Local Commentary

COMMENTARY

September 24

Need comes knocking at door of Volunteers of America COMMENTARY BILL JONES

OVER THE past few weeks, the communities of the Wyoming Valley have experienced an earthquake, a hurricane, a tropical storm and destructive flooding. The impact of these events has ranged from a rattling of our nerves to the flooding of our basements to completely destroying our homes, businesses and community infrastructure. At one time or another, these storms left many of us, literally and figuratively, powerless.

Indeed, the severity of the flooding could have been much worse, but for those people who have been directly affected, it was certainly devastating enough.

Thankfully, few buildings in downtown Wilkes-Barre were damaged. Unfortunately, however, Volunteers of America’s building on North River Street was one of them. This facility housed our administrative offices and the Manna House, a transitional housing program for homeless young adults.

We had nearly 5 feet of water in our basement; we need to replace our entire electrical system, phone system, furnaces, hot water tanks and laundry equipment. Additionally, we lost a considerable amount of supplies for our Caring Alternatives pantry for low-income mothers and babies.

The eight residents in our homeless transitional housing program have been displaced and will continue to be until our building is fully functional. This certainly adds to the chaos of their already complicated lives.

It is these residents and the clients of our many programs that have given us a sense of urgency and have become the motivation for us to get back to full capacity as quickly as possible.

For most of us, we will recover from the hurricanes, power outrages, heavy rains and even the terrible, painful flooding. These storms, while disruptive and destructive, will slow us only for a while. They will not destroy us. We have proven that before.

It is the storms of everyday life, however, that should continue to concern us. The storms related to addiction, mental illness, homelessness, domestic violence, child abuse, poverty, high unemployment, injustice and so many others are often more severe and longer lasting than the occasional wrath of Mother Nature.

Every day, organizations such as Volunteers of America, Catholic Social Services, Family Service Association, the Commission on Economic Opportunity, the United Way, Luzerne County Human Services and many others are called on to be a shelter for those in need and support recovery efforts when life’s journey presents its most difficult and pressing challenges.

Given the current economic climate and the scarcity of public-sector funding, many organizations find themselves flooded with people in need and unsure where the resources will come from to meet the demands. The recent news that a record number of people, one out of every six Americans, is living in poverty will not make it any easier on the country’s already thinly stretched social “safety net.”

Yet, crisis situations often bring out the best in people. I am grateful for many individuals who have helped us clean our basement so quickly, including students from King’s College, volunteers from the Chamber’s Business Improvement District and other friends of our agency. We already have received a number of gifts that will help us replenish some of the supplies lost.

We are encouraged by the outpouring of kindness and support and are hopeful that the generosity of the human spirit that makes our community so great will continue long after the weather-related events are cleaned up.

There is so much more to do to address the personal storms and struggles so many more of our neighbors face every day.

I am reminded of the last sentence of a letter that Volunteers of America co-founder Maud Booth wrote in 1919. Her words continue to inspire us 100 years later. Maud wrote, “The more one loves, the stronger becomes the capacity for loving, and it is the hands that are always busy with helpfulness that always find yet more to do.”

As we all strive to put this crisis behind us, Volunteers of America is thankful to be part of a community that often shows it has a strong capacity to love and has willing hands of helpfulness that always find yet more to do.

Indeed, as long as there will be storms, weather-related or those of personal struggle, there always will be more to do.

Bill Jones is the vice president/chief operating officer of Volunteers of America of PA, based in Wilkes-Barre. He can be reached at 825-5261.

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