HOOVER FINANCIAL ADVISORS MEETS FALL FUNDS FOR FOOD GOAL

Malvern, PA – Each year, Hoover Financial Advisors, PC, conducts a Fall Funds for Food campaign to benefit Chester County Food Bank. Last year, HFA set a goal to raise $10,000 and actually brought in $12, 500. This year, the financial planning firm presented $15,000 to the local food bank. “With generous help from our clients, staff, vendors and colleagues, we reached our 2015 goal,” says Pete Hoover, CFP®, HFA president. “With each dollar contributed, the food bank can provide four meals or five pounds of non-perishable food.”

Chester County Food Bank stores and distributes food to more than 30 area food cupboards and 60 other meal sites and agencies at no charge. Since its inception in 2009, it has provided the equivalent of 1.7 million meals. In addition to raising money for the food bank, HFA provides sweat equity. Earlier this year, staff members worked in the kitchen at its Exton headquarters and at Charlestown Farm in Phoenixville. Last year HFA packed produce boxes and in past years, it pulled weeds and filled backpacks.

“It has been an interesting year,” notes Hoover. “Employment is up, always a good sign. Yet, there are over 70,000 households in Chester County Food Bank’s reach that do not have enough to feed their families. We are committed to helping these people, particularly as the holiday season approaches. It felt good to make our fundraising goal.”

HFA, which is headquartered on Moores Road in Malvern, was launched in 2005 by Hoover, who has been an independent financial advisor for more than 30 years. Since its inception, HFA has quadrupled in size. Employees include client relationship managers, financial planners, insurance and tax specialists, investment analyst and an information services manager. HFA selected as 2012 Small Business of the Year by Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry. For more information, visit its website at petehoover.com or call 610.651.2777. To learn about Chester County Food Bank, call 610.873.6000 or go to http://www.chestercountyfoodbank.org.

Montgomery County “Code Blue” Cold Weather Declaration

Norristown, PA – The Montgomery County Commissioners, on the advice of the
Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, have declared a Code Blue Cold Weather Emergency
for Montgomery County based on a review of forecasts from the National Weather Service.

The Code Blue Declaration has been issued for Montgomery County for the period beginning at
6:00PM on Thursday, February 12, 2015 until 12:00PM on Tuesday, February 17, 2015.

A Code Blue Cold Weather Declaration is made in Montgomery County when winter conditions pose a
threat of serious harm or death to individuals without shelter.  A Code Blue is called when the
combination of air temperature and wind chill is anticipated to be 20ºF or less.

For general cold weather information, check the Montgomery County Health Department website:
http://www.montcopa.org/index.aspx?nid=572.

Operation Backpack 5K, And 1 Mile Walk

The 5th Annual Operation Backpack 5K takes place on the Schuylkill River Trail, a flat, fast, and scenic rail-to-trail course in Pottstown, PA.

Cash Prize will be given to the top Male and Female Runner. Medals will be given by gender and age group. The course is fast, so it is not unusual to have many personal bests on race day. The event is a great race for competitive runners, and beginners, as well as walkers, both in the 5K and 1 mile. This year walkers will carry a backpack full of food across the finish line.

The event benefits Operation Backpack (or OBP for short). OBP provides food to students in the Pottstown Community whom would go without over the weekend. We work to help homeless and hungry students succeed by addressing the issue of childhood hunger.

Event schedule and times

WHEN? SATURDAY, May 10th @ 9:00am

WHERE? Riverfront Park, 140 College Dr. Pottstown, PA 19464

Registration:$25.00 Runner/ $20.00 Walkers

Check-infrom 8:00am – 8:55am

Register by May 2nd to get a FREE T-Shirt!!

Registration after May 2nd: $30.00 Runner/ $25.00 Walkers

Open For Risky Business: Philadelphia’s Vacant Properties

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Delaware County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With its broken plywood door and faded graffiti, the former hosiery mill on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia’s Fishtown section is a contrast to the quarter-million-dollar townhouses and upscale lofts nearby.

1101 Frankford is not just a four-story eyesore, says Thomas Fasone, who owns an antique lighting shop next door. He rates it a magnet for trouble.

“It’s so easy to get into these buildings,” says Fasone, who has complained to the city. “They can go in to keep warm, start a fire, do drugs, fall asleep, and a fire breaks out.”

The place is supposed to be sealed. But on two recent visits, an Inquirer reporter found it open. The owners have problems, too. One of them, a Drexel Hill man, is accused of dealing marijuana

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/city/20140310_Open_for_risky_business__Phila__s_vacant_properties.html#5hYIOdF5lTCuGBHK.99

Reading Thrift Shop Gets Huge Donation From Fleetwood Rotary Club

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An extremely rare donation graced the loading dock this week of a nonprofit shop dedicated to providing clothes to Reading’s homeless and impoverished.

An entire van filled with men’s clothing backed up to the rear door of the City Thrift Shop, 314 Penn St., and was unloaded by Jim Long of Rockland Township and shop volunteer Jan Buskirk of Wyomissing.

Donations of men’s clothing are the hardest to come by, said Christine Leonhardt, who began managing the shop about eight years ago.

A few bags at once is rare, let alone an entire cargo van.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=486631

Third Annual Gospel Concert Fundraiser For The Homeless

3rd Annual Gospel Concert

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Location: Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 240 Mintzer Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

Cost: Free Will Offering

Join us for an afternoon of joyful noise as we support those in our community who are experiencing homelessness (flyer available).   Tell a friend and come help make a difference.

The following performers will be participating:

• Soloist: Arnetta Morgan, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Pottstown, PA
• Soloist: Lisa Vinson, Bethel Baptist Church, Phoenixville, PA 19464
• True Faith Independent Holiness Church Choir, Birdsboro PA
• Bethel A.M.E. Church Choir, Pottstown, PA, and
• Divine Angels Praise Dancers, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Pottstown, PA.

If you are interesting in sponsoring the event, please see the attached document.

For more information or an opportunity to list your business in our event program visit our website at http://www.WingsofVictoryOutreach.org

Body Found In Pottstown Borough Hall Park

POTTSTOWN, PA — The body of a woman was found in Smith Family Plaza Thursday evening.

A passerby alerted police to the discovery about 6:45 p.m. and investigating officers found the woman dead by the fountain on the park on High Street, opposite Pottstown Borough Hall.

Police had not identified the body as of 8 p.m., although they estimated her age to be about 40.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120622/NEWS01/120629801/body-found-in-pottstown-borough-hall-park

TriCounty Community Network To Host Program On Homeless Services

Pottstown, Pa. (November 9, 2011) – TriCounty Community Network (TCN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health, social and environmental conditions in Western Montgomery, Northern Chester and Eastern Berks counties in Pennsylvania, today announced that its Homeless Services committee will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday, November 15 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at The Salvation Army of Greater Pottstown located at 137 King Street. 

Open to the local community, the meeting is aimed at increasing awareness of homelessness in the area and providing valuable information about how individuals and organizations can help the area’s homeless.  CADCOM (Community Action Development Commission) will sponsor the breakfast which enables local agencies to share information about their work in the surrounding counties.

“We hope to draw awareness to the homeless problem and dispel the many myths that go along with this stigma,” states Joanne Class, Aging and Adult Services Intake and Referral case manager and co-chair of the TCN Homeless Services Program committee.  “Many people do not know how wide-spread the problem is because they do not see it.  People are hiding to protect themselves and protect the only valuables they have left in this world.  Many of the homeless desperately want help but resources and beds are limited.  Homelessness is also on the rise.” 

According to the Pottstown Mercury’s May 3, 2010 article, titled “Number of Homeless in Montco on the Rise”, there were 244 homeless people in 2007, 407 homeless in 2008 and 749 homeless people in 2009. 

With program funding being drastically cut, there are not enough resources to go around; however, individuals and businesses can help by working to find permanent housing for those who are struggling and help add security and stability for the community. 

“We have an incredible amount of great resources and agencies in our area that we will highlight at the November 15 meeting,” added Class.  “And Pottstown is full of generous, intelligent community members who can help make this situation better.  Our goal is to get the community members connected to the agencies to help improve our resources.”

Donations of packages of new, men’s tube socks are requested to be brought to the meeting to help the homeless in the area fight off frost bite throughout this winter season.  To attend, RSVP to TriCounty Community Network at 610.705.3301.

About TriCounty Community Network                 

TCN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, membership-based organization that partners with nonprofits, businesses and community members to improve health, social and environmental conditions.  Serving Western Montgomery, Northern Chester and Eastern Berks counties in Pennsylvania, TCN offers seven key programs: Build Up Youth, C.A.R.E. (Caring in Alternative Residential Environments), Environmental Awareness, Family Literacy, Homeless Services, S.A.F.E. (Supporting Abuse Free Environments), and Workforce Development.  For more information on TCN, visit www.tcnetwork.org.

1st Annual Sing To Shelter The Homeless Gospel Concert

Wings of Victory Outreach Corp.

Presents:  1^st Annual Sing to Shelter the Homeless Gospel Concert

Money raised will benefit our program for homeless women.

Where:  Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 240 Mintzer Street, Pottstown, PA, 19454

When:  Saturday, May 21, 2011

Time:  5:00 P.M.

Cost:  Free Will Offering

Donations may also be made at:  WingsofVictoryOutreach.org