Making an Impact in Schuylkill County
“I’d be on the street if it weren’t for her taking action.” Those are the words of this Vietnam-era Army veteran, Ronald H. sharing his thoughts about the services he received through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program Offering Help in...
SSVF Lancaster Provides Help and Hope
Henry* was born on an Army base in Fort Allen, Puerto Rico. His grandfather served at the base and his father worked there as a civilian. The son of two Army veteran’s, his mother served as a nurse in the Army and his father was a chemical specialist. As a child, he...
Improving Your Life One Step At a Time
“ I wanted to see the world,” said Thomas, a former jet mechanic when asked why he joined the Air Force. His travels started with school in Illinois and then he was stationed at Travis Air Force base in California. He honed his skills working on 141 and C5 planes. He...
Female Veteran Empowered for Her Future
As an Army medic, Cecelia R. has helped her fellow soldiers both male and female veterans. She’s helped heal their wounds and has seen their scars. Today, she knows that not all wounds and scars are visible on the outside. Her life after the military took her down a...
Donor Spotlight: Berks Bulls
Recently we received a major gift from a local club that’s been around for over two decades. What made the Berks Bulls reach out this year? We asked member Brad Hall to fill us in. What is Berks Bulls? It’s an investment club. Currently, we have 21 members. I would...
Volunteer Spotlight: Carolyn Holleran
Carolyn Holleran brought warmth to our House this past blizzard-y season, dropping off 35 hand-knitted hats for the men, women and children who shelter here. Taught to knit by her grandmother, the local philanthropist has nearly always had needles and a skein handy....
Good Job!
Thanks to local employers who give a hand up, 75% of our shelter residents are earning a regular paycheck. In February 2018, Phillip Iraola passed a urine drug screen, the second step towards his new life. He’d aced Step One the day before: he’d passed his Commercial...
Volunteering with Veterans
We asked Melissa Neff, an SSVF volunteer to share her experience about volunteering during COVID. Supportive Services for Veteran Families provides permanent housing for veterans who are homeless or facing evictions. Getting the word out to local resources is...
Safe and Sound Sleep
When he retired from the fast-paced world of corporate banking and leasing, Bill* made a deliberate effort to slow down. In his words, he decided to “become a better version of myself.” Inspired by Matthew Kelly’s faith community and Bill’s renewed purpose, he...
An Opportunity for Change
Elizabeth H. home life seemed rather normal. One of six siblings born in a middle-class family to a stay-at-home mom and her father who was a self-employed CPA. . Things changed after high school, when she told her stern disciplinarian father that she was not going...