Ways to Help (and Get Help)
Dear Friends and Neighbors–Here are some opportunities to help in our community. And if you NEED help, please contact one of the groups listed below. Stay strong!
Help in Troubled Times
As many Hawleyites know, the current federal shutdown is affecting people across the United States, including many here in West County.
With SNAP benefits on hold, local agencies are stepping in to help feed people. The Mary Lyon Foundation, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and Good Neighbors (a non-religious group based at the Charlemont Federated Church) are among them.
In addition, Community Action Pioneer Valley (CAPV) announced a couple of days ago that due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) will be limited to heat emergencies only as the heat season begins. CAPV’s Fuel Assistance program continues to accept applications but currently has limited funds available for heat emergencies only. You can learn more about the new situation and how to apply for fuel assistance here.
CAPV executive director Lev BenEzra says, “One thing you can do to help is to help us make some noise about getting Fuel Assistance funding out into our communities. There is some concern that even when the shutdown ends, there may be a delay in getting funding to the states. Call your federal congresspeople and tell them ‘It’s cold up here! We need you to act to ensure swift action on fuel-assistance funding when the government reopens.’”
If you can, please consider donating to the Mary Lyon Foundation, the Food Bank, or Good Neighbors (see below). Meanwhile, here is a more detailed message from Sheila Litchfield of Good Neighbors. Please note that its monthly food distribution comes on Tuesday the 18th, in time for Thanksgiving.
Good Neighbors Food Pantry
a community service affiliated with the Charlemont Federated Church.
Food Distribution
Good Neighbors Food Pantry serves our community with a food distribution from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday each month at the Charlemont Federated Church.
The Food Distribution is held in the social hall of the church at 175 Main Street (Route 2), Charlemont (ramp access in the back). If you’d like to find out more about volunteering or being a part of the pantry, please call the church office at 413-339-4294.
Preparation for Disruption of SNAP Benefits
The Good Neighbors Food Pantry is working to counter the disruption of SNAP benefits in November for families in our community who are food insecure. Here are the steps we are taking:
- Increased general pantry inventory to serve increased numbers of guests through the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.
- Planning with Hawlemont School to distribute backpacks of kid-friendly non-perishable food, provided by Good Neighbors, to families the school believes will be food insecure if SNAP benefits are not available. Backpacks for Hawlemont families have begun going out and will be refilled regularly.
- Coordinated response and information sharing with other food pantries in West County and with the Mary Lyon Foundation. If Good Neighbors finds it is necessary to offer two distributions each month, we will start doing that on December 2 and will alternate our distributions to avoid duplicate distribution dates with Hilltown Food Pantry in Ashfield.
- Continued close work with the Food Bank regarding facts on this pending crisis and our ongoing access to food from the Food Bank. The people at the Food Bank are OUTSTANDING folks!
Community Support for the Pantry’s Efforts
The Pantry will need to spend more money now to support the needs of the community. Cash donations are the best way to help us. Using our usual sources, the Food Bank and local markets, we can obtain much more food per dollar than anyone can by shopping individually.
- Cash and checks made out to Good Neighbors are the most effective ways to support our supply of food. Please send these to Good Neighbors in care of the church at P.O. Box 248, Charlemont, MA 01339.
- Volunteering to help move food around at distributions or other times is also very useful. Call Sheila or Budge Litchfield (413-337-4957) for more information about helping out.
- Consider providing new toys for the December holiday gift distribution scheduled for December 16.
Thank you for helping us to help our neighbors!
Another Volunteer Opportunity: Hawley Tree Planting
Lloyd Crawford, who is spearheading this effort, writes:
We will be planting trees between the Hawley Town Garage and the river on Saturday, November 15. Stop by, even if only for an hour or two, if you can!
A bit of background… All of those who witnessed the wrath of Irene back in 2011 surely recall the fury of the Chickley River that day. This bank was undercut, and a portion of the garage collapsed.
A subsequent FEMA/MEMA grant in 2016 resulted in the widening of the channel of the river and planting of willows on the lower portion of the bank.
As the strength of tree roots is part of the strategy for keeping the bank from collapsing again, we took a look at these plantings a couple of years ago and engaged the services of Nic Miller, an expert in such matters, to advise us as to whether more work was needed.
He came up with a plan to plant trees on the upper portion of the bank to augment the work that took place earlier. Grant funding is paying for his services and all materials required for this project. There is a limited amount of funding for labor in the grant budget so the thought was that if we could have a big push on the planting day with volunteers engaged, the remainder of the work and subsequent maintenance could be accomplished with grant funds.
Please spread the word!
RSVPs appreciated! We want to make sure we have enough refreshments!
Medicare Scams
Finally, news about how some of us can help ourselves!
That’s it for this week. Snow may be on the way soon. Please check in with neighbors who may need help….
Warmly,
Tinky Weisblat
Gal Friday
Town of Hawley
413-339-5518
info@townofhawley.com
