As our We Care community outreach program continues into the months of March and April, our team will be collecting donations for Friends of the Poor – a non-profit organization in Scranton, Pennsylvania whose mission is to provide basic needs like food, clothing, household items and emergency assistance to help ease the burden of living in poverty for individuals in need.
Friends of the Poor was founded in 1986 by Sister Adrian Barrett, IHM, and is sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters and Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for all who live in poverty, joining in friendship with those who have the desire to give and assist.
As an organization that runs largely on volunteer help, Friends of the Poor could use your helping hand. Whether you are assisting monetarily, with in-kind donations, or by lending your time and talents, there is something for everyone to contribute, and all of it is important and greatly appreciated.
Friends of the Poor is also the only organization in the county that provides furniture for their visitors. In addition to these offerings, the organization likes to host additional events, especially around the holidays, to bring hope and brighten up visitors’ days. Additional events include senior dinners, children’s after school mentorship programs and various field trips.
What makes this organization so great is that you can see first-hand how much your donations have an effect. The smiles on volunteers faces reminds you of the impact such a small notion of kindness can make. If you resort to dropping off your donations in a large bin, how soon do you know they are going to good use? How long will they sit in there before they are picked up?
Last year, our team focused on collecting their most highly-requested items, which included 17 pairs of men’s work boots, nonperishable food items and men’s undergarments.
As always, monetary donations can go a long way, as well. Let’s do our best to donate and help those in need! If you’re interested in making a donation, please visit the Friends of the Poor website here.
