Raising Hope Together

Raising Hope Together, the long-term tornado recovery group started serving the needs of area residents impacted by the disaster... Diane Crowell was one of the original board members... she helped us connect with many Merrick section neighbors and as well as with resources in the Town (Kiwanis, Town of West Springfield, Helping Hands, Environmental Committee, etc.)... she would often visit our office at the former WS Methodist Church on Main Street as we worked with clients in the neighborhood... she showed me the ropes on how to help a community... Raising Hope Together honors her!

On June 3, 2011, the West Springfield Church of Christ started receiving disaster relief supplies from the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief organization in Nashville, TN. That summer, we received almost $500,000 of food, water, personal care items, cleaning supplies, furniture, mattresses, and appliances. Ed Sullivan from Sullivan Paper Company graciously donated warehouse space for us to use for distribution. We were able to distribute these goods to hundreds of people that were affected by the tornado including people from Springfield, West Springfield, Monson, and Brimfield. Later, the church partnered with Raising Hope Together to contine to meet the unmet needs of tornado victims.

Today, January 7, 2013, we gave away the last piece of furniture. Many thanks to Sullivan Paper for their partnership. Thanks to Churches of Christ Disaster Relief for making our efforts possible. We hope all the supplies have made a difference to those suffering and in need.

Thanksgiving: RHT has been blessed by the community as we have tried to assist those affected by the tornado. Thanks for the opportunity to do our part to help. We continue to be supported financially from unexpected sources. This week WalMart sent us $1000. Special thanks to Pam Coleman, Taniesha Burton, and Iris Antonio who work hard to see that RHT accomplishes its mission. Special thanks also to the Board of Directors who guide our path.

In the last couple of weeks, we have been able to finish a landscaping project in Westfield and a fencing project in West Springfield. We have also secured a partnership with Westover Job Corp. Hopefully, they will help us with a ceiling remove/repair project.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 15, from 6-7:30, Raising Hope Together will sponsor a community meeting at the Town Hall. It will be a time of reflection and sharing about the tornado recovery. Everyone is invited to come, share, and learn about what has been done. Thanks to so many who make this service possible. See you tomorrow night!