Help Line receives $20k Grant from Millennium Circle Fund

Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley is Recipient of the 2010 Millennium Circle Grant Award

Help Line to Receive $20,000

Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley’s Help Line Program, is the recipient to The Luzerne Foundation’s Millennium Circle Fund annual grant. Millennium Circle members selected the program from five finalists for the award at the annual luncheon held on October 26th at Genetti’s Best Western Hotel & Conference Center in Wilkes-Barre.

The 2010 Millennium Circle Grant of $20,000 will go towards the Help Line Program as a 24/7 (365 day) operation; continuing its mission by providing services to those who are most vulnerable. Remember the jingle…”when you need help and need it right away….call Help Line 829-1341.”

“We are thrilled to be able to help Family Service Association’s Help Line so that they may continue to connect those in need of assistance across our community with the appropriate service provider,” noted Charie Aponick, Chair of the Millennium Circle Fund of The Luzerne Foundation. “They are the only 24/7 telephone help service and lifeline to provide help to those in need in Luzerne County and obviously the need is great.”

Help Line was chosen from five finalists including Jewish Family Service Center of Greater Wilkes-Barre for the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program. Volunteers of America for the Supporting Stronger Families Program. Cori’s Place – for facilities and program extension to serve people with mental retardation. Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center – for the Evening & Overnight Childcare Program. Each of the other finalists will be moved to The Luzerne Foundation’s Health and Wellness Fund and/or the general grant application cycle for further review and possible funding.

A portion of Help Line’s application reads as follows:

“From July 1 2010 until September 30, 2010, Help Line “answered the call” 24,913 times. The calls coming into Help Line, that average approximately 300 per day, ranged from erupting mental health issues, reports of child abuse or neglect, transportation problems for the elderly and chronically ill, and families facing drug or alcohol issues. Help Line also takes the calls for run away children, individuals who have lost their jobs, families looking for heat assistance or homeless services, and then there are the calls from victims of domestic abuse who call at 2:00 AM, looking for help and a safe haven for the night.

We believe that Help Line is more than just a service program of FSAWV; we believe it’s a vital community resource. Help Line is accessible to the hearing impaired and utilizes the AT&T Language Line to provide access to those for whom English is not their preferred language. In addition, Help Line is the vital after hours link to the community and the 21 other human service agencies and organizations Help Line supports by taking their after-hour crisis calls. Today, Help Line is working around the clock with professional caseworkers taking these vital calls.”

The Millennium Circle luncheon was attended by nearly 200 members and guests – the largest attendance in the history of the event.