Beginning November 29th, 2015 Take Pottstown Area Rapid Transit, Give Back

In the spirit of the holiday season, Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART) is pleased to announce our “Take PART, Give Back” Campaign!

Beginning November 29, 2015 PART will be collecting donations to benefit the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities and Operation Backpack. PART is pleased to partner with these organizations to help build the supply of food and goods available to those in need in our local community.

How can you PARTicipate?

By riding on one of PART’s Special Sunday Shopper Days! Every Sunday beginning November 29th, 2015 through December 20th 2015 from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., bring your donation on board a PART Transit Bus and ride for $1.00! *Applies to Adult Base Fare ONLY

During the Tri County Area Chamber of Commerce Holiday Mixer & Business to Business Expo on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Norco Fire Company, 144 W. Schuylkill Road, Pottstown, PA 19465. Bring your donation to the event and receive a PART Holiday ornament!

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization providing a multitude of programs related to food security, clothing and housing assistance, and other supportive services. Activities are intended to “address the basic human needs of persons within the Greater Pottstown community, while assisting with their spiritual and social needs.”

The Cluster is currently in need of dry goods including laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaners, paper towels, and toiletries. Canned goods including fruits, vegetables, soups, tuna fish, and tomato products are also in high demand.

Operation Backpack is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, providing food to students in the greater Pottstown community who would go without over the weekend.  The organization works to “help homeless and hungry students succeed by addressing the issue of childhood hunger.” The organization works with individuals and organizations to gather ready to eat items to fill backpacks distributed to participating schools at the end of each week.  Operation Backpack is currently in need of prepackaged tuna, macaroni and cheese, soups, pasta, cereal, granola, breakfast bars, crackers, juice, and water.

As a public service, PART takes great pride in providing safe, affordable, and reliable quality transportation to the Borough of Pottstown, Lower, West, and Upper Pottsgrove Townships, Limerick Township, and North Coventry Township.

Please help PART Give Back! Questions? Contact Erica Batdorf at 610-970-6515 or ebatdorf@pottstown.org

Or visit our website at http://www.pottstownarearapidtransit.com

The Hill School, Borough, And Pottstown School District Plan Second Pottstown CARES Clean-Up Event

POTTSTOWN, PA –About 700 volunteers from the Borough of Pottstown, The Hill School, the
Pottstown School District,and other organizations will again combine forces to demonstrate their
commitment to our hometown during the second annual CARES clean-up event to be held on Friday,
October 24, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Rain date will be Monday, October 27.

Click here to view (and share) a short documentary created by Hill School student Jake Trombley
(Douglassville, Pa.) about last year’s CARES project and its impact on Pottstown.
(http://www.thehill.org/CARESvideo)

The clean-up will occur in a targeted area of Pottstown, from High Street north to Beech Street,
and Manatawny Street east to Edgewood Street.

All 515 Hill School students as well as Hill faculty and staff; at least 50 Pottstown High School students
and numerous faculty members; and many Borough workers and officials will be dispersed to weed,
pick up trash, and complete other “spruce up” tasks in public spaces in the core downtown area. In
addition, about a dozen volunteers from the Montgomery County Community College as well as
additional individuals from other community businesses and organizations will join the students and
other workers on their clean-up teams.

E-waste collector ReduxTech will be on hand to accept any old items that had electricity running
through them for recycling. The collection truck will be located in The Hill School Center For The
Arts parking lot off Beech Street from 9 a.m. to noon on October 24.

In addition, the Pottstown School District is running a blood drive in the High School gymnasium
from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Individuals interested in making a donation at the Pottstown High School
on October 24 may send an email to Pottstown faculty member Mark Agnew at
magnew@pottstownsd.org. Drop-in blood donations are also welcomed.

The CARES organizers ask that Pottstown area residents support our community by also
stopping by the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities at 57 North Franklin Street and
donating nonperishable food, laundry detergent, toiletries, warm clothing, and other items that will be
greatly appreciated by area families in need at this time. The Cluster will be accepting donations on the
CARES day (October 24) from 9 a.m. to noon.

Numerous organizations have contributed funding, tools, supplies, or other support to the CARES
endeavor. The generosity of the United Way and Home Depot provided funding for a Pottstown
CARES Community Tool Share Shed from which community individuals and organizations may
borrow tools. Interested parties should contact Katie Scanlan, High Meadows Foundation Sustainability
Chair at The Hill School, at kscanlan@thehill.org or 610-705-7277. CARES asks that tool borrowers
contribute one additional rake, shovel, or broom for each tool used and returned in order to helpexpand
the tool share program.

Organizations that wish to make additional donations of time, materials, or funding toward
CARES should contact Scanlan at the email address or phone number above; take donations of work
gloves, trash and leaf bags, or tools to Borough Hall at 100 E. High Street; or email
PottstownCARES@pottstown.org with suggestions or questions.

The massive CARES day volunteer crew will assemble under Hill’s former hockey rink roof at
8:30 a.m. on October 24 to receive instructions and participate in a group photo. All volunteers are
asked to wear blue – a “school color” shared by The Hill, the Pottstown School District, and the
Borough. Pre-organized teams then will disperse to their designated project areas until about noon,
when they will return to Hill for a picnic buffet lunch prepared by Sodexo, Hill’s food service provider.
Sodexo is generously donating the meals for all volunteers as well as Hill students and personnel.

The initial, joint CARES (Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Empowerment, and Sustainability)
endeavor was conceived in the spring of 2013 during conversations between Borough Manager Mark
Flanders, Pottstown School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Sparagana, and Hill School Headmaster Zachary
Lehman. The three leaders envisioned a collaborative project that would help to “spruce up” a
designated area in the core of Pottstown while boosting community pride. The CARES planning team
hopes these events will motivate Pottstown residents to engage in ongoing clean-ups of their own in
their immediate neighborhoods.

CARES project organizers wish to give special thanks to the Pottstown Police Department and
Emergency Services organizations and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their support.

4th Annual Pottstown Cluster Of Religious Communities Golf Outing

Editor’s note:  There are still 3 more foursomes available!  Click on the registration link today before these openings are taken!

Please join us for our fourth annual tournament to benefit The Cluster Outreach Center and its mission to meet the basic human needs of persons within our community and help individuals make real progress in moving from dependence to productive self-sufficiency.

Who: Golfers! Men and Women, Experienced or Beginner
Where: Spring Hollow Golf Course, Spring City
When: Saturday, April 26, 2014
Time: Tee off at 1 PM
Format: Scramble/Shotgun start

• Registration from 11:30 to 12:40
• Shotgun start at 1:00 PM
• Reception starts at 5PM
• Dinner/Awards at 6PM

Pottstown Cluster Of Religious Communities Announces Holiday Food And Toy Program

Join us for our Annual Holiday Program December 16, 2013- December 20, 2013

Annual Holiday Food and Toy Program

Each year the Pottstown Cluster holds its annual Holiday Food and Toy Program.  We offer a Holiday meal for 200 families and toys for over 400 children in the Pottstown area. We try to meet the needs for as many families as possible so each year that number increases. Your support and generosity will make this another successful year.

Additional Volunteers will be needed Friday December 13th through Friday December 20th, packing and distributing groceries and Holiday boxes, if you have a small van we need someone to help pick up some food donations; sorting toys and helping clients shop.

If you would like to donate or organize a drive, we are in need of unwrapped toys for children 16 years and younger for the Toy Program – just some suggesstions…..gift cards, educational toys, books, coloring books/crayons, DVDs, games, dolls, puzzles, sleeping bags, sports items….as long as they are age appropriate.  Have fun shopping!

Be part of our Adopt a Family program.  You can sponsor one family that is on our waiting list with a meal and presents.

For the Food box we still need eggs, butter, pie, milk and rolls.  However, we do not have the room to store these items so please drop them off December 17th.

If you have any questions, please contact Victoria Bumstead, Volunteer Coordinator

VBumstead@PottstownCluster.org or call 610-970-5995

Happy Holidays to eveyone!!!

“Wish Upon A Star” Fundraising Dinner Helps Make Dreams Come True For The Pottstown Cluster Of Religious Communities

The second annual Fundraising Dinner to benefit the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities will be held October 4, 2013 at the Berean Bible Church on High Street in Sanatoga.  Tickets are $40 each, which includes a delicious dinner plus an entire evening of entertainment!

The night promises to be exciting, with an encore performance by Maggie Riker – who has performed in operas, musicals, concerts, and cabarets across the United States and Europe – this time being joined by her equally talented brother, Dave Heffner.  Also returning to the stage is 12-year old Madison Kershner, a student from St. Aloysius School.  The evening’s entertainment is rounded out with performances by The Sounds of Sunnybrook Dance Band and Chorale 33.

To keep the night running smoothly, John Armato, Director of Community Relations for the Pottstown School District, will once again emcee the program.  Catering for this special event will be provided by Pottstown favorite, Bause Catered Events.

The event committee, chaired by Dr. Myra Forrest, is comprised of many talented women from the Greater Pottstown community: Terryl Andrews-Marsh, Sharon Basile, Sue Creswell, Doreen Duncan, Lesley Duall, Lois Georeno, Fran Heffner, Teri Hoffman, Lalena Kennedy, JoAnn McKiernan, Maggie Riker, Linda Voytilla and Carol Weitzenkorn.

Last year’s inaugural event raised over $20,000 in support of the PCRC’s programs and services; this year the committee has their sights set on raising over $25,000!

Corporate sponsorship opportunities and seating for the dinner are limited, and are selling quickly! For more information, or to purchase your tickets today, please visit www.pottstowncluster.org, or call (610) 970-5995.

The “Wish Upon a Star” Fundraising Dinner is the not-to-be-missed event of the year!

Pottstown Good Friday Prayer Procession Collects Food

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN, PA — In less than six weeks’ time, the greater Pottstown area has generated 14,711 food items and 669 containers of laundry detergent to benefit local families in need, filling The Mercury’s Community Media Lab many times over.

On Friday, 230 food items and 18 laundry items were added to the total.

Blogger Merrill of   Ivy Lane Designs   , dropped off 90 jars of peanut butter to The Mercury office Friday morning, and blogger Heather Graham of   There’s Drool in the Salsa!!   , was making her way to area drop-off points throughout the day to collect donated pet food and laundry detergent items, the total count of which was not available Friday afternoon.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120407/NEWS01/120409556/-1/news/prayer-procession-collects-food-fill-the-media-lab-effort-just-shy-of-20-000-goal&pager=full_story

Job Posting – Receptionist, Pottstown Cluster Of Religious Communities

JOB LISTING  – RECEPTIONIST

Position Title:  Receptionist

Position Description:  This is a regular part-time, 20 hours per week position.  The Receptionist is responsible for coordinating the reception area at the Cluster Outreach Center and being the first point of contact for clients and volunteers to the Cluster.  This position is the central point to greet all guests entering the outreach center.

Qualifications:  Proven ability to work cooperatively with staff and volunteers of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic levels.  Good oral, written and computer skills.  Capable of managing personnel issues with sensitivity and assertiveness.  High school degree or equivalent required.  Prior office experience desired.  Current child abuse clearance and criminal background check are required.  Physical qualifications include ability to lift up to 25 lbs. and to bend, stoop, sit, and stand. 

Specific duties include the following:

• Responds in a courteous, respectful manner to all incoming telephone calls and routes calls to appropriate staff person
• Remains a constant presence at the front desk to welcome guests
• Receives walk-ins in a courteous, respectful manner
• Maintains order in the reception area and guides clients to client waiting area after signing in
• Receives and distributes mail
• Accurately receives, records, and secures incoming donations and funding, when applicable
• Performs client search and intake on database upon arrival to receive services, and as needed, to work interchangeably with intake for food pantry and dry goods departments
• Provides timely response to all email correspondence and forwards to appropriate department
• Records staff meeting minutes and electronically distributes to staff  prior to next meeting
• Communicates concerns or issues in a timely fashion to Programs Manager regarding areas of responsibility
• Maintains confidentiality of all information related to clients
• Interacts with staff, volunteers and clients in a courteous, respectful manner
• Represents the staff of PCRC at the PCRC Delegate Assembly two times per year
• Is able to assist in any other area of the Cluster Outreach Center client programs in the absence of other staff and as needed

If interested in applying for the position, please submit a cover letter and resume or complete an application for employment, between 9-12, to the attention of the Programs Manager, Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, 57 N. Franklin Street, Pottstown, PA 19464.  Fax: 610.970.6385 Email: arossman@pottstowncluster.org

Applications need to be received by Friday, March 16, 2012.

NO CALLS, PLEASE.