Tredyffrin & Easttown Care
FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES
Updated on June 1, 2006
What is T&E Care?
T&E Care is a group of community members who seek to help families who live in and around Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships and have special financial and/or other needs (clothing, furniture, jobs, housing, etc.). We are all just folks who want to help other folks in our community. However, we are an official non-profit group.
Why was it started?
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the Gulf Coast area in early September, 2005, a number of the residents of Tredyffrin and Easttown (as well as a few neighboring districts) decided to pool their resources to support a few families who chose to relocate to this area. We decided to call ourselves, "Tredyffrin & Easttown Care." Requests for help were disseminated to friends and neighbors, and word spread quickly. Before we knew it offers to help were pouring in. The Residence Inn in Berwyn offered rooms at an incredibly reasonable price, a family offered a car, doctors offered services, and other community members offered jobs, clothing and general support. The community was incredibly generous in supporting three families that eventually made their way to our area, all from the New Orleans area, but all through very different circumstances.
Throughout the fall community members worked hard to make these families feel at home by taking them shopping, helping the kids get enrolled in school and involved in local sports leagues, providing occasional meals, teaching them how to navigate the roads around here (to find shortcuts to their jobs, etc.), and generally being a support system for their everyday needs as they worked to put down roots in this area. This continued until in February one family finally moved back to New Orleans, and the other two eventually got apartments in the area (one in December 2005, the other in March 2006). When one of the families made the move – the community helped to furnish the entire apartment for them – furniture, electronics, all kitchen/linens/bath items, etc! It was amazing!
Does this group just work with Katrina families?
Initially we did, but as time went on, community members started to talk about similar needs for families right here in this area. As the 2005 holidays approached, we made contacts through the local schools and a few area families with special needs were anonymously identified. Lists of these families' needs were disseminated to those involved with T&E Care. Many local community members stepped up and, within just a few weeks, almost all of the identified needs were met.
What future plans does T&E Care have for helping families?
At this point – only one of the Katrina families is still occasionally being supported by T&E Care. We have also helped a few local families who need a little extra assistance because of unusual circumstances which have caused difficulties in their lives.
If you are or you know of any other such families, please contact us by sending an email to sjg1566@aol.com. We can't make any promises since we are simply "families helping families" and not a large government organization, but we feel confident that people in this community will do everything possible to help get the family back on its feet again.
Is T&E Care a formal non-profit (501c3) group?
In late May, 2006, T&E Care received notification of acceptance of our request for non-profit status, so we are an official non-profit group under the 501(c) (3) tax code. We have a bank account and a board of directors, included Denny Willson (chair), Kirk Gorman (president), Julia Fisher (treasurer), Cathy Lucas (secretary), Nan Turanski, Jump Dautrich, and Barbara McConnell. Alternates include Claudia Willson, Sandi Gorman, Tom Lucas, and Cindy Dautrich. Additional board members will be added as needed.
T&E Care held its organizational meeting on February 23, 2006, at which time the Board agreed that it would work only with unpaid volunteers and that none of the directors or officers would receive a salary or any compensation for their services. The T&E Care network generally will be mobilized as needed to respond to specific needs within the community, rather than searching for such needs.
Does T&E Care have a mission statement?
"The mission of Tredyffrin & Easttown Care is to maintain a network of people providing financial and other material
assistance to persons in need in and around the Tredyffrin and Easttown township area. We will provide assistance by:
Can donations be made directly to T&E Care?
Absolutley! If your family or a group you represent would like to make a tax deductible donation to help cover some of the costs related to helping families in need, please send a check made payable to “T&E Care”. The checks should be mailed to Julia Fisher, 510 Green Hill Lane, Berwyn, 19312.
Are you looking for just donations of money?
No - we expect there will be times when donations of clothing, furniture, toys, books, etc. will also be needed. There may be times when we need contacts for housing help, jobs, etc. We will send out requests for these items as needed.
Can anyone join T&E Care?
Absolutely! We have no membership requirements except that you are someone who cares and wants to make a difference for other people. We'd love the entire community to become involved. By just adding your name to our database, you will be contacted when needs occur. You will never be obligated to help out except when a situation touches your heart. If you would like to be added to the email notification list, please send your name/email to sjg1566@aol.com. Let your friends know about us, too!
How will we find out about families who need help?
Whenever we have information about a family in need, we will send out an email alert and include the needs in the website. If the request isn’t something you can help with - you just delete the email.
How can I contact T&E Care?
Be very proud that you live in communities like Tredyffrin and Easttown, and those communities around us. We CAN make a 3 difference to those whose lives are turned upside down for whatever reason. For any questions, call Sandi or Kirk Gorman at (610) 644-0594 or email sjg1566@aol.com
