2007 Signature Story:
“Janet” is a widow with 4 children between the ages of 16 and 5. She receives Social Security survivor’s benefits for one of the children. Her second husband abandoned the family several years ago. Janet worked as a waitress to make ends meet and managed to support the family, until she broke her knee in the winter of 2004.

When she could no longer work, Janet came to MACC for help. We were able to offer the use of the food pantry, mobile Foodshare, rental assistance and clothing.

Janet visited the pantry several times a month for a year and a half while her knee healed. Last month she was finally cleared to work and got a job on the third shift in a warehouse. She was thrilled to be getting full time work with benefits for the family. She worked for several weeks but her ankle and knee began to swell from the hours of heavy lifting each night. She had to leave the job and get something part time that doesn’t put as much strain on her knee.

While Janet still uses the pantry about once a month, she makes ends meet with good money management. We have referred her to the Department of Social Services for food stamps and medical coverage for the children.

MACC will continue to help Janet until she can fully support her family. Families are grateful to have MACC there when they are in crisis.

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Quick Facts:
Food-Clothing-Shelter-Help
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR JUST ONE YEAR!
Based on Statistics for FY04 (July 1, 2003- June 30, 2004)

With Help from MACC Food Services . . .
(Emergency Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, Mobile Foodshare, Squire Village Satellite Food Pantry)

• 24 Mobile Foodshare site distributions served 3,054 families and 7,891 individuals
• 4,288 household visits were made to the emergency food pantry
• 10,066 individuals received a week of groceries (49% over last year FY03 & 157% over FY02)
• 452 seniors used the emergency food pantry for groceries (164% increase over FY03)
• 36,052 meals were served in the soup kitchen
• 935 meals were served to children (55% increase over FY03)

With Help from The Church Mouse Thrift Shoppe. . .
(MACC charities clothing store and only enterprise)

• 42 agencies throughout the state of CT sent clients to the thrift shop to obtain free clothing during the year
• 6000 clothing items were provided to those in need at no charge
• 600 free household items were provided to those in need
• 450 adults and 150 children received clothing free of charge

With Help from Client Services . . .
(One on One Help Through Information and Referral, Coordination of Services and Crisis Intervention/Counseling)*

• 282 homeless people, including 42 who lived outside at first contact, were connected or reconnected to services with the help of the Homeless Outreach Worker
• 346 people who applied for/or received State Administered General Assistance accessed additional social services available in the greater Manchester area
• 509 homeless individuals spent 8,334 nights with us. They had a safe place to sleep and were offered hope in the form of an individualized case plan to change his/her future
• 146 people were assessed for the job program and 42 became employed
• 36 people participated in a program that helped identify and address barriers to chronic unemployment
• 1,612 individuals and families received 5,637 hours of case management time
• Veterans (men and women) have supportive housing in Manchester

*In addition to these hard numbers, those served also received ongoing education which resulted in accessing the state benefits that provide energy assistance throughout the winter months and other community resources that are critical to poor and working poor residents of our community. Case management referrals to the state eviction prevention programs helped people negotiate with their landlords to pay back their high arrearages without fear of eviction.

With Financial Help from MACC . . .

• 85 families remained in housing
• 250 families and individuals stayed warm and connected to utilities
• 36 people with critical illnesses, such as cancer, received their prescriptions
• 136 people's transportation needs were met

With Help from our Community. . . (Volunteerism)

• 4000 people gave 8000 volunteer hours to the thrift shop, soup kitchen (including holiday community meals), food pantry, Mobile Foodshare sites, satellite food pantry, homeless shelter, case management department, seasonal sharing, special events and mailings for MACC. The value for these hours was a cool $137,000 (calculated at living wage standards).
• 65 UTRC (United Technologies Research Center) volunteers descended upon MACC through one awesome Day of Caring support by United Way.