A Stable Source of Support – Stroll Schuylkill

What is the mission of Open Hearth? Open Hearth, Inc. is a leader in resource coordination and community-building efforts, providing innovative programs to support and empower people to end the cycle of homelessness, acquire affordable housing, a means of transportation, workforce opportunities, and achieve financial stability.

Debbie Dundon

Why was the organization started? Open Hearth was originally formed in 1989 as a local grassroots committee to assure equal housing opportunities for people who are traditionally isolated and systematically denied opportunities due to mental, emotional, or physical disabilities. Headquartered in Phoenixville, Open Hearth, Inc. received its  501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in April of 1991. Over the years our organization has grown and evolved to serve members of single parents, displaced families, those dealing with drug and alcohol dependency, and all income-eligible populations who come from diverse racial, cultural, and geographic backgrounds.

We believe our greatest strengths are staying abreast of emerging issues and best practices and then developing programs and effective partnerships to meet the needs of the community we serve. Because of this, as community needs have changed we have expanded our services to include asset building, financial education and coaching, transportation solutions, and case management, believing that the answer lies in prevention and education.

Our work at Open Hearth spans a continuum—from providing temporary housing for someone experiencing homelessness to providing a savings match for someone planning to purchase their first home. Our participants can rely on our staff to support them as they work to attain financial and housing stability.

What is your role with Open Hearth? As the office manager, I am primarily responsible for all of Open Hearth’s operational support including facility management, accounts payable/receivable, and serving as the point of contact for our IT consultant. I started with Open Hearth in March of 2006 and was a program coordinator for a year. I then shifted to the office administrator role and also served as the coordinator of the monthly Phoenixville Area Resource Network meetings for ten years.

Any other information you would like to include? I’ve been excited to watch the growth of Open Hearth over
the last eighteen years including our move from our rented office space in Spring City, to our property in Phoenixville, to the growth of our programs and staff. Debbie has lived in Schuylkill Township at SpringMeadows at Valley Forge for 14 years. Her parents both had roots in Phoenixville and she grew up in the borough. She currently lives with her fur babies: dog Kona (4), and cats Frankie& Freddy (4). Her adult daughters, MaryBeth and Amy, both live locally.

 

Click to see the rest of Stroll_Schuylkill_Township

Grants Totaling $315,000 To Assist in Ida Recovery

Groups reach across county lines to help Mont Clare residents cope with flood devastation.

Imagine having no choice but to spend your chemotherapy money on a trash dumpster for the debris covering your property. Or settling in a new country with your family, only to end up with your home destroyed and no insurance.

Those were just two of the situations facing Mont Clare, Pa., residents after Hurricane Ida and its accompanying floods. Nearly two months later, more than 150 households are still coping with homes left uninhabitable.

Fortunately, Mont Clare has concerned neighbors who are eager to help, and two grants will go a long way toward assisting them in that mission.

  • Open Hearth, Inc., a non-profit organization serving Chester County and portions of Montgomery County, received $300,000 from the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation to help Mont Clare residents affected by Ida get their systems back up, including electricity, heating, and water.
  • The Jaycees in Phoenixville received $15,000 for the organization’s “In This Together PXV Fund” – originally intended to assist with the Covid pandemic, recently pivoted to benefit victims of Hurricane Ida as well.

Soon after Ida hit, a partnership in the neighboring borough of Phoenixville came together with the intent of helping victims on the other side of the river separating Chester and Montgomery counties. Participants include Open Hearth, the Jaycees, the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation, and Karin Williams, director of the Phoenixville Office ofEmergency Management.

“Phoenixville is fortunate to have the kind of strong community partnerships that enable us to lend a hand to our MontClare and Port Providence neighbors in their time of need,” Williams said.

Contacts:

Kelly Raggazino, Executive Director – Open Hearth, Inc., 610-792-9282, ext. 202, [email protected]

Erica Klinedinst, Executive Director – Phoenixville Jaycees Foundation, (717)-683-4274, [email protected]

Karin Williams, Director – Phoenixville Office of Emergency Management, 610-933-8801, ext. 120, [email protected]

# # #

Open Hearth, Inc., a leader in resource coordination and community building efforts, provides innovative programs to support and empower people to end the cycle of homelessness, acquire affordable housing, a means of transportation, workforce opportunities, and achieve financial stability.

The Phoenixville Jaycees provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change in their communities and support the good efforts of exempt organizations in and around Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

Boost Your Donation During The Amazing Raise

Open Hearth is proud to participate in The Amazing Raise. This regional month of giving is an initiative of the TriCounty Community Network. We hope you can contribute to Open Hearth during the month of October to boost your gift’s impact!  To donate, visit: 

www.amazingraisetricounty.org/OpenHearth

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Helps During Covid

Open Hearth partners to provide rent and utility assistance to those in need 

“I am a business professional and have been working in this great country and never needed help. I can’t thank [Homelessness Prevention Manager] Cory and her team enough for the help and support given during my time of need in my life.” 

– Michael, Open Hearth client 

     Michael is not alone as someone who has been employed their whole life, never needing to access safety net programs to get by until the pandemic hit last year. Covid-19 changed that reality for millions of Americans. Record numbers of layoffs in early 2020 created a new, difficult reality for many individuals and families who faced unprecedented financial challenges. Others became ill or had to care for family members who were ill, requiring an unpaid leave from work.

     At the start of 2021 Open Hearth was approached by Chester County’s Department of Community Development with the opportunity to become a contracted partner for the US Department of the Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). We were awarded a $2.7 million contract in April that was increased to a total of $3.7 million in July. ERAP’s goal is to provide rental and utility assistance to households impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. 99.2 percent of funds go directly towards client rent and utility payments. In a little over five months, Open Hearth has provided over $1.7 million in direct relief. 

     And it’s not just tenants who are expressing their appreciation for the lifeline ERAP provides. ERAP requires the participation of landlords to receive rental assistance. One landlord who owns several units in Phoenixville wrote to us to share his gratitude for the program, and his gratitude for the Open Hearth staff who helped facilitate the application process. 

     As he put it, “I was struggling to survive, my tenants were struggling to pay the rent, and I had to give them breaks—pass on collecting rent sometimes. Everyone was frustrated. I kept on struggling until one day someone told us about Open Hearth and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. I knew that there was hope and that someone out there was willing to help, and this is exactly what happened. I want to take this opportunity to thank our government and each one of you at Open Hearth…for the great job and effort that they put into my case to help my tenants and secure a safe home for them. I was also saved from defaulting on my mortgage. Big thanks to you guys—you made us proud by working hard to improve our society and spread good faith and hope in our hearts.”

Open Hearth’s Family Savings Program Helps Chester County Resident Attain Her Dream

Matched savings and personal financial workshops helped Amber reach her goals

Chester County resident Amber had a dream to attain a degree in the nursing field. As a single mom of two, Amber faced many challenges along the path to reaching that dream. She worked full-time and supported her two children—all while attending classes. 

Amber was thrilled she could save $1,000 and receive a $3,000 match to pay for her final semester without taking out a loan.  

     Even with the many hats she had to wear, graduating with a bachelors in allied health from Immaculata University remained the number one goal for Amber. On top of time constraints, she was concerned about the challenges of the pandemic and how to pay for school. After learning of Open Hearth’s Family Savings Partner Program, Amber was thrilled to discover that if she saved $1,000 she could receive a $3,000 match to pay for her final semester, without taking out a loan. 

     Amber saved $1,000 and attended personal financial workshops to complete the Family Savings Program. The financial education helped her create a monthly budget that identified expenses she could cut back or eliminate. She also learned about investing and saving for the future.

     Amber graduated from Immaculata University in the spring of 2021. She says she achieved the goal for herself, and for her children and family, who supported her as she made sacrifices to attain this monumental achievement in her life. 

     Amber expressed tremendous gratitude for the Family Savings Partner Program and hopes that others who need financial assistance for college will also take advantage of this resource. 

     Open Hearth’s Family Savings Partner Program is funded with support from the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

Local Families Receive Relief from Economic Turndown

Like any single parent to two school-aged children, Amanda was used to juggling a lot: school schedules and activities, playdates, two part-time jobs – including one in the restaurant industry – the list goes on. Amanda was already struggling to make ends meet when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Like millions of other Americans, Amanda was laid off from both of her positions. She immediately applied for unemployment compensation, but she still hadn’t received confirmation of her eligibility, let alone any benefits, by the time rent was due. There was an eviction moratorium in place, but her landlord was still pressuring her to pay up.

The support of individuals, foundations, and corporate partners made it possible to quickly ex- tend help to Amanda and her family. With donated funds, Open Hearth was able to pay Amanda’s April rent, giving her some breathing room until the backlog of unemployment filings could be processed. This also took away some stress so Amanda could focus on getting internet service for her kids’ virtual schooling and support them through these trying times.

Donors’ generosity provided critical funding for another single parent in our community. David had been working as a chef when all business came to an abrupt halt. Like Amanda, David’s unemployment benefits were delayed, and he was coming up short when it was time to pay his rent. Open Hearth was able to direct donated funds to David’s landlord to ensure David and his young daughter could remain stably housed.

Over the past six months, Open Hearth has been able to meet the urgent needs of dozens of families who lost income and were struggling to remain in their homes. We’ve also been able to help with budgeting, goal setting, and social service referrals so each client has a plan to move forward.