2016 / 2015 - Recipients
FLITE - December
The Foundation for Learning in Tredyffrin/Easttown, FLITE, serves preschool through high school students in Tredyffrin/Easttown by funding programs that help ensure all students – especially those who face financial or environmental barriers to educational success – have the academic tools, opportunities, and support they need. FLITE funds 18 programs including preschool tuition assistance for students who meet financial criteria, an after-school homework program, computers for home usage, funding for musical instrument rentals for students who otherwise would not be able to participate in school music programs, and financial assistance for summer learning opportunities.
The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia - November
The Interfaith Center was founded in 2004 as a regional response to the national tragedy of 9/11. The Center was founded by individuals from diverse backgrounds who wanted to transform the tragic event into a catalyst for positive change. Today, the Center strives to increase peace and understanding among people of all faiths and backgrounds in our region. Their aim is to replace hate and fear with harmony and acceptance. They work towards these goals through educational and leadership opportunities for youth, adults, and religious leaders. In this time of rancor towards various groups within our country, The Interfaith Center offers a safe place to learn and understand.
The Chester Children’s Chorus - October
The Chester Children’s Chorus (CCC) offers talented children, ages 8 to 18, the opportunity to achieve musical excellence, expand their intellectual and cultural horizons, and flourish as confident individuals. For younger children, the Chorus’ Sing-to-Learn program provides music instruction that reinforces academic objectives in twelve kindergarten, first grade, and second grade classrooms in Chester. Inspired by his own experience in the Newark Boy’s Choir, Dr. John Alston founded the CCC in 1994 with seven boys from one school in Chester. Each year, the CCC performs 10 to 12 community concerts. On October 22 they will perform at MLUC.
Partner Church - September
The organization selected for this month is MLUC’s partner church in Várfalva, Romania, whose building needs extensive renovations. The church received a loan from their Bishop’s office to conduct a study/archeological dig to determine the condition of the historic building and steps needed for restoration. Based upon the findings, the congregation was awarded a European Union grant to proceed with the next phase of work, after they repay the Bishop’s loan of $5000. The Offering Outreach contribution will provide this rural church congregation with assistance toward repayment of the loan.
The Acquired Brain Injury Network of Pennsylvania - July/August
The Acquired Brain Injury Network of Pennsylvania (ABIN-PA). ABIN-PA eases the life-changing impact of brain injury by helping survivors and their families rebuild their lives. They provide support, education, information, advocacy, and other services for individuals with acquired brain injury and their families. The organization is run by individuals with brain injuries and their family members. Through their Infoline, PeerConnect program and events, survivors and family members are able to share their stories and encourage each other on the road to recovery.
Girls Justice League - June
Located in Philadelphia, the Girls Justice League, is a girl’s rights organization dedicated to taking action for social, political, educational, and economic justice with and for girls and young women. The League is a collective of young women and their allies, working to build and reinforce a culture where girls are fully empowered and where gender, race, and other disparities are identified and confronted in the systems which affect their futures. Girls participate in Saturday and Summer Institutes and develop skills in leadership, activism, and organizing. They identify issues that they care about and then launch campaigns to make change in their schools and neighborhoods.
Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association - May
Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association (CRC) is devoted to the protection of water resources of the Chester, Ridley and Crum Creek Valleys in Chester and Delaware Counties. Since 1970, CRC has been cleaning streams, restoring stream side forests, monitoring water quality and educating students and residents about stream protection. CRC organized stream clean up at multiple sites on April 30, including Smedley Park, the location for the MLUC Environmental Care Project.
Educating Communities for Parenting - April
Educating Communities for Parenting (ECP) is located in Philadelphia. Their mission is to provide parenting education and youth development programs that cultivate independence and responsibility, break the cycle of abuse and neglect, and build strong communities. The foundation for all ECP programs is a continuously updated, research-based curriculum. Programs are provided in foster care residences, homeless shelters, recovery facilities, childcare centers, and schools. Populations served include teen/young adult parents, adjudicated delinquent youth, young adults aging out of foster care, and preschoolers/children at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence.
Daemion Counseling Center - March
Located in Berwyn, Daemion Counseling Center provides quality mental health counseling to those who cannot afford traditional therapy fees. The center serves individuals, couples, and families, ages 14+, from southeastern PA. The majority of clients come with symptoms of depression. 26% of those served have an income of less than $15,000 per year. Daemion Counseling Center helps those facing mental health and life challenges turn the corner toward hope. Visit daemioncounseling.org for more information.
Mighty Writers -February
Mighty Writers teaches Philadelphia children and teens to think and write with clarity so they can achieve success at school, at work, and in life. They offer after school academies, writing classes on nights and weekends, teen scholar programs, mentorships, SAT preparation, and college essay classes. In 2014-2015, the organization served 2,000 students at four centers in South, West, and North Philadelphia. Mighty Writers works with children who are struggling to read and write and who have the potential to be great readers and writers. They work with children who may be receiving little encouragement from teachers in overcrowded classrooms and who may not have books at home. Children and teens who participate in the programs improve their reading and writing skills, achieving proficiency at a much higher rate than their peers who are not in the program.
Hosts for Hospitals - January
Hosts for Hospitals is a unique, small nonprofit agency providing free or minimal cost lodging and support at volunteer host homes as a response to the housing needs of patients and families who come the Greater Philadelphia area for specialized medical care. Several MLUC families have participated as hosts and have welcomed medical patients and their families from all over the United States and the world. Hosts for Hospitals fills a unique niche in meeting the lodging needs of patients’ families. It is the only organization that provides lodging for the families of adult patients of whom the illness does not involve transplant or cancer. The organization accepts families of patients of all ages and all types of illness. There are no restrictions on family size or length of stay.
2015 - Recipients
Philadelphia Veteran’s House - December
Located in West Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Veterans House (PVH) began in 1994 as a place for veterans commuting between the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center and their homes to live comfortably and have meals, free of charge, during weekdays. In 2012, PVH welcomed its first homeless guests. PVH accepts honorably discharged military personnel and gives homeless veterans a chance to start over and find employment and housing. PVH’s Operation Airdrop brings food and supplies to veterans on the streets during the fall and winter months. Operation Able Assist prevents homelessness by paying vital bills, while holiday open houses are held so that homeless veterans can spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter with good company, while receiving meals, showers, and an opportunity to do laundry.
Neighborhood Bike Works - November
Neighborhood Bike Works is an organization that provides educational, recreational, and career-building opportunities for urban youth in underserved neighborhoods in greater Philadelphia through bicycling. It promotes cycling as a healthy, affordable, and environment-friendly method of transportation. Their free or low-cost youth programs like Earn-a-Bike, Group Rides, and summer camp reach over 500 youth per year. Bike maintenance classes are also offered, leading to opportunities for apprenticeships and summer jobs. Visit neighborhoodbikeworks.org.
Tredyffrin and Easttown Care - October
Tredyffrin and Easttown Care (T & E Care) is a nonprofit organization that helps families who are facing difficult situations right in our community. T & E Care provides financial and other material assistance to persons in need of financial and other material assistance who reside in and around the Tredyffrin and Easttown township area. Assistance is provided for mortgage, rent and utility payments for people in need, school supplies, summer camp, computers, and for school lunches for families who don’t quite meet the criteria for the school lunch program but are struggling with lunch costs.
Past Recipients
Additional recipients of MLUC’s Offering Outreach program are: The Ray of Hope Project, New Day Drop-In Center, Camp Dreamcatcher, Main Line Youth Alliance, Mindfulness Through Movement, Feeding Thousands, The Center for Creative Works, West Philadelphia Alliance for Children, Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund, Good Shepherd Mediation Program, Heeding God’s Call, The Center Foundation, DMAX Foundation, Treehouse Books, ArtWell, Interfaith Hospitality Network, CHOICE, Community Volunteers in Medicine, Back on My Feet, West Chester Food Cupboard, Life Beyond Abuse, Tredyffrin & Easttown Care, Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children, Green Belt Movement, The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia, Main Line Youth Alliance, Project Forward Leap, UUSC-UUA Pakistan Relief Fund, Chester County Food Bank, Books Through Bars, Peter’s Place, Nationalities Service Center, West Philadelphia Alliance for Children, Latinas Unidas, Community Volunteers in Medicine, Baker Industries, Hosts for Hospitals, Papaye Peasant Movement, Family Support Line, Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, Heeding God’s Call, Every Child is Our Child, Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, Ardmore Food Pantry, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Mazzoni Center Ally Safe Schools, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Radnor A Better Chance, Prison Ministry at the Church of the Larger Fellowship, The Bridge Way School, The Ray of Hope Project, Surrey Services for Seniors, MusicWorks, Chester County Citizens for Climate Protection.
The Foundation for Learning in Tredyffrin/Easttown, FLITE, serves preschool through high school students in Tredyffrin/Easttown by funding programs that help ensure all students – especially those who face financial or environmental barriers to educational success – have the academic tools, opportunities, and support they need. FLITE funds 18 programs including preschool tuition assistance for students who meet financial criteria, an after-school homework program, computers for home usage, funding for musical instrument rentals for students who otherwise would not be able to participate in school music programs, and financial assistance for summer learning opportunities.
The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia - November
The Interfaith Center was founded in 2004 as a regional response to the national tragedy of 9/11. The Center was founded by individuals from diverse backgrounds who wanted to transform the tragic event into a catalyst for positive change. Today, the Center strives to increase peace and understanding among people of all faiths and backgrounds in our region. Their aim is to replace hate and fear with harmony and acceptance. They work towards these goals through educational and leadership opportunities for youth, adults, and religious leaders. In this time of rancor towards various groups within our country, The Interfaith Center offers a safe place to learn and understand.
The Chester Children’s Chorus - October
The Chester Children’s Chorus (CCC) offers talented children, ages 8 to 18, the opportunity to achieve musical excellence, expand their intellectual and cultural horizons, and flourish as confident individuals. For younger children, the Chorus’ Sing-to-Learn program provides music instruction that reinforces academic objectives in twelve kindergarten, first grade, and second grade classrooms in Chester. Inspired by his own experience in the Newark Boy’s Choir, Dr. John Alston founded the CCC in 1994 with seven boys from one school in Chester. Each year, the CCC performs 10 to 12 community concerts. On October 22 they will perform at MLUC.
Partner Church - September
The organization selected for this month is MLUC’s partner church in Várfalva, Romania, whose building needs extensive renovations. The church received a loan from their Bishop’s office to conduct a study/archeological dig to determine the condition of the historic building and steps needed for restoration. Based upon the findings, the congregation was awarded a European Union grant to proceed with the next phase of work, after they repay the Bishop’s loan of $5000. The Offering Outreach contribution will provide this rural church congregation with assistance toward repayment of the loan.
The Acquired Brain Injury Network of Pennsylvania - July/August
The Acquired Brain Injury Network of Pennsylvania (ABIN-PA). ABIN-PA eases the life-changing impact of brain injury by helping survivors and their families rebuild their lives. They provide support, education, information, advocacy, and other services for individuals with acquired brain injury and their families. The organization is run by individuals with brain injuries and their family members. Through their Infoline, PeerConnect program and events, survivors and family members are able to share their stories and encourage each other on the road to recovery.
Girls Justice League - June
Located in Philadelphia, the Girls Justice League, is a girl’s rights organization dedicated to taking action for social, political, educational, and economic justice with and for girls and young women. The League is a collective of young women and their allies, working to build and reinforce a culture where girls are fully empowered and where gender, race, and other disparities are identified and confronted in the systems which affect their futures. Girls participate in Saturday and Summer Institutes and develop skills in leadership, activism, and organizing. They identify issues that they care about and then launch campaigns to make change in their schools and neighborhoods.
Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association - May
Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association (CRC) is devoted to the protection of water resources of the Chester, Ridley and Crum Creek Valleys in Chester and Delaware Counties. Since 1970, CRC has been cleaning streams, restoring stream side forests, monitoring water quality and educating students and residents about stream protection. CRC organized stream clean up at multiple sites on April 30, including Smedley Park, the location for the MLUC Environmental Care Project.
Educating Communities for Parenting - April
Educating Communities for Parenting (ECP) is located in Philadelphia. Their mission is to provide parenting education and youth development programs that cultivate independence and responsibility, break the cycle of abuse and neglect, and build strong communities. The foundation for all ECP programs is a continuously updated, research-based curriculum. Programs are provided in foster care residences, homeless shelters, recovery facilities, childcare centers, and schools. Populations served include teen/young adult parents, adjudicated delinquent youth, young adults aging out of foster care, and preschoolers/children at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence.
Daemion Counseling Center - March
Located in Berwyn, Daemion Counseling Center provides quality mental health counseling to those who cannot afford traditional therapy fees. The center serves individuals, couples, and families, ages 14+, from southeastern PA. The majority of clients come with symptoms of depression. 26% of those served have an income of less than $15,000 per year. Daemion Counseling Center helps those facing mental health and life challenges turn the corner toward hope. Visit daemioncounseling.org for more information.
Mighty Writers -February
Mighty Writers teaches Philadelphia children and teens to think and write with clarity so they can achieve success at school, at work, and in life. They offer after school academies, writing classes on nights and weekends, teen scholar programs, mentorships, SAT preparation, and college essay classes. In 2014-2015, the organization served 2,000 students at four centers in South, West, and North Philadelphia. Mighty Writers works with children who are struggling to read and write and who have the potential to be great readers and writers. They work with children who may be receiving little encouragement from teachers in overcrowded classrooms and who may not have books at home. Children and teens who participate in the programs improve their reading and writing skills, achieving proficiency at a much higher rate than their peers who are not in the program.
Hosts for Hospitals - January
Hosts for Hospitals is a unique, small nonprofit agency providing free or minimal cost lodging and support at volunteer host homes as a response to the housing needs of patients and families who come the Greater Philadelphia area for specialized medical care. Several MLUC families have participated as hosts and have welcomed medical patients and their families from all over the United States and the world. Hosts for Hospitals fills a unique niche in meeting the lodging needs of patients’ families. It is the only organization that provides lodging for the families of adult patients of whom the illness does not involve transplant or cancer. The organization accepts families of patients of all ages and all types of illness. There are no restrictions on family size or length of stay.
2015 - Recipients
Philadelphia Veteran’s House - December
Located in West Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Veterans House (PVH) began in 1994 as a place for veterans commuting between the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center and their homes to live comfortably and have meals, free of charge, during weekdays. In 2012, PVH welcomed its first homeless guests. PVH accepts honorably discharged military personnel and gives homeless veterans a chance to start over and find employment and housing. PVH’s Operation Airdrop brings food and supplies to veterans on the streets during the fall and winter months. Operation Able Assist prevents homelessness by paying vital bills, while holiday open houses are held so that homeless veterans can spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter with good company, while receiving meals, showers, and an opportunity to do laundry.
Neighborhood Bike Works - November
Neighborhood Bike Works is an organization that provides educational, recreational, and career-building opportunities for urban youth in underserved neighborhoods in greater Philadelphia through bicycling. It promotes cycling as a healthy, affordable, and environment-friendly method of transportation. Their free or low-cost youth programs like Earn-a-Bike, Group Rides, and summer camp reach over 500 youth per year. Bike maintenance classes are also offered, leading to opportunities for apprenticeships and summer jobs. Visit neighborhoodbikeworks.org.
Tredyffrin and Easttown Care - October
Tredyffrin and Easttown Care (T & E Care) is a nonprofit organization that helps families who are facing difficult situations right in our community. T & E Care provides financial and other material assistance to persons in need of financial and other material assistance who reside in and around the Tredyffrin and Easttown township area. Assistance is provided for mortgage, rent and utility payments for people in need, school supplies, summer camp, computers, and for school lunches for families who don’t quite meet the criteria for the school lunch program but are struggling with lunch costs.
Past Recipients
Additional recipients of MLUC’s Offering Outreach program are: The Ray of Hope Project, New Day Drop-In Center, Camp Dreamcatcher, Main Line Youth Alliance, Mindfulness Through Movement, Feeding Thousands, The Center for Creative Works, West Philadelphia Alliance for Children, Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund, Good Shepherd Mediation Program, Heeding God’s Call, The Center Foundation, DMAX Foundation, Treehouse Books, ArtWell, Interfaith Hospitality Network, CHOICE, Community Volunteers in Medicine, Back on My Feet, West Chester Food Cupboard, Life Beyond Abuse, Tredyffrin & Easttown Care, Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children, Green Belt Movement, The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia, Main Line Youth Alliance, Project Forward Leap, UUSC-UUA Pakistan Relief Fund, Chester County Food Bank, Books Through Bars, Peter’s Place, Nationalities Service Center, West Philadelphia Alliance for Children, Latinas Unidas, Community Volunteers in Medicine, Baker Industries, Hosts for Hospitals, Papaye Peasant Movement, Family Support Line, Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, Heeding God’s Call, Every Child is Our Child, Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, Ardmore Food Pantry, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Mazzoni Center Ally Safe Schools, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Radnor A Better Chance, Prison Ministry at the Church of the Larger Fellowship, The Bridge Way School, The Ray of Hope Project, Surrey Services for Seniors, MusicWorks, Chester County Citizens for Climate Protection.