Bits & Pieces

From the Director

This has been quite a winter, but fortunately we are people of faith and we know that spring is coming. With reduced funding and increased need, our emergency services and the care and respect with which we provide them have been more important than ever. On behalf of our neighbors, I want to thank again all of you who contributed to our Annual Fund Drive during March and April. Without all you wonderful individuals willing to give sacrificially for services you believe in we could not have been here for so many people. Now is a time to celebrate. With our Annual Meeting May 6 we honor the hundreds of wonderful volunteers who do the work of Neighborhood Ministries, and we also share great food and happy fellowship. Do come! There are many exciting possibilities in the air and many wonderful activities to report. Plus we need your input on how things are going and what areas we need to be paying more attention to in the coming year. Because these are your ministries to your neighbors. Faithfully, Wanda

You Are Invited to the Annual Meeting, Volunteers are Noteworthy!

Tuesday May 6, 6 - 8 p.m. It's that time of year again, when volunteers come together, share a meal, and look back on the past year. Anyone who has volunteered at Neighborhood Ministries during the past year is welcome to join our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition potluck dinner. Think back, did you come to Christmas or Thanksgiving, the Flea Market or Happy Days. Have you served on a committee, collected food at your church? If so, please join us! It is a wonderful evening. Bring a potluck dish and share in the good news of Neighborhood Ministries. Questions? Call Maria.

Urgent need

We are in need of volunteers to work with Louie's Place for May and June. The youth program relies heavily on college volunteers to watch and play with the 60 youth who come daily. College students, however, return home in early May, and Providence schools continue through the end of June. We do not want to close our program early and leave many parents without after-school care and many children without a safe place to be, but we are in great need. Volunteers are needed Monday-Friday 2-5 p.m. You can come once, once a week, or once a month. Volunteers can do any number of things. Come help with homework, do arts & crafts projects, read, play musical instruments, play games, cook, dance, use computers, build things, play baseball or football. If there is anything you enjoy doing, call Maria and see if you can do it here, with our youth.

Thank you!

For donating to this year's Annual Fund campaign! Throughout 2002 we were called upon to provide over 5700 food packages and over 350 families with utility assistance. Requests for layettes, diapers and formula were filled 387 times, and 354 families received advocacy services. Due to your generosity and Alan Shawn Feinstein's donation match, we are on our way to being able to meet the challenges of the months ahead.

To MetLife Auto & Home and the Providence Bruins for visiting our Louie's Place in March and donating hockey equipment!

Wish List

Cereal * Peanut Butter * Pineapple * Peaches * Peas * Corn * New Freezer bags, quart sizes * Cold drink cups, 7 oz. * Construction Paper *100% Apple Juice * Modeling Clay * Playdough * Laptop or Notebook computer * Volunteer Bookkeeper

Unique Gift

Neighborhood Ministries has special gift cards available if you want to send a monetary gift in memory of or in honor of a special friend or relative. Use them to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Christmas and other occasions. Send your donation and let us know the name and address of the person you want remembered and for what occasion. Or come by and pick out the card yourself.

Musical Magic for Neighborhood Ministries

The First Musical Extravaganza certainly lived up to its billing. Musical acts enlivened Phillips Memorial singing the praises of our God and bringing us all closer together in song. The concert had such a strong turn out there had to be a television set up downstairs for people to view the show from the church hall. If you missed the concert it will be shown on Cox Cable in April, check your local listings or call the office for times. Special thanks to the concert committee, Polly Erickson, Doris Randall, Martha Sobaje and Wes Smith, and to the performers, David Clyle Morse, The JOY Praise Team, Men's Quartet of Christ Church, Ebenezeer Baptist, the Scandinavian Women's Choir, and the Choir of The First Baptist Church in America.

Look who's cooking!

Cooking Classes have returned to South Providence Neighborhood Ministries. Community chefs from the RI Community Food Bank are working with our neighbors to teach them new cooking techniques. The classes are a great way for participants to learn new recipes, nutritional information, and budgeting issues. Participants leave the classes with new kitchen know how and new neighborhood friends as well.

New Staff Welcome

The WORD anti-tobacco program has a new staff person, AtPeace Taylor. AtPeace began at Neighborhood Ministries in March and works with the middle school aged youth under the health program. She is working with the youth on leadership development through the arts to deliver an anti-tobacco message to the community. AtPeace is helping our middle school youth to work as a team through acting exercises and to find a sense of self through meditation. Throughout the upcoming months these youth will put on performances within and outside of Neighborhood Ministries with her guidance. Come see their hard work in action as they perform with Everett Dance Theatre at 5p.m. on Wednesday, April 17.

With summer just around the corner, Happy Days is here again!

This year camp will be from Monday, July 7 - Friday, August 15. Volunteers are needed to help our youth through their fun in the sun. Camp begins each morning at 8:30a.m. with breakfast, children go off on various activities, return for lunch and are dismissed at 12:30. All are welcome to volunteer. You can come every day, once a week, or for a one time event. Come alone, bring your friends, your mom, or a youth group. Volunteers go to water parks, swimming pools, athletic fields, gardens, the Children's Museum, or stay behind for computers and arts & crafts. Volunteers can coordinate art projects, lifeguard swimmers, provide transportation, chaperone walking, play games, tell stories, HAVE FUN. Call Maria or Jen to sign up to help out.

Taking Steps Toward Fitness…

Neighbors came together on April 5th to take part in the Second Annual Walking Conference. There, health providers, shared important information for people looking to start an exercise regimen and safety tips for families who will soon be spending more time outdoors. There were pilates, massage, walking and stretching demonstrations. Neighbors took part in health screenings and learned their body mass index. The conference also acted as a reminder of the pleasures and perks of daily walking and encouraged neighbors to join walking clubs and our first Saturday of the month walk

Between January and March 2003 Gifts were given in memory of
Ruth Anderson	by	Virginia Mathewson
Helen Chase	by	Marie Hayden
Llewellyn Conklin	by	EC Finocchairo
		Nancy Sleicher
		William & Lois Oehlkers
		Gloria Turner
		Baptist Church in Warren
		Judy Ferrara
		Virginia Conklin
		Madelyn Lavin
		Wanda Michaelson
		Mary Conklin
Leo A. Dailey	by	Deborah Dailey
Leo J. Dailey	by	Deborah Dailey
Ken Danielson	by	Natalie Danielson
Robert Eva	by	Marilyn Eva
James Ross, Jr.	by	Myrna Ross
Florence Roza	by	Evelyn Cottam
Gifts were given in honor of
Craig Carpenter	by	Winifred Hitchen
Kennie Geary	by	Ginnie Titus
Toni Goldthwait	by	Consultants in Gastroenterology

Staff

Wanda S. Michaelson, Executive Director
Maria E. Cimini, Assistant Director
Grace M. Wilcox, Direct Services Coordinator
Bobbi Houllahan, Minority Health Coordinator
Jen Ward, Louie's Place Coordinator
Raquel Hernandez, Louie's Place Assistant
AtPeace Taylor, WORD Coordinator

Board of Directors, 2002 - 2003

Mercedes A. Monteiro, President
Doris Findlay, Vice President
Marguerite Thomas, Secretary
Ted Hallenbeck, Treasurer

Ella J. Balark
Barbara Brush
Barbara Carlson
Robert Cox
Imeh Ebong
Polly Erickson
Eunice Gardner
Aida Guzman
Pat Jaehnig
Yania Marcelino
Daniel Omoayo
Olayinka Y. Oredugba
Doris Randall
Rev. Wesley A. Smith

Ex-Officio

Rev. Hank Pedersen
Hector Arroyo
Rev. Dr. Richard Sutton

Advisory Board

Rev. Dr. Donald C. Anderson
Richard Battistoni
Ken Bell
Bernie Beaudreau
Betsy Aldrich Garland
David Hammarstrom
Bernard A. Jackvony
Mary Jo Kaplan
Robert Kells
Rev. Dr. James Miller
Gary Penfield
Robin Porter
Rev. Dr. Donald Rasmussen
Dr. Peter S. Smith, MD

Our mission

Our mission is to meet essential needs, enhance the quality of life for children and adults, encourage self-worth and self-sufficiency and foster community pride in a neighborhood of diverse ethnic, racial and social backgrounds.

Neighborhood Ministries staff travels!

We would love to speak at your church service, coffee hour, youth group, women's or men's society, or civic organization. Call (401) 461-7509 to schedule a speaker