Seems we were just toasting the New Year and here we are already into March, with its
most welcome extra hour of daylight. The first quarter is the perfect time for me to reflect
on the year past, as I continue to plan ahead and look forward to the spring of our 44th
year.
In late 2009 we received 4,000 worried, and sometimes frantic, requests for heating
assistance, and we are still booked into end of March for meetings with 25 clients per day
for this program. Family Resources Director Paul Salera and his staff have performed a
Hurculean task. It was also around this time that we coordinated the distribution of turkeys
and food to 100 families from Warwick Rotary Club, had 142 families ‘adopted’ for
holiday food and gifts, and received funds from John Hancock’s 2nd Annual Cookie
Fundraiser, while Hasbro helped us give toys to 1500 families, and The Providence
Journal supplied warm hats and mittens. We also purchased a catering truck to deliver
senior dining meals across the state.
Return website visitors may have noticed that the website has been refreshed and there
are photos, a farm blog, shared Expressions, featured GED students, and a few other
improvements that were long overdue. In the months ahead, we hope to tweet, friend and
share.
This year is starting off quite promising as long-awaited ARRA funds, better known as
Stimulus money, have arrived. Congressman Langevin held a press conference here two
weeks ago with Mayors Avedisian, Cicillini, Fung and Polisena, to announce Rhode
Island’s share of funding. He also visited our Adult Education Academy’s GED Program
that we expanded to serve more students thanks to the $230,000 we received. This
resulted in hiring two fulltime teachers, including an instructor dedicated to online
distance-learning courses, and purchase computers and educational materials.
I’m very proud that the Academy has graduated 41 students since August. A few of these
students have their sights on college, further proof that the mantra of Director Melanie
LaMountain and her staff, “GED isn’t the end of your education, but the beginning,”
truly resonates.
Speaking of beginnings, I’m equally proud The Westbay Probation Program, led by
Director Salera, received the Friend of the Department of Corrections Award last week.
We have collaborated with Kent County Courthouse and the Probation Office to help
newly released inmates’ transition back into the community more smoothly.
Westbay is the only CAP located at the courthouse where we have immediate access to
parolees before they leave the building. This point of release positioning enables us to
meet with these men and women to develop a foundation for stability that prevents them
from slipping back from this new lease on life.
Parolees are particularly vulnerable to recidivism during the first three months of release.
Getting services to this population quickly to positively transition them back into society
is critical for all of us.
The program has been so successful in its infancy, it is being observed by other
communities as a potential model.
http://www.westbaycap.org/news.asp
As if that weren’t enough, Westbay Farm and Food Services Director Larry Coughlin,
will be announcing a partnership and award later this month, both of which recognize the
work we have done supplying fresh produce to the struggling families of Kent County
these past five years.
It’s no coincidence that we are also celebrating five years since our food pantry, Westbay
Marketplace, opened to provide emergency food and nutritional education. The
Marketplace was the catalyst for the community garden, because so much of our donated
perishable items were spoiling quickly, we needed to find an economical way to have
readily available vegetables to supply the pantry and our dining programs. A former
employee Rob Goldman suggested we grow our own and the community garden was
born in the cabbage patch.
The farm is a perfect example of how creativity and entrepreneurial spirit on a shoestring
budget thrives here. None of us had any idea how to grow a two-acre vegetable garden,
but through a series of trial and error, savvy use of contacts, hands-on-learning, and
teaming up with VISTA Volunteers, we obtained small grants and just dug in (quite
literally!) to solve the problem.
This year we will begin a new phase of the farm to expand the yields by 25%, add fruits
and boost our educational component to show clients how they too can economically eat
healthy, pesticide-free foods. Last year we grew 10,000 pounds of vegetables that helped
feed 3,000 households.
By the way, the Farm Manager always needs volunteers, even for a couple of hours a
week. This year especially, we need the knowledge and generosity of volunteers who
know about flower gardening for bees and hummingbirds, native plants and fruit trees.
You can also show your support by shopping at our Saturday farm stand or donating any
surplus from your own garden or henhouse.
We have started an ‘official’ recycling program this year, relieving many conscientious
staff from lugging home their recyclables each week. Renovations will soon be underway
at the Westbay Children’s Center to update the HVAC system, kitchen and classrooms
after 40 years of constant use and activity. Director Maryanne Finamore and her staff will
also be looking forward to signing up volunteers to demo the old playground and rebuild
it anew.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 28 years as president and CEO at Westbay, is that
there will always be unexpected disasters and crises that will require extra money, staff,
logistical coordination and volunteers, even when we are already stretched thin.
The Trafalgar East Apartments fire last week was certainly one of those times. Within 48
hours, CFO Theresa Cabral started a monetary relief fund, and Directors Salera and
Coughlin established a food and clothing drop-off center at the Marketplace. The
community–from individuals to school children and businesses have opened their hearts
with a constant stream of donations, even when many are struggling themselves.
http://www.westbaycap.org/donate.asp
Amidst the calamity of the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, I’ll be leaving for the
Dominican Republic with Rotary Club of Warwick at the end of this week. We are
building a hospital in a very poor, rural community in the mountains. I’m sure it will be
very hard work in the heat, but very rewarding, with lasting value to the Dominican
village and all of us. I will share my photos and thoughts of the experience when I return.
Until then, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change
the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead.
Warm regards,
Jeanne