Needy Families

For many years, Grandmother Catherine Bellis, a lifelong resident of Catonsville, has been knitting scarves for the men living at the Westside Shelter and needy families in both Baltimore County and Baltimore City. I have been the recipient of her labor of love for the distribution of these items. Many men, women and children have been a little warmer on cold winter days because of her kind heart and desire to help those in need. Unfortunately, at 101 years young, her eyes are no longer able to keep up with her desire to help.

On behalf of the board of directors of the CEFM Network (formerly Catonsville Emergency Food Ministries), I would like to thank the attendees of the Loverde Family Community Fund dance that was held at the Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville on Oct. 27. The guests donated almost 1,000 pounds of non-perishable food, which will be distributed over the holidays to needy families in our community. I would also like to thank fraternity members of Lambda Chi Alpha for their assistance in collecting the food at the dance and selling 50/50 tickets.

CHANGING THE LIFE of a Carroll County family can be as easy as donating that old clunker sitting in the driveway. Vehicles for Change, a charity that has been providing cars for needy families since October 1999, recently gave away its 152nd car in Carroll County. And it's looking for more. "I know of no one else who is putting these cars back on the street," said Marty Schwartz, executive director of the program, which sells the cars to families for a fraction of their cost. "Other organizations may take a donated car and sell it for a couple of hundred bucks, but we're using them to change an entire family's life."

A few days before Thanksgiving, Bernice Carden was missing the ingredients needed for a warm Thanksgiving feast."I had no [Thanksgiving] dinner," the 33-year-old Pasadena resident said. "My husband walked out on me and my son. I don't have any family in the area."Low on money, she turned to the Severna Park Assistance Network for help. She came away with a Thanksgiving basket complete with turkey, fresh fruit, potatoes, stuffing and juice."Now my son can have a nice dinner," Ms. Carden said.

Thirty-five Severna Park families enjoyed an unexpected Christmas feast this week, courtesy of the local Jaycees.Jaycees handed out bags of groceries bulging with tomatoes, cucumbers, rolls, bundles of corn, jars of barbecue sauce and dozens of roasting chickens. There was enough food for each needy family to enjoy a gigantic cook-out.Playing Santa were members of the Severna Park Jaycees, a 70-member civic organization that gives away food every Christmas. Last holiday, the Jaycees raised $3,000 to feed 150 needy families, but had $700 left over, said Doug McGettigan, vice-president of community development.

From: From: Barbara BirkenheuerDirectorSeverna Park Assistance NetworkOn Dec. 22, 19 volunteers spent the afternoon at SPAN sorting food, gifts and clothing to be distributed to our needy families the next day. Teen-agers, adults and senior citizens comprised the group. They worked tirelessly in the spiritof joy and goodwill toward others.During that same afternoon, many representatives from local organizations, businesses and communityassociations dropped off their Christmas donations for the needy.

When a runaway in Howard County finds safe emergency shelter and a terminally ill cancer patient gets extra medical attention, they can thank a small, dedicated group of women in Dorsey's Search.Since 1985, the Dorsey's Search Women's Foundation has helped the distressed and raised money for charitable causes countywide.Begun as a social club in 1981, the group gives more than $6,000 each year to needy families and to organizations that help children and families."We're not trying to conquer the world.

With less than three weeks until Christmas, grim visions of empty stockings are dancing in the heads of worried charity volunteers.More needy families than ever have signed up for food baskets, toys and gift certificates this year, county charities and social service agencies report."

All 33,000 students in Anne Arundel County's public elementary schools will be able to attend First Night Annapolis today for free, courtesy of M&T Bank. Each student received a voucher that can be redeemed for a free children's admission button at any Ledo Pizza store, M&T Bank or First Night box office. The button will allow the child, when accompanied by a paying adult, into any of the events at the New Year's Eve celebration of the arts. "First Act," a children's program, will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.

For Haven E. Hoffman, who lived in the small Washington County community of Chewsville, Christmas was a year-round event.For more than 50 years, Mrs. Hoffman, who was known locally as "Mrs. Santa Claus," repaired and painted toys to make sure that needy children had gifts on Christmas morning and their parents had a holiday dinner to serve.Mrs. Hoffman, a deeply religious woman who had hoped to be a missionary and succeeded in becoming one dispensing seasonal joy, died Thursday of congestive heart failure at Washington County Health Systems in Hagerstown.