes I will give something just because I happen to have an extra dollar that day or I am just in the mood. But sometimes it's stronger than that. Today was one of those days.
The light at the exit ramp was green and I drove on by, but the image of the man hunkered down in the cold with his sign, "Homeless and hungry -- please help" stuck in my mind. I've often passed that man but never given anything. I felt very strongly, though, that today God was telling me to go back to that man and give him something. I just finished a 5-week temporary job, so I have a little more money than usual. I had just come from the grocery and thought about giving him one of the boxes of cereal I had bought (about the only thing I bought one could eat without cooking). I kept driving toward home, but the farther I went, the more I knew God wasn't going to let it go... he was urging me to go back. So finally I turned around.
On the way back, it came to my mind that I had gotten a roll of quarters to wash the car. With all the salt on the roads, this is an important thing to do to keep your car from rusting out. I felt led to give the man the roll of quarters.
If I have time, and today I did, I prefer to talk to the people I give money to...ask them their name, hear a bit of their story. So I parked the car beyond the ramp and walked back to the man.
I said, "Hello."
He replied, "Hello," and before I could say anything else he quickly added, "You're a religious man, aren't you?" I was surprised that he came up with such an assessment so quickly... he hadn't even seen me coming.
"Yes I am," I replied. "But how did you know?"
He said, "I could tell by your spirit." Boy, that really made me feel good. Often I wonder there's any evidence visible of Christ living in my life; it was a great reassurance to hear this.
I asked him to tell me his story. His name is Victor, and he said his 60th birthday was this past Monday. He used to live in an apartment in a nearby town (same metro area), but his company closed the factory and moved the factory to Mexico. After that he was in the hospital twice with heart problems, one of them being a heart attack. Eventually his unemployment benefits ran out, so he couldn't afford the medical bills. That gave him a bad credit rating, so that created additional difficulties because he couldn't pay those bills. He is a veteran, and eventually his GI benefits ran out too.
Our church has a homeless ministry, and they have said that so many of the people who are homeless have become that way due to job loss or medical bills they cannot pay. Or, as in the case of this guy, both. He said to me, "Why can the American government give so much money to people all over the world, but not take care of us, its own citizens?" He was especially upset how little the government helps veterans. Many homeless people are also veterans. These people go fight for us in wars, and then they end up homeless later in life. Something is wrong with that picture.
Victor is a black man, and he told me a story of when he was growing up. Back then, he said, the white people called him 'ni**er' and he called them 'h*nky'. One day he did that in class, and got in trouble for it. When his dad found out, he took Victor to a trunk at home where some pictures were. He pulled out a couple of photographs from the 19th century, one of an American Indian woman and one of a white guy in a tall black hat and a big long, curled moustache. His father said, "See that man? He's your great-great-great grandfather. And this Indian is your ancestor too." His father continued, "Don't you ever judge a person by their appearance. You judge them by their character." Victor said it was a lesson he never forgot.
When I gave him the roll of quarters, he gave me a hearty hug. Before I left, a young Asian woman in an SUV opened up her window and gave him a beautiful red, heart-shaped box of chocolates. When I left, he hugged me again.
It is good to talk to homeless people. It keeps them from being just those beings on the street begging; when you hear their stories, you realize that it could be you on the street. Some people take the attitude that there are "legitimate" ways for homeless people to get help, and many of them are not getting the true help they need if you just give them money. For example, "If you give them money, they might just spend it on cigarettes and alcohol."
But I picked up a valuable attitude from my church: What they do with their money is between them and God; what I do with my money is between me and God. How do I know if they really need it for food or they are going to blow it or they're just moochers? If I had the fullest selfless love, I'd get involved in their lives and help them get on their feet. But I'm busy, and giving money and sometimes hearing their stories is something I can do that at least goes part way.
When I worked downtown, I used to eat lunch with a homeless guy there about once a week. I couldn't give him money all the time, but I shared my lunch with him as we talked. He was a Korean War veteran, and a schizophrenic (he told me so the first time I met him, and he did have some active conversations with invisible people when I was with him). He gave me this big long speech many times something about how the government ruined the value of money...I never did understand what he was talking about, as many times as I heard the rant and asked questions to try to understand, but I could tell he enjoyed the company. And he never asked me for money again, after that first time. Perhaps it works both ways: I was no longer just some person on the street who has money to hand out.
What life stories have you learned from talking to homeless people?
~~~
This account is from a blog I subscribe to, www.revelife.com Where do you see homeless people in Chautauqua County? Have you talked to them? Do you notice them? We have helped them through Samaritan House.
Just one of the many stories of the poor, or is it a catapult to move us to help? Think about it….

January 2009

2009-01-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

Moving into the new year, we know the needs are great of families all over the country. Our main objective at Samaritan House is to help meet those needs with the donations that come in from donors who have a heart for giving a helping hand up. Requests for necessities have never been greater than they are now.
After all the hustle bustle of the holiday season there will still be families needing our help, so please remember that as you are thankful for what you have, there are families that still need your help.
I’ve noticed that after the first of the year comes along, donations decline. I believe we tend to think that we’ve given our “Christian-giving campaign” a good shot during the holiday time, but then we tend to forget that “one shot-giving” doesn’t last for most families struggling to pay bills. They still have to get through the tough western NY winter that doesn’t end December 25th.
Deuteronomy 15:7-9
When you happen on someone who's in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don't look the other way pretending you don't see him. Don't keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don't count the cost. Don't listen to that selfish voice saying, "It's almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled," and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He'll call God's attention to you and your blatant sin.

The year of release.
This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord; and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did, who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7. (De 15:12-18) BibleGateway.com
Please search your heart and ask yourself this question: “How do I respond when I see someone less fortunate than myself?” Do I say to myself, “why don’t they just get a job” or does compassion arise from my heart and say, “what can I do to make life better for this person? How can I be a part of helping this person? What can I do?”
You have to get to know someone before you can have an understanding of their situation.
Helping the poor is a hands-on ministry, reaching out means doing something. We need to put some action to what we believe.
Be a good listener, take action when we know it will be helping and not enabling. BE JESUS!! (after all, HE lives in us, so we need to reflect HIS character!)
It’s a huge step of Faith to reach out and BE JESUS to a world that’s failing around us, but let me encourage you in this, the rewards are great, try it and see!

Blessings for 2009!
Maureen Schafer, Dir. Samaritan House
716-962-2246
www.samaritanhouse.us

North County Branch

2008-12-22T14:33:00.008-05:00

Extension of outreach site gives chance to be good Samaritan

By SHIRLEY IBACH
POSTED: December 14, 2008

The Rev. Amy FitzGerald sets up the Barbie playhouse donated by a Fredonia woman. The Samaritan House is located at the Dunkirk First United Methodist Church, 17 E. Sixth Street.
The Rev. Amy FitzGerald sets up the Barbie playhouse donated by a Fredonia woman. The Samaritan House is located at the Dunkirk First United Methodist Church, 17 E. Sixth Street.
~~~~
For a look at the challenges faced by a family of four living at the poverty level, go to www.nccbuscc.org/cchd/povertyusa/tour2.htm

A Barbie Dreamhouse. It may have been at the top of the Christmas wish list for every little girl at some time during her life. This year, through a thoughtful donation, one little girl's wish will come true.
According to Deuteronomy 15:11, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."
The extension of the Sinclairville Samaritan House in Dunkirk hopes to fulfill this goal by offering clothing, furniture and small household goods to those in need. For the Christmas season, they have also been accepting toy donations to hand out as Christmas presents, such as the Barbie house donated by a Fredonia woman.
"The Dunkirk First United Methodist Church has taken on the added responsibility of being the northern extension of the Samaritan House," the Rev. Amy FitzGerald said. "Many people in Dunkirk and surrounding areas do not have the luxury of a vehicle, so utilizing this great program is denied them, as they have no way of traveling to Sinclairville."
The Sinclairville Samaritan House began in 2004 with the efforts of Maureen Schafer and the congregation of the Park United Methodist Church.
"Samaritan House is a Community Outreach Ministry, serving the community, by lending a helping hand with clothing and household goods at a low cost. Families in need are served at no cost," Schafer said.
Operating totally on donations and volunteer help, the Sinclairville house is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m.
"Our goal is to reach out and be a helping hand to folks in need of household goods, furniture, appliances and clothing," Schafer said. "On an average day, we see 300 plus articles of clothing leave the building, and requests for appliances and furniture are never ending."
The need in the northern end of the county is no less great. The Dunkirk church was continually receiving requests for help from the community, and Schafer eventually suggested it become a part of the organization.
"I think many people would be stunned at the amount of families, single-parent households and seniors that are living in apartments with virtually no furniture," FitzGerald said. "On a daily basis, our church receives 5 to 10 people a day seeking help."
According to FitzGerald, most of the people who seek help are the working poor, families or singles mothers who may not qualify for other aid.
"Most who come in here are not on Social Services but are struggling through, on their own," FitzGerald said.
The North County Samaritan House center, headquartered in the Dunkirk First United Methodist Church at 17 E. Sixth St., is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The new branch operation also provides a number of services besides offering clothes, furniture and household goods, including English as a Second Language and English-Learning-Spanish classes are scheduled 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
"The needs are great throughout Chautauqua County, where more than 17,000 families have incomes below the poverty level,'' FitzGerald said, "and as the economy gets worse and people lose jobs, the need is just going to increase."
Pastor FitzGerald said those who wish to donate clothing, food, household and appliance items, or to assist as volunteers, are asked to contact the church office at 366-2230. The church is in need of housegoods especially, like plates, glasses and silverware, as well as hats, gloves and jackets.
"Anything you need in an apartment, basically," FitzGerald said. "We'll take anything."
The church also participates in the Angel Food Ministries, a nationwide program providing low-cost foods.
"For $30, anyone can purchase a regular order with a food value of $60," FitzGerald said. "This is also a good Christmas present idea, as we all know of a family who is struggling to make ends meet."
The Angel Food program is hosted at the Dunkirk Senior Center once a month on Saturday. Volunteers are needed to hand out food. There are no eligibility requirements to receive food.
More details on Angel Food and other services are available by contacting the church office, or by e-mail at dunkirkfirstumc@verizon.com.
"If you are cleaning house, moving, or getting some new furniture or appliances, please keep the church in mind as a place to donate your treasures," FitzGerald said. "As we keep busy shopping, baking and wrapping all our gifts for the family, let us remember the reason for this season. Our ministry is not inside the church to each other, but outside, to our neighbors and our community. We have finally stepped up to the plate." Rev. Amy FitzGerald

September News

2008-09-17T17:57:00.002-04:00

Vollunteers Are Needed!
Some areas of need: Office Assistance, Mentors with a heart for the poor & their needs at hand, Pickup & Delivery people with trucks or vans to haul furniture occasionally, Sorters & Cleaners on Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday afternoons, Cashiers with knowledge from yard sales or flea market type work, Skilled Maintenance people to help with upkeep of the building.
General Qualifications: Passion to help and love the poor & needy in our land, sharing the Love of Christ!
Please call the office for a detailed list of ongoing projects if you are impressed of the Lord to help out. 962-2246

GED Classes - Wednesdays @ 12:30 in the basement meeting room, provided by BOCES call: 716-763-1801 ext. 3013 or 1-800-526-3297 ext. 3013 to register.

Bookbag Report
Thanks to your outstanding response with donations of bookbag supplies we are thrilled to announce that we prepared and gave out over 75 Bookbags this year! Locally to Cassadaga Valley students, and through our Dunkirk Branch, and through the North County Social Services Agency workers. We also shared some of the leftover supplies with Camp Findley for their summer camp programs & office supplies. Thanks for your donations!

FYI
Here are some other missions that we help out with:
Red Cross First Response Team – Immediate disaster help.
Sonshine Ministries – Nursing Home Mission
St. Pauly – USA & Overseas Mission http://www.st-pauly.com/
Bears for Soldiers – Salamanca based Ministry to Soldiers in hospitals.
Stuffed Animal Giveaway @ Lake Erie Speedway – Local driver, 11 year old Darrin Waldron, gives out stuffed animals with his driver # to kids at the track.
Safe House – Supplies for Jamestown Mission
Park Food Pantry - gives out ‘bag of free clothes tickets’
Camp Findley – Needs List Supplies http://www.campfindley.org/
Dunkirk Samaritan House – Clothing & Household Goods
Department of Social Services – Helping families with household needs through their Case Workers.
Faith Based Initiative – Networking with Agencies, Organizations & Churches who help families in need.
Community Helping Hands – Networking to serve our County.
http://www.communityhelpinghands.org/

News Article

2008-09-01T13:35:00.000-04:00

Clothing items are displayed at Dunkirk's new Samaritan House center at First United Methodist Church. From left are: Vicki Cortes, First Methodist Pastor Amy FitzGerald, Carmen Cortes, and Melysa Jewel.

DUNKIRK -- Samaritan House, a community outreach program based in Sinclairville, is now more accessible to North County communities.
An extension of Samaritan House has been established in Dunkirk through partnership of Sinclairville's Park United Methodist and Dunkirk's First United Methodist churches, according to an announcement of pastors James Bailey at Park United, and First United's Amy FitzGerald.
The North County Samaritan House center, headquartered in the Dunkirk church at 17 E. Sixth Street, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Pastor FitzGerald said those who wish to donate clothing, food, household and appliance items, or to assist as volunteers, are asked to contact the church office at 716- 366-2230.
Like Sinclairville's Samaritan House, the pastor said, the new branch operation also provides a number of services, including ESL (English Second Language, and English-Learning-Spanish classes, scheduled 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. Also, Ryan Dwyer, the church choir director offers instructions on reading music at 6 p.m. each Tuesday.
In addition, the church continues its participation in the Angelfood Ministries, a nationwide program providing low-cost foods. More details on Angelfood and on other services are available by contacting the church office, or by e-mail at dunkirkfirstumc@verizon.com.
With the support of the Park UM congregation and Pastor Bailey, Samaritan House was established in 2004 at Sinclairville by Maureen Schafer, a Park UM member, and director of the outreach ministry. Samaritan House is operated entirely by volunteers.
The Sinclairville operation, housed in the old Park UM church building at 2 East Ave., is open from 2-7 p.m., on Wednesdays and Fridays. Information on the Samaritan House program is available at http://www.samaritanhouse.us/.
The Dunkirk site will make it easier for families and individuals living in northern areas of the county, Schafer said. The needs are great throughout Chautauqua County where more than 17,000 families have incomes below the poverty level.

July News

2008-07-31T13:24:00.000-04:00

School Supplies needed:
It’s time to gather school supplies for the kids returning to school! We have plenty of bookbags gathered together, now we need the supplies to fill them. If you would like to help out by donating any of the following items it would be greatly appreciated!

v Paper (loose leaf)
v Composition Books
v Spiral Notebooks
v Folders with pockets & center prongs for loose leaf paper
v Pencils
v Pens (blue or black ink)
v Erasable Pens
v Glue & Glue sticks
v Crayons
v Highliter Markers
v Colored Pencils
v Pencil Sharpeners
v Erasers
v 1 ½” 3-ring binders
v 2” 3-ring binders
v Notebook divider pages
v Index cards

A box will be available in the church foyer for supplies to be dropped off. Please have your donations in by August 15.
Book bag pick up days: August 20 & 22.

Furniture needs:
We have many calls for furniture coming into the office, if you know of any furniture or beds that can be donated, please bring them to Samaritan House. We also need these items in the north county branch of Samaritan House.
Sometimes people who are moving or replacing furniture don’t know what to do with the old when they bring in the new! Samaritan House is a great choice for these items, we make sure they get to people who need them. So, let folks know we are here to help them with their donations of furniture to get them to families in need of these items. J

Maintenance Needs:
We are still looking for a Skilled Carpenter to help out with some carpentry projects here at the building.
Volunteers are always needed for sorting and cleaning.

Summer Hours:

~OPEN~
Wednesday & Friday
10-2

~Closed~
August 27 & 29
September 3 & 5

2008-05-28T12:14:00.001-04:00

May 2008

We are gearing up for the busy summer season ahead of us.
Volunteers are needed to keep up with all the work!
Work days are scheduled for Tuesday & Thursday 10:30-4:00. Call ahead to make sure we are working in the Sinclairville building on a day you want to volunteer your time.
Wednesday and Friday 2-7, during open hours Volunteers are needed to help also.
Volunteer time can be any amount of time you choose. If you have an hour you could spare to help out at Samaritan House it is greatly appreciated, and you’d be surprised how much can be accomplished in an hour!
Check the website calendar page for definite work days and any closings. http://www.samaritanhouse.us/ or call the office phone 962-2246 and listen to the message for closings.

The needs are great all over our County. 17,000 families live below the poverty level income line in Chautauqua County!

Expansion into Northern Chautauqua County is in the works, with Dunkirk UMC partnering with us to reach out to the North County Communities.
Warehouse space has been donated to us for the furniture and appliance donations coming into the Dunkirk area.
Dunkirk UMC is going to expand their clothing area, and use their garage for donations of household goods.

When the plans changed last year to start a Samaritan House in Fredonia, we knew it was God closing that door, so we have waited, and served the North County families from our home base in Sinclairville. The needs are great in the Spanish community of Dunkirk as well as the English community.

Outreach in any community takes laborers to do the work, and money to cover expenses. It’s not a “one man job”! It takes a team of co-laborers to reach a community’s needs. We each have different gifts to share the love of Christ with the poor in our land. Let’s work together to help our neighbor’s in need, and build the Kingdom of our Lord!
The Sheep and the Goats
Matthew 25
31When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.

Maureen Schafer
Samaritan House Director

April News

2008-04-01T09:50:00.000-04:00

Samaritan House News
April 2008

We’re on the cusp of spring once again! It’s been a rough winter at times, but we’ve endured once again, it’s all part of being a western New Yorker! The most dreadful task of tending the shed during single digit weather is almost over! (Thanks Todd, Wendy & Katie!) Onward to fund raising weather!

The fund raiser at our local Superette came to a close with a donation of $550. Many thanks to the staff and Scott and Vanessa Dibble! Scott and Vanessa are also promoting the Samaritan House mission to other churches for their financial support of this much needed ministry.

We’ve just completed our 4th year of operation. Who knew how this would grow! God knew! His plan is not always how we picture it to turn out!

After attending the Love Inc informational dinner meeting last month, we’ve seen many more ways that God is weaving us together with ministries with the same mission in mind, Helping the Poor. Opportunity comes in many forms! All we need to do is ask. Then God puts it all together.

We’ve also been made quite aware of the needs in North County. Our networking with the Dunkirk UMC is bringing us to a new territory of needs. Many folks come to us for help from the Dunkirk area.

Love Inc will also be networking churches in North County. Their mission is to pool resources from the churches to help the poor and needy through our outreach
organizations.

Our networking with Community Helping Hands is also opening new areas to us. We will work together looking for grant monies that are available to our specific mission, as well as continuing to meet the needs of the people at and below poverty level incomes.
Did you know that 16,967 families in Chautauqua County are living below poverty level income?
We’ve never run out of clothing to give away since we started, and we’ve found many new ways to distribute them locally, nationally and worldwide. When there’s a need, God meets us right at the heart of the need.

I attended the Faith Based Initiatives & Community Collaborations Upstate NY Regional Conference in Blasdell on March 12th, along with some of our network colleagues from Chautauqua County. We came away with new tools for expanding our missions and made new connections with other faith based missions like ours.

There is always a job to be done, and God has sent in more laborers from time to time. There are still jobs that we haven’t seen done yet, but I’m sure they’ll get done in His timing!

Needs list:
Toiletries, such as soaps, shampoos, deodorants, toilet paper, toothpaste & toothbrushes.
Food Stamps do not cover these items!

Be Blessed ! and continue to pray for
Samaritan House!

Open Hours: Wednesday & Friday 2-7
April Closings: 16th,18th, 25th

Office: 716-962-2246
Email: samaritanhouse@parkunited.org
Website: http://www.samaritanhouse.us/

Post Journal March 24, 2008

2008-03-24T14:38:00.013-04:00

Maureen Schafer, right, founder and director of Samaritan House, receives a donation for the community outreach center from Scott and Vanessa Dibble, representing the Sinclairville Superette. The donation was made possible by a fundraiser at the store.

Sinclairville Fundraiser Benefits Community Outreach Center
By Alpha Husted editorial@post-journal.com

3/24/2008 - SINCLAIRVILLE —

A month-long fundraiser at the Sinclairville Superette netted a $550 contribution for Samaritan House.

A check, presented recently by the Superette’s Scott and Vanessa Dibble to Maureen Schafer, Samaritan House director, marks the start of a new funding campaign for the community outreach center, Schafer said. ‘‘We hope to make more businesses and churches aware of Samaritan House and its mission to provide help to those in need throughout Chautauqua County and beyond,’’ Schafer said.

The Dibbles — members of the Samaritan House Board — said they are currently enlisting assistance of churches throughout the county in their efforts to launch a ‘‘Give a Dollar to the Poor’’ Campaign.

Samaritan House, established in 2004 as a Park United Methodist Church ministry, is housed in the congregation’s old church on East Avenue. The center is operated entirely by volunteers through financial contributions.

In addition to clothing, household and health care items, Schafer said life skills classes are provided at the center by the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service. GED studies also are offered free of charge by Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES.

Also, as a partner of several agencies such as Community Helping Hands and the Western New York Central Referral Service, the center is equipped to assist people through contacts with other churches, social service caseworkers and visiting nurses, Schafer said.

The outreach center is open to the public from 2 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays and Fridays. Additional information is available at the Samaritan House Web site, http://www.samaritanhouse.us./ In addition, Mrs. Schafer may be reached at 962-2246.

March: Update

2008-03-01T15:19:00.001-05:00

We’ve had quite an industrious time lately!
Space in a Dunkirk Warehouse has been donated for storing donations of appliances and larger items for the Hispanic Mission led by Pastor Jose’ Gonzalez at the Dunkirk UMC. We are talking & praying about working together on a space for a Samaritan House Mission there in Dunkirk. For the past year we’ve helped them with donations going to North County to help the families in need who they minister to. It would be great to have a facility closer for them to get to.
This is an exciting time for the Body of Christ to find their place in ministry!
David and I attended an informational dinner meeting presented by LOVE INC (Love in the name of Christ) whose mission is pooling churches’ resources for the poor and needy. The dinner meeting was held at St. Susan’s Kitchen at the Gateway Center in Jamestown.
Dale Peterson, Director of Helping Hands, also at the Gateway Center, shared the vision and mission of our ministries helping the poor. An illustration he used to bring out the importance the Lord puts on helping the poor was this: If you cut out all the passages in the Bible about helping the poor, it would be a tattered mess almost unreadable! What with there being over 2,000 passages concerning the poor.
We are looking forward to working with LOVE INC, as their mission fits hand in hand with ours. Their networking churches together will expand our mission to help the poor on a face to face basis. Some folks don’t even realize they have a gift or talent that could be shared in our ministries of helping others. This network will help expand our borders by addressing these talents and gifts that are needed to reach out and be a helping hand!

Our ‘Give a Dollar for the Poor’ campaign has had a great beginning! SH Board members, Scott & Vanessa Dibble, have begun to talk to other churches about the campaign, and share how they started the campaign at their church, Cassadaga Baptist, calling it their ‘Kingdom Assignment’ for the month chosen by the church. I did a presentation at their church at the end of January. It was a great time of sharing the mission of Samaritan House, with many responses inquiring as to how they could be a helping hand. We are looking forward to the monthly fellowship group coming to spend some time volunteering at SH.
Cassadaga Baptist Church picked February as their giving month. Offerings being collected each week will be given to Samaritan House at the end of the month.
Scott & Vanessa took the giving campaign one step further into their local business, Sinclairville Superette. The staff has rallied at the checkout counter, sharing what the Samaritan House Mission is, and customers have been heard giving testimonies at the counter as to how they’ve been helped by Samaritan House as well! People have been very generously giving offerings.
These offerings will be the seed to begin our benevolence funds used to help families in need.

Presentations coming up are at New Life City Church, Westfield Baptist Church, and Findley Lake UMC. I am looking forward to sharing beyond our borders with these churches.

Keep us in your prayers as we await funding for maintenance of the building. We know that God is our provision for this mission, and in His timing we shall receive!

Needs List:
Dehumidifiers
Vacuum Cleaners
Volunteers: Sorters, Cleaners, Dishwashers, Carpenters, Painters, Electricians, Plumbers, Greeters, Mentors, Movers, Delivery truck & crew.

God Bless you as we work together on His Kingdom Assignment!

Samaritan House 716-962-2246
Maureen Schafer, Director

February: Update

2008-02-29T15:43:00.002-05:00

Getting the word out about what we do and how we can help others is one of our goals for 2008. The launching of our website has extremely expanded our borders, and I will be going to churches and agencies to speak about our local mission as well.

We will also focus on fund raising. As you will see, in our Financial Report, our expenses out-weigh our income. At this time Park Church covers the heat, electric, and water bills. We are looking forward to receiving funds from outside sources to cover operational expenses of this mission to the community, and lessen the burden on one church. Many hands make light work!

Financial support from the community, as well as businesses and churches will be a great asset for helping out people at poverty levels in our communities. We want to incorporate a benevolence fund for families that need help with bills. Thus far we haven’t had the funds to do this part of the mission.

Please spread the word to others that you may be in contact with, about Samaritan House, and ask if they may be interested in helping to support this much needed mission.

We have a new brochure ready to pass out! Please pick one up and after you read it, give it to someone who doesn’t know about Samaritan House, or put a stamp on it and mail it to someone.

Word of mouth has been the greatest way to let the public know about the mission of Samaritan House. We continue to ask for your support in this way.

Samaritan House Procedures

We operate totally by donations of useable goods, and volunteer help. Financial donations are accepted for operational costs, and benevolence funds.

Samaritan House serves families on a walk in basis.

Referrals are not mandatory to be served. Personal requests are acceptable.

We build relationships with individuals and families learning the physical and spiritual needs of the individual family to better serve the needs.

Families in need are served at no cost.

The community at large is served at low cost.

We are partnering with other like-minded missions to further our mission of outreach beyond our borders.

Our vision is to raise the awareness and understanding of the issues of Poverty in our local communities.

Samaritan House Mission

To be a helping hand to families in need.
To treat people with dignity and respect, thereby sharing the love of Christ.
To increase awareness in our communities about poverty, and how to end it.
To offer classes for raising the standard to get out of poverty.
To provide life-skill programs for education and awareness.
To network with other agencies providing help to those in need.
To network with churches throughout the county, to eradicate poverty and share the love of Christ, promoting unity among the brethren.
Financial Report for 2007

Total Contributions Income $5,851.09

Expenses:

Total Contract Labor $410.00

Total Contributions $207.07

Total Office Supplies $39.90

Total Program $81.00

Total Repairs $563.33

Total Supplies $974.39

Total Fuel $1824.31

Total Food $20.31

Total Telephone/DSL $1774.43

Park Church covers the following:

Total Heat $3322.40

Total Electric $1645.05

Total Water $133.25

Total Expenses $10,995.44

Sinclairville Superette is supporting us this month with our “Give a dollar for the poor” campaign. Stop in and ask about the campaign for Samaritan House.

Thanks goes out to Scott & Vanessa Dibble for their support of Samaritan House through their local business.

God bless you as we work together to serve families who need our help, and to raise awareness of the needs in our communities.

Maureen Schafer, Director

716-962-2246 office

January: Samaritan House seen as an oasis ~ OBSERVER Article

2008-01-07T15:39:00.000-05:00

1/7/2008 - SINCLAIRVILLE
By ALPHA HUSTED Special to the OBSERVER

The old, white church remained vacant for several years after the Park United Methodist congregation moved to its new building.

Today, as the home of Samaritan House, the village landmark at 2 East Avenue is an oasis for those in need. While the pews are gone, prayer is very much a part of the community outreach program.

It all started in 2004, when Maureen Schafer, a member of Park UMC, was given a greenlight to establish the program by the church and its pastor, the Rev. James Bailey.

“The old church had been empty for a long time,” Schafer said. “I thought it would be a great place for an outreach ministry. The goal was to provide a helping hand to those in need by collecting and providing low-cost clothing and other necessities.’’

Armed with an indomitable passion to help others, Schafer opened Samaritan House. Four years later, the Park UMC community ministry continues to be operated entirely by volunteers through donations and financial contributions.

The Rev. Bailey says the program offers an opportunity to fulfill more than spiritual needs in the community. Samaritan House, he says, enables the church to address the need for basic necessities such as clothing, food and shelter, and to help people deal with other issues and problems as well.

Classes As Well As Clothes

Samaritan House is open to the public from 2-7 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Many who seek assistance at the outreach center receive more than belts, boots, bedding and clothes.

This year, eight weeks of life skills classes were provided by the Cornell Co-Operative Extension Service. Sessions will be continued in 2008. For those lacking high school diplomas, GED studies are offered free of charge to those 17 and older by Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES. Classes are scheduled at 12:30 p.m., Wednesdays.

“We’ve come a long way over the past four years,’’ said Schafer, director of the program. “We started out with about three tables of items. Now, every niche of the building is filled with clothing and household goods, furniture, appliances and health care equipment, from wheel chairs and walkers to crutches and canes.”

On an average day, more than 300 clothing items are picked up by families and individuals — people who are recouping from disastrous house fires, others who have just moved to the area for a new start, and still others whose financial straits are linked to job layoffs, illnesses, and other problems.

In addition to the need for clothing, Schafer said, there are endless requests for appliances and furniture.

“We sell all items at very low prices,” she said. “Those in great need are simply served at no cost. Very few donations are discarded. That’s because people are thoughtful enough to drop off items in good condition.”

At Samaritan House, contributions of artificial flowers and other small articles and materials are sent to area nursing homes, where they are used in crafts. Stuffed animals have gone to the Park UM Christmas gift program and to the Teddy Bears for Soldiers in Salamanca. This past year, Schafer said, 23 book-bags were distributed to students of all ages, and that project will be offered again in 2008.

Samaritan House Partners

Samaritan House also partners with a number of other agencies including St. Pauly Textile, Inc, of Rochester, a company whose mission is to get useable clothing to people in the United States and to others in third world countries.

St. Pauly provides drop-off boxes, free of charge, to 130 outreach missions throughout Western New York, including Samaritan House, where the large structure behind the building is referred to as the “donation shed.’’

“Over the past year,” Schafer said, “we’ve already sent 21,415 pounds — or about 10.5 tons — of clothes to St. Pauly. By Dec. 31, we will be up to 11 tons.’’

In addition, clothing and small toiletry items are sent to VIVE La Casa in Buffalo, an interfaith organization offering support and legal help to refugees.

Samaritan House, Schafer said, has “benefitted tremendously” through working with such organizations as Chautauqua County’s Faith Based Initiative. The faith based community and Social Services Department group, she said, focuses on improving networking between communities and church denominations.

Other outreach partners are Community Helping Hands and the Western New York Central Referral Service.

“We have become much better equipped to assist people through contacts with other churches, social service caseworkers, and Visiting Nurses,” the Samaritan House director said.

Volunteers, New Windows Needed

With many already considering New Year resolutions, volunteers at the outreach center are hoping others will make a commitment to join them. “We are in great need of volunteers,’’ said Schafer, noting that people willing to assist may set their own hours by calling Samaritan House at 962-2246.

Organizations, such as senior and youth groups, church groups, girl and boy scouts, and school clubs also are invited to consider work missions at Samaritan House.

Especially needed at this time is a maintenance man. Several interior carpentry and painting projects have been on the agenda for some time. “Right now,” the director said, “we are hoping to sell the old stained glass windows which will be replaced to conserve our heating bills — when we’re able to raise enough funds for the project.”

Meanwhile, bagged donations of clothing may be dropped off anytime at the donation shed. Household goods and appliances are accepted at Samaritan House during open hours or by appointment.

More information on the outreach program is available on the Website,
http://www.samaritanhouse.us.

January: End Poverty in America

2008-01-01T15:42:00.000-05:00

GET INVOLVED
Understanding the issues of poverty. Discovering easy ways to make a difference. Acting in the community. Giving your attention, your time, your resources. There are so many ways to get involved and help end poverty for good. And they all start here:

LEARN
The first step to solving a problem is understanding it, learning about the root causes of poverty and how people are finding success in ending it.

ACT
You can help increase awareness of poverty in America and advocate for change in your community. Here are simple ways to participate, act and get involved.

Become an advocate!

GIVE
Whether it’s giving your time and talent, donating materials or money, or contributing resources, you can make a difference in the lives of the 37 million Americans who are working for independence from poverty.

Support your local Outreach Mission
Samaritan House is sponsoring a “Give a dollar for the poor” campaign. Every dollar helps to support local families in need.

Please consider giving on a regular monthly basis.
You may give on our secure website donation page located at:
www.samaritanhouse.us or send directly to our office:
PO Box 730, Sinclairville, NY 14782

God Bless you as we work together serving our communities needs.
Maureen Schafer, Director

December: Year’s End 2007

2007-12-31T15:33:00.000-05:00

We are very busy at Samaritan House! Volunteers are needed!!
We sent out 21,415 # of clothes to St. Pauly Textiles this year. (that’s almost 11 TONS! And by the end of December it will be 11 TONS!!) These clothes are being shipped around the USA and around the World! We have been very busy sorting clothes and household goods that have been donated. We also received donations from several household sales this year. Many thanks, to Elaine Palmer-Titus, and many other individuals who have donated in this way.
Many families have been assisted this year with clothing and household goods. Some have moved into our area needing to start over, some are from our area needing a helping hand. The needs vary, but are constant.
There have been a lot of elderly folks in need of help with healthcare equipment that we’ve been able to provide for them to use, such as walkers, potty chairs, canes, shower chairs and wheelchairs.
Networking with the Faith Based Initiative has expanded our tent-stakes tremendously! We are able to help people in need throughout the County via the DSS Caseworkers, and Visiting Nurses, as well as other Churches when a need arises.
8 weeks of Life -Skills Classes have been provided by Cooperative Extension. We look forward to the next session of classes in 2008.
GED classes began in August provided by BOCES. Classes are on Wednesdays at 12:30. Classes are free to anyone 17 and older who lacks a high school diploma.
Chautauqua County Intercessors have begun meeting together in the Upper Room to pray.
In July we set up a booth at the Praise Festival in Westfield. Many connections were made with churches around the county. Bibles and Christian literature were also given out.
23 Book-bags were given to children of all ages for this school year. The response was great, so we will plan on doing that outreach again next year.
We donated several bags of stuffed animals towards the Christmas gift program at Park and giveaways for AD Free, as well as several bags of Bears for the Teddy Bears for Soldiers program in Salamanca. We also send age appropriate craft items to the After School Program at Park. Many things go to the Chautauqua County Nursing Home ministry. We are preparing a load to go to Vive La Casa in Buffalo, an organization for World Refugees (small toiletry items are needed).
We welcome new opportunities to broaden our territory in lending a helping hand to other ministries and outreach programs.
We had a new hot water tank installed, when the old one gave out. Many thanks, to Tom MacKinder.
We are looking for opportunities to sell the stained glass windows and replace them with energy efficient ones. We need enough money from the sale of the windows to pay for new ones and closing in the openings. (Please pray about this!)
A Maintenance man is needed! We have windows that need replacing, and several small carpentry & painting projects. Please call if you can help with these indoor projects.
We welcome volunteers donating time to sort clothing and keep our facility clean and orderly. If you have time to lend a helping hand, please call and let us know. Volunteer time can be done anytime of the week. If your organization is looking for community service projects, we welcome your assistance. (Senior Groups, Youth Groups, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, School groups, etc.)
We are looking forward to getting the word out about Samaritan House via the World Wide Web! Many thanks to Uta Milewski!
Please consider adding Samaritan House to your monthly missions giving program it would be greatly appreciated, and is greatly needed to keep up with maintenance, and helping the poor.
We look forward to our journey of helps in the community.
Thank You for being a part of this ministry.

God Bless you!
Maureen Schafer & Volunteers
716-962-2246 office