Agency seeks help as donations decline and need rises
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
Need is up.
Donations are down.
Because of the combination of the two, Love Inc. was forced to do something this week it had never done – waitlist children for school supplies and shoes.
“We had to turn people away for shoes,” said Dena Corey, an employee at the service agency. “Not only did we have 100 more children … but the donations this year are way down.”
That led to a desperate plea from Love Inc. Executive Director Bill Schoessling Tuesday as the agency began distributing school supplies and shoes to area children headed back to school.
“In general, donations are down. The amount of people coming in for service is up 20 percent,” he said. “Any help will be appreciated.”
This came in the wake of 15 carts of school supplies and 150 purchased backpacks donated by Kiwanis after its “Stuff the Bus” effort Saturday, and highlighted the sheer need in the area.
Cheryl Arnold came in with her children Hunter and Brooke Tuesday afternoon. While Brooke didn’t get overly excited about the prospect of heading back to school, she eagerly accepted a pair of sneakers that caught her attention.
Tracy Pease said that the agency helped fill a hole in her budget.
“It’s wonderful,” she said, adding that, without Love Inc, she would be “asking my mom for help, probably.”
The problem with asking parents, Corey said, is that the parents are often in the same kind of dire straights.
It’s led to at least one new volunteer, Miss Burlington Area ChocolateFest 2013 Claire Olsen.
She has been volunteering with the agency since June. With her community service platform for the pageant as “help for the homeless,” Olsen said the agency is full of people wanting to help those who come through the doors.
The result is a lot of people with brightened days.
“A lot of them are really happy and thankful and have great relationships with the people working here,” Olsen said. “When people come in for help, the workers know them by name … which just shows that they’re doing more than what’s expected of them.
“They’re going above and beyond.”
If you are interested in donating to the Back-to-School Drive, contact Love Inc. at 763-6226.
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