Expanding our Reach with Marble Collegiate

August 29, 2017

Every spring, Marble Collegiate Church, located in the heart of Chelsea, awards grants to organizations in New York City and abroad through the Easter Offering campaign. The campaign is funded entirely with contributions by the Church’s congregation, friends, and families. This year, CUCS was selected and awarded a grant, and our PPOH Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) is ready to put the grant to work!

The theme of the 2017 Easter Offering was Building Bridges of Hope and CAB is a wonderful embodiment of this idea. Every year CAB builds hundreds of bridges to homeless men and women in New York, extending an understanding hand to those in need and connecting people to critical resources and help.

In early 2017, CUCS applied to the Church for a special grant to support the outreach activities held by CAB. The funding was sought to help CAB increase the number of care packages they are able to distribute during their biannual summer and winter outreach events.

CUCS was then selected and awarded a grant to support these outreach efforts. The funding will allow CAB to almost double the number of care packages they are able to hand out at each event!

CAB members typically hand out 100 to 120 care packages during each of their outreach events. The care packages differ with the season, making sure to include hats and warm socks in the winter and water and additional hygiene supplies during the hot summer months.

Unfortunately, there usually aren’t enough care packages to make sure every person who needs one, receives one.

On a sunny Wednesday in June, CAB hosted their third annual summer mental health fair and outreach event at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Chelsea. Ready with newly updated resources, helpful referrals, and summer care packages, CAB members welcomed well over 100 men and women looking for information, assistance, and a nutritious lunch.

CUCS and CAB are so thankful to have been selected by Marble Collegiate Church to receive an Easter Offering grant. The members are excited to put the $3,000 grant to use and be able to provide essential care packages to even more men and women in the coming winter and summer!