Author Archives: Julia VanTine
Posted on Thursday, June 6, 2019
By:
Julia VanTine
Categories:
Spotlights
Several years ago, their eyes locked across the garden area where our clients relax. Kevin had arrived at the shelter first; Monica, a month later. It was love at first sight, and their feelings were definitely not encouraged. “You’re not supposed to date here,” Monica says. But they had so much in common, it was tough not to open up to each other. Both married and...
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Tagged:Spotlight, Client Success
Posted on Thursday, June 6, 2019
By:
Julia VanTine
Categories:
Spotlights
“We live here, we give here.”
—Serge Szortyka, President, Quaker Maid MeatsHow and when did Quaker Maid get involved with Opportunity House?We’ve been donors since 1995, when your organization was still The Reading Berks Emergency Shelter. We wanted to help a local nonprofit that provided emergency shelter to those in need, especially in the winter months.Twenty-four years...
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Tagged:Spotlight
Posted on Thursday, June 6, 2019
By:
Julia VanTine
Categories:
Spotlights
When did you start to volunteer at OppHouse?
I started to think about doing “something” in the community 6 or 7 years ago. Because I love to cook, and food is love to me, I really felt pulled to serve meals here. I finally stopped procrastinating and signed up for my first meals five years ago. I’ve cooked here monthly ever since.In the past year, you’ve served in so...
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Tagged:Volunteer
Posted on Monday, November 26, 2018
By:
Julia VanTine
Categories:
Spotlights
The world had seemingly given up on Scott, a Navy veteran. But with your help, Scott built a new life from scratch: a rewarding job, his own little place, and a meaningful, productive life. After a normal life and 20 years of full-time employment in warehouse work, I’d lost my job. It was only a matter of time before I was evicted from my place. So I made the trip from Hamburg to...
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Tagged:Spotlight
Posted on Wednesday, May 2, 2018
By:
Julia VanTine
Categories:
Spotlights
This Stevens & Lee attorney joined our board last November, thanks to a colleague already active in a number of local charitable organizations. He knew Julie wanted to expand her community involvement. When Opportunity House board member Carol Miller called to ask him to recommend an attorney for a vacant board seat, he thought of Julie.
After touring the shelter, Learning Center, and...
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Tagged:Spotlight
Posted on Thursday, November 2, 2017
By:
Julia VanTine
Categories:
Spotlights
Drugs didn’t break her. Nor did a tumultuous relationship or a health
scare. Smart and articulate, Maria is a survivor. It just took her a minute to
find her stride. Maria, 43, grew up
in Reading with her mother and two sisters. When she was 26, her mother passed
away, “and that was the beginning of my drug spiral.” She started smoking marijuana
and progressed to harder...
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Tagged:Spotlight, Client Success
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