The Pawling Resource Center Expands Services to Help More In Need.
By Susan Stone
2016 saw an increase in community need, and the Pawling Resource Center was there with expanded services to accommodate all who required assistance from the Center’s signature programs. Most notable among these was the 23% increase in overall community members served at the Resource Center Food Pantry, with services to children, specifically, increasing by 42.1%. Services to seniors increased by 11.2%. The impact of these additional needs was most felt in the fourth quarter, when the Resource Center saw substantial growth in overall Food Pantry services to Seniors. These increased by 75% as the town of Pawling realized an expansion in the senior population over the same period in 2015. Over the last year, the Pawling Resource Center’s Food Pantry made nutritious choices available to almost 5,100 individuals in need within the greater Pawling community.
The Center’s Transportation program also realized significant expansion during the fourth quarter, with rides to medical appointment up over 19%. Additionally, medical equipment loans were up over 28%.
Finally, the special Thanksgiving and Christmas food distribution programs also mushroomed more than 14% and 28% respectively, while seventy two (72) families benefited from the annual Adopt-a-Family program. This program provides the joy of the holiday season to children and their parents who do not have the means to otherwise celebrate in a meaningful way.
Perhaps the most significant statistic of 2016 was the 2,020 volunteer hours that were generously donated to the center by all the community members who made the delivery of services offered by the PRC a reality for so many neighbors.
For information about The Pawling Resource Center, its services, as well as information about volunteering, log onto the PRC website at: www.pawlingresourcecenter.org., or contact Terry Ariano, Executive Director, at 845-855-3459.
