Charity In Action Updates

Greetings!

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:22:00 GMT

Dear Friends of Charity In Action,

Happy Holidays!

My name is Anders Hyatt and I am writing to introduce myself as the new director of Charity In Action. To begin with, I’d like to say that I’m very excited to be here! I truly couldn’t think of a more inspiring job to have. I also feel a deep sense of gratitude for the chance to work with all of you as we move Charity In Action forward in its mission of service. In addition to providing ongoing support in the Gulf, my hope is to expand our mission to support community service of all kinds.

Frank Vagnone has decided to leave the Presidency. Frank and his wife Laura founded Charity In Action in response to Hurricane Katrina. At a time when so many of us were asking what could be done, they had the vision, courage and tenacity to find an answer. They made it possible for hundreds of willing volunteers and donors to help thousands of people. We are so grateful for their leadership. Thank you, Frank and Laura!

I’m also pleased to announce that Charity In Action has recently voted Eva Lexie onto the board of directors. Her hard work and dedication to this organization over the past few years has been invaluable and I’m thrilled to have her continue as a strong presence on our board. Thank you Eva!

When Hurricane Katrina struck our country over three years ago, I was serving with the Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa. At the time, I was so far removed from the western world that it was hard to grasp the seriousness of the situation. In fact, I didn’t know about it until a few weeks after it happened. When I did hear about it, I assumed it was bad, but nothing to worry about. I moved on. You see, as a Peace Corps volunteer, the scope of my daily concerns rarely moved outside of my village. This was a small rural village that had no running water, no electricity and virtually no communication with the outside world. The only news I could get were BBC updates from a short-wave radio that garbled through the speakers in West African French.

During those two years I lived a fairly simple life. I didn’t have a TV around every corner flooding my mind with the scenes, sounds and stories that came from over 100 miles of coastline in peril. I was blissfully unaware of what was happening. At the same time I was distracted. I was witnessing other kinds of suffering, equally tragic and deserving of attention. I was undergoing a personal journey that would change me in ways I never expected. It opened my eyes to the diversity of experiences we have on this planet. Though I was constantly energized by the beauty of a new culture and the kindness of African people, I was also humbled by the huge challenges that face them. I believe it was this experience which led me to where I am today.

Now that I’m back and I have joined the Bryn Athyn College on their service trips to the Gulf, I understand much more about Katrina and the real experiences people went through there. I’ve also learned more about the experiences of those who weren’t directly affected by Katrina but were disturbed by it. These were people all over the country who discovered they weren’t content to just stand by and passively observe. They had to get involved. They had to actively help. These are the people who formed Charity In Action. These are the people who donated their time and money. These are the volunteers who took time out of their lives to travel down there. You are one of these people.

We all have unique stories and backgrounds that have shaped who we are and the things we value. And though we each come to it in different ways, I’m amazed to see that shared value of love that exists among all people. Everybody has something to contribute to the mission of bringing people together through service. This includes volunteers, organizers, donors, students and service organizations. Most importantly, we must be grateful to those people who accept our help because in the end, it is they who serve us. Our organization would not exist if there weren’t people on the other end for us to connect with.

I’m truly in awe of the work Charity In Action has done over the past few years. I’m also inspired by the potential of this organization to begin supporting service in more and more ways. If you are reading this letter, you are one of the many people in this community who hear the call to service. Please stay tuned as we work to provide opportunities for YOU to answer that call.

Yours truly,

Anders Hyatt

Director, Charity In Action
http://charityinaction.org
volunteers@charityinaction.org
215-407-8454

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
Howard Thurman

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Greetings!

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:16:00 GMT

Greetings! Dear Friends of Charity In Action, Happy Holidays! My name is Anders Hyatt and I am writing to introduce myself as the new director of Charity In Action. To begin with, I�d like to say that I�m very excited to be here! I truly couldn�t think of a more inspiring job to have. I also feel a deep sense of gratitude for the chance to work with all of you as we move Charity In Action forward in its mission of service. In addition to providing ongoing support in the Gulf, my hope is to expand our mission to support community service of all kinds. Frank Vagnone has decided to leave the Presidency.� Frank and his wife Laura founded Charity In Action in response to Hurricane Katrina.� At a time when so many of us were asking what could be done, they had the vision, courage and tenacity to find an answer.� They made it possible for hundreds of willing volunteers and donors to help thousands of people.� We are so grateful for their leadership.� Thank you, Frank and Laura! I�m also pleased to announce that Charity In Action has recently voted Eva Lexie onto the board of directors. Her hard work and dedication to this organization over the past few years has been invaluable and I�m thrilled to have her continue as a strong presence on our board. Thank you Eva! When Hurricane Katrina struck our country over three years ago, I was serving with the Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa. At the time, I was so far removed from the western world that it was hard to grasp the seriousness of the situation. In fact, I didn�t know about it until a few weeks after it happened. When I did hear about it, I assumed it was bad, but nothing to worry about. I moved on. You see, as a Peace Corps volunteer, the scope of my daily concerns rarely moved outside of my village. This was a small rural village that had no running water, no electricity and virtually no communication with the outside world. The only news I could get were BBC updates from a short-wave radio that garbled through the speakers in West African French. During those two years I lived a fairly simple life. I didn�t have a TV around every corner flooding my mind with the scenes, sounds and stories that came from over 100 miles of coastline in peril. I was blissfully unaware of what was happening. At the same time I was distracted. I was witnessing other kinds of suffering, equally tragic and deserving of attention. I was undergoing a personal journey that would change me in ways I never expected. It opened my eyes to the diversity of experiences we have on this planet. Though I was constantly energized by the beauty of a new culture and the kindness of African people, I was also humbled by the huge challenges that face them. I believe it was this experience which led me to where I am today. Now that I�m back and I have joined the Bryn Athyn College on their service trips to the Gulf, I understand much more about Katrina and the real experiences people went through there. I�ve also learned more about the experiences of those who weren�t directly affected by Katrina but were disturbed by it. These were people all over the country who discovered they weren�t content to just stand by and passively observe. They had to get involved. They had to actively help. These are the people who formed Charity In Action. These are the people who donated their time and money. These are the volunteers who took time out of their lives to travel down there. You are one of these people. We all have unique stories and backgrounds that have shaped who we are and the things we value. And though we each come to it in different ways, I�m amazed to see that shared value of love that exists among all people. Everybody has something to contribute to the mission of bringing people together through service. This includes volunteers, organizers, donors, students and service organizations. Most importantly, we must be grateful to those people who accept our help because in the end, it is they who serve us. Our organization would not exist if there weren�t people on the other end for us to connect with. I�m truly in awe of the work Charity In Action has done over the past few years. I�m also inspired by the potential of this organization to begin supporting service in more and more ways. If you are reading this letter, you are one of the many people in this community who hear the call to service. Please stay tuned as we work to provide opportunities for YOU to answer that call. Yours truly, Anders Hyatt Director, Charity In Action http://charityinaction.org volunteers@charityinaction.org 215-407-8454 "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Howard Thurman

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News from Charity In Action

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:58:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
In May we wrote to you that we might need to close Charity In Action. We are now writing to let you know that we are alive and well, and we have exciting prospects for new leadership. We are very hopeful that we will be able to continue our useful service. Stay tuned for more details in a few weeks!

Recently I was able to drive through several of the communities in coastal Mississippi where Charity In Action has been helping. It was inspiring to see the rebuilding that has been accomplished, and the work in progress. It was also clear that a lot remains to be done and many people are still in need.

I had a visit with Chief Jones of West Hancock Fire Rescue in Pearlington, and he showed me the "jaws of life" rescue equipment that our 2007 fundraiser paid for. Thanks to all of you who helped make this possible!

Eva Lexie
Assistant Director
Charity In Action

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News from Charity In Action

Wed, 14 May 2008 19:51:00 GMT

Dear Friends of Charity In Action:

We are very proud of all that Charity In Action has accomplished since it was founded in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Right now, however, we are facing a big challenge. We no longer have the manpower to keep up our operations, so unless new leadership steps forward we will need to close down in June.

Early in 2007, we were able to support a Bryn Athyn College service trip to Pearlington, MS to spend a week rebuilding hurricane damage. We also sent $5,000 to West Hancock Fire Rescue in Pearlington in the spring. Hurricane Katrina wiped out the fire station and much of the equipment of this all-volunteer company. It also destroyed the tax base that had supported them, leaving them with no income to cover operating costs for several years. With our summer matching fundraiser we raised another $9,800 that we sent to them in the fall. We finished the year with a $5,000 donation to the Helping Hands fund at the Hope Haven Children�s Shelter in Bay St. Louis, MS. This fund is designed to give assistance to the neediest hurricane victims in the community. It was nearly depleted and our donation came just in time to help pay electric bills and keep the lights and heat on for some struggling families, to provide temporary housing for a family living in a tent, and much more.

So far in 2008, we have supported another very successful service trip to Pearlington by Bryn Athyn College. With a new leadership team in place, we could continue to accomplish great things. The organizational structure and financial base are here, crying out for new volunteers to carry the work forward!

Our staff is unpaid, but our work is immensely rewarding. We need someone with the vision, skill and enthusiasm to direct our operations, as well as support in many areas. If you are interested in becoming part of a revitalized team, please contact us immediately to discuss the possibilities. Send us an email at volunteers@charityinaction.org with your contact information and tell us how you might be able to help.

We will follow up with an announcement of the final decision within three weeks.

Thank you so much to the hundreds of volunteers and donors who have helped Charity In Action help others!

Eva S. Lexie
Assistant Director,
Charity In Action

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Katrina's second anniversary

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 02:02:00 GMT

On August 29th it will be two years since Hurricane Katrina struck. While progress has been made in the area of coastal Mississippi where Charity In Action has focused its efforts, an enormous amount of work remains to be done. We expect to keep helping as much as we can.

Our current matching fund drive to help West Hancock Fire Rescue (WHFR) continues. It will end on September 1, and we hope last-minute contributions will swell the total amount we will be able to send them. So far we have raised $4,675 for them. We will double all earmarked donations received by the deadline, up to a maximum of $10,000.

Eight Pennsylvania firefighters recently spent a week in Mississippi helping WHFR. You can read the group leader's account of the trip and view a few of his pictures on the Charity In Action website, www.charityinaction.org.

Eva Lexie
Assistant Director

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Americorps positions

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:16:00 GMT

Charity In Action has been informed of three Americorps positions to help with the rebuilding effort in Hancock County, Mississippi. These positions run from July 9 to November 28, 2007. If interested, email us at volunteers@charityinaction.org and we will be happy to forward the notice to you.

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More ways to help

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:25:00 GMT

Last week we updated you on our efforts to help West Hancock Fire Rescue in Pearlington, MS. Projects like this are why Charity In Action exists. As long as we have the capacity to help in disaster response and recovery, that will remain our focus.

Today we want to update you on another necessary part of our existence -- not the why, but the how. This organization must be kept alive not only by financial support from donors but by people who perform the functions of running the organization. The more this work can be done well by volunteers rather than paid professionals, the more money we can put towards helping those in need.

Charity In Action is hoping to find some special people to support this work. If you are qualified and interested in volunteering for any of the following, please contact us at volunteers@charityinaction.org to discuss further. If you know others who might wish to help, please speak to them and put them in touch with us.

1. Certified public accountant or certified CPA to review our financial statements in the near future.
2. Bookkeeper on an ongoing basis.
3. Potential board member. We are compiling a list of those who might be interested in joining our board of directors at some time in the future. Tell us about your enthusiasm and/or expertise!
4. Writer. We are exploring the possibility of a magazine article geared toward fire and rescue personnel, featuring West Hancock Fire Rescue and Charity In Action's efforts to help. There's no guarantee of publication, but someone with interests in Charity In Action, fire companies, and journalism might enjoy this challenge.
5. Someone with expertise in fundraising.
6. Can you suggest other ways you might like to help?

Although Charity In Action is not currently organizing its own service trips to Mississippi, there are other nonprofit organizations looking for volunteers to go down and help. If you have skills in the following and would like to look into these opportunities we may be able to put you in touch with groups that need you:
1. Firefighters/EMTs
2. Construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC.

Thank you so much for your interest in our work and for staying in touch with us. There is a continuing struggle to recover a normal life on the Gulf Coast. You can help to keep the awareness alive!

Best regards,
Eva Lexie, Assistant Director

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update on our Katrina relief efforts

Mon, 21 May 2007 15:27:00 GMT

While most of the country has forgotten about Hurricane Katrina, many people on the Gulf Coast are still struggling to recover. Charity In Action continues to work on Katrina relief in coastal Mississippi.

Our latest project is helping a fire and rescue company that was devastated by Katrina. West Hancock Fire Rescue (www.westhancockfirerescue.org) is based in Pearlington, MS where Katrina made landfall. Every building was damaged or destroyed. Some former residents are gone; the rest are struggling to rebuild. It will be two more years before the tax base is restored for this all-volunteer fire company.

WHFR is the first responder for a 75-square-mile area that includes a section of I-10 and a large industrial port facility. Residents depend on WHFR to protect their health and safety, and so do hundreds of volunteers who come to work in the area on the rebuilding effort. In addition, the gradual return of tourism will help in the recovery. If these people don�t feel protected, they may not come. The few remaining members of WHFR are valiantly keeping up this work while also holding paid jobs and rebuilding their homes.

The firehouse was completely destroyed. Several donated or loaned emergency vehicles are now housed in a temporary shelter funded by FEMA and constructed by the Seabees. The volunteers now operate out of a trailer. FEMA does not pay for operating costs, not even fuel. The needs are great.

Charity In Action sent $5,000 to WHFR in March 2007 to cover the most immediate needs: repairing the brakes on their main truck, and buying fuel. Now we are conducting a matching funds donation drive to raise more money for them. For more information about this fund drive please check our website (www.charityinaction.org) or email volunteers@charityinaction.org.

We are also working with the Bryn Athyn Fire Co. (www.bafc.net) in Pennsylvania. BAFC is attempting to collect donations of specific needed equipment and supplies for WHFR, and is helping us spread the word to other fire companies. President Cooper placed a notice about this effort in the Public Safety News, an electronic newsletter for fire and emergency personnel. Vice President Brown handed out flyers at a trade show. We really appreciate their help!

Thank you to all of you on this mailing list for your ongoing interest and support.

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recent service trip

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 18:27:00 GMT

Charity In Action recently sponsored a very successful service trip for Katrina relief by Bryn Athyn College. 18 volunteers spent a week in Pearlington, Mississippi helping with the recovery effort. To read an account written by one of the group leaders and to see pictures from the trip, visit our website www.charityinaction.org. Thanks to all who helped to make this happen!

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college service trip to Mississippi

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:28:00 GMT

Charity In Action is sponsoring a service trip by Bryn Athyn College of the New Church to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery. 14 students and 4 adults will go to Pearlington, MS in late February 2007 to spend a week working on the rebuilding effort.

While CiA is subsidizing a large portion of the cost per student, as well as paying for tools and supplies for the rebuilding projects, the students are working hard on raising additional funds themselves. Their main fundraiser is a raffle. If you would like to support the students making this trip, and you live close enough to Bryn Athyn, PA to enjoy the prize, please consider purchasing raffle tickets from them.

Prize: Dinner for four in the tower at Glencairn Museum (fully catered, five-course dinner), as well as a private behind-the-scenes tour of Glencairn with Museum Director Stephen Morley

Ticket Price: $10

Drawing: May 5, 2007 (at Bryn Athyn College Fun Fair)

Benefits: 85% of proceeds go to C.A.R.E., the Bryn Athyn College community service organization, to support service trips. 15% goes to the Glencairn Museum Fund to help subsidize the cost of educational trips to the museum.

To purchase tickets, contact Hannah Simons at 267-502-2829 or email hannah.simons@brynathyn.edu.

To see more about Pearlington, MS, visit http://www.prcvolunteers.blogspot.com/ or read a recent Washington Post article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/27/AR2007012701154.html.

For more information on Bryn Athyn College see http://www.brynathyn.edu/.

To learn more about Glencairn Museum visit http://www.glencairnmuseum.org/.

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End-of-year update

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 15:54:00 GMT

Charity In Action is still working to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We have continued to supply needed items for the Hancock County Distribution Warehouse in Kiln, MS. In September we purchased a truckload of bottled water � a total of 36,480 �-liter bottles! These are used both for volunteer workers and for residents whose well water is unfit to drink. In October we bought 400 sheets of drywall with jointing compound and tape, 37 doors, and 30 insulated windows. These are distributed to people trying to rebuild their homes. Case managers coordinate the process, examining the circumstances of individuals and deciding where the need is greatest. Our contacts in Mississippi tell us that the rebuilding effort is �just scratching the surface� of what needs to be done.

Unfortunately the Warehouse has lost its government funding and has to close in December, which puts some of the people who worked there out of a job. Several of these people plan to transfer their center of operations to the PowerHouse of Deliverance Ministry in Bay St. Louis, so that they can keep up the good work.

Charity In Action�s newest project for the future is helping young people to get involved in service. For the next three years we plan to support Bryn Athyn College in sending student service trips to work in the hurricane-damaged area. The next trip will be in spring 2007, and Charity In Action has pledged to subsidize a large portion of the cost per student and to give additional funds for building materials.

Charity In Action remains an all-volunteer organization. In this way we minimize our operating costs although we must still cover legal, tax accounting, insurance, information technology, and miscellaneous expenses. By maintaining our structure we can be ready to mobilize and respond quickly in the event of another major disaster.

Our donors and our volunteers make all this possible. Thank you!

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