By: Zoha Wasif
“We can’t do it without you!” writes Judy Jeffords-Homitz, CEO of Safe Harbor Chester County. Recently the Covid-19 pandemic has swept through West Chester bringing with it homelessness, unemployment, and hunger. Many nonprofit organizations have emerged to challenge this unexpected event by offering food, clothing, and housing for those who are struggling. Fortunately, this pandemic has also brought awareness to the residents of West Chester and I was a witness to the strength and kindness of our West Chester Community.
Some of the main social problems hitting West Chester are hunger and homelessness. According to Feeding America, 1 in 9 people in Pennsylvania struggle with hunger and 1 in 7 children struggle with hunger. Think of it like this, there are about 11,950 students in the West Chester Area school district. Then, about 1,707 students would be affected. That would be almost all of Henderson High School. Luckily, many people have risen to the occasion. The Islamic Society of Chester County youth program makes food packages two Saturdays a month to send to Safe Harbor. In addition, Exton Station has set up a table outside the clubhouse where people can donate canned food and those in need can collect. It’s amazing how the table is never bare. Safe Harbor has also opened its doors for 20 men and 20 women to sleep. Covid-19 has also made some organizations expand like Act of Faith who has to invent new ways to hold more unemployed and low income families. They also are able to feed double the number of families that they usually do and have found support to expand their food banks.
Act in Faith is not the only non-profit organization whose had to increase their expenditures and find more donors. Safe harbor needs more donors to help pay for protective gear, including masks, gloves, safety barriers, sanitizing, and cleaning supplies for their staff and residents. The economic recession has also brought financial problems to the donors of these non-profit organizations. According to the CEO of Safe Harbor, “Many people who used to donate to nonprofits are now standing in line to receive services themselves”. Safe harbor is paying back favors to those who helped them before, but they still need your help to keep afloat, as other non-profit organizations. Based on statistics at AFC Global based on Giving USA figures in the first quarter of 2020 starting in March, non-profit charities lost 6% of their donors and if this loss continues to the end of the year about $25 billion that is usually donated to charities will be lost. This shows how important donors are to organizations in West Chester and around the world.
It’s amazing how far a little kindness can go and the way that it spreads hope. After hearing how our West Chester community is helping to change the numbers above and give everyone happiness, it makes me want to do more to help spread the magic by volunteering, making food packages, helping to raise money through online fundraisers, setting aside some of our savings for donation, or helping to spread awareness. All of these acts, though small, can make a difference in someone's lives. It is times like these for us to showcase the strength and kindness of our community. After all, we are all in this together!
Websites for fact checks:
https://chescocf.org/give/volunteer-opportunities/: more charities and organizations in West Chester