Packages of H.O.P.E.

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Created on Monday, 18 March 2013 11:58

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LYNDONVILLE- In a world where hard times fall on too many too often, a group of local volunteers share a vision of helping other people everyday.

They rightfully call themselves "H.O.P.E."

This group of around 17 volunteers does whatever they can to reduce the challenges faced by many area residents. With involvement from a countless number of community members, H.O.P.E creates care packages for people who have been victims of abuse, lost their homes to catastrophe, or those who are just struggling to make ends meet. Their process is confidential, and they will be there to help those in need for as long as they need.

“We go above and beyond for the domestic and fire relief packages,” said Sam Klepper, assistant manager at the organization's store location on Depot St. in Lyndonville, “We try not to put a limit on what their getting, we want them to feel comfortable.”

The fire relief packages were originally started by Vicki Florence, a woman who experienced the devastation a fire brings first hand when she lost her home. Florence would meet with victims and help them work their way through the hard times by helping with seemingly small things, like calling someone’s ophthalmologist to reorder their contacts, which can make a big difference in the life of someone going through a tough situation. Currently H.O.P.E is helping a couple families get back on their feet after fires took away much of what they owned. “It’s not a one time deal,” said Klepper, “what you need as soon as a fire is done is not the same as what you’re going to need in a week. It’s blankets and pillows, curtains and shower rods, food to start a refrigerator again, ketchup, mayonnaise, cleaning supplies, the things you don’t think about.”

H.O.P.E keeps a running list of what victims need and through donations from active community members they are able to provide necessities, and although they cannot keep furniture at their store, they have a book where people log what furniture they need, or what they have to give away.

Another program lead by the organization is their food filled backpacks for children in local schools. The bags are filled with enough food to feed a child breakfast, lunch and dinner, on the weekends. The program has been around for a little over 4 years and for the past 2 years it has been managed by Klepper who says she has seen it grow from 20 to 50 bags for children who come from homes where food isn’t always available.

“Unfortunately a lot of the time your neighbors are struggling with a food instability, sadly its sometimes first grade children who don’t have food at home and their only way of eating is what’s in the bag.” She also explained that a large majority of the children involved with the program are under third grade. Usually a teacher will pick up on a child struggling. Children who aren’t getting enough food tend to be more lethargic, or irritable, they are tired and can’t focus on work. When a teacher sees this they will talk to the student and set them up with the backpack program. Klepper doesn’t get to know who the children she is helping are, saying, “backpacks are completely confidential, no one knows what they are. Typically it’s the bus drivers who deliver them, they keep them under their seat and when a child gets off the bus they slide them a bag, they don’t know who it’s going to.”

The bags are not filled with just food, every few months Klepper and her volunteers throw in a new toothbrush and some tooth paste. Older students involved in the program will get deodorant, shampoo, conditioner and other personal hygiene products. Each bag costs $10 to $12 to make, and $500 can sponsor a bag for a whole school year.

Keeping in mind that school isn’t in session year round, teachers make sure that students understand that they can tell their parents about H.O.P.E.’s emergency food pantry. Volunteers have also offered to deliver backpacks to homes in the summer, leaving them in a box on a porch to maintain confidentiality. H.O.P.E doesn’t want so see any child going hungry at any time.

H.O.P.E also does care packages for the elderly, similar to the domestic packages. Whether it’s food, clothes, or maybe just a book to enjoy, H.O.P.E will put together a confidential package to be delivered. Also, in partnership with the Pines, H.O.P.E puts together birthday packages for the elderly. No names are given, just gender and a few details like what size shirt they wear or what books they would enjoy.

The work done at H.O.P.E is the product of a generous community coming together, Klepper said “we have a really great community. If I need something I put it on the Facebook page and it comes in, Christmas time I need 12 turkeys the next thing I know we somehow have 12 turkeys here, we have a really, really great community.”

Whatever the age, whatever the circumstance, H.O.P.E is here to service the community, if you or someone you know could benefit from their services, Klepper urges you to call or stop by the store, where she promises she and her team will make sure you’re comfortable.