Volume 9, Issue 1
Winter/Spring 2001

TFC Expansion
Outcomes Project Update

Latino Community

Alumni Programs
Desk of Alumni Coordinator

Staff Highlights
Outward Bound 2000

Congrats to the Staff
Did You Know
Circle of Friends
God Cares

Activities

Weekly
Monthly
Conferences
Splash Party
Double Trouble Meeting

Double Trouble Group Meetings

Zodiacs

Energy Assistance
Serenity Prayer
Today's Reminder
Holidays

Energy Assistance

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) helps pay for primary or secondary heating costs. No past due heating bill is required. No lien is placed on property. Homeowners and renters are eligible. The income guidelines are less strict than in previous years. Any household who was determined eligible last program year will automatically receive an application in the mail for this program year. As a matter of fact, they should have received it by now. The General Hotline Number for LIHEAP will be 215-560-2970. PGW has its own LIHEAP Hotline: 215-684-6100.

CRISIS helps pay heating costs (amount undetermined at this point) in an Emergency: when gas or electric has been shut off. It will also pay for coal or oil if the supply is very low. Service must be supplied within 48 hours of approval (or 18 hours if life threatening). The income guidelines are strict but not as bad as last year. The Crisis Hotline number is 215-686-2590.

When the above two programs are not available (they are time-limited), the major source of funding for utility bills for low-income customers is UESF (the Utility Emergency Services Fund). UESF will pay for a gas, electric or water bill that does not exceed $500 and is in shut-off status or already terminated. If the bill is over $500, the applicant is responsible for the balance. The phone number for UESF is 215-988-9093.

Another important Number is HEATER HOTLINE: Heater Hotline aids low income homeowners whose heaters are in need of immediate repairs. Up to $2,000 may be spent on repairs and they try to respond to emergencies as quickly as possible. Call 215-568-7190

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.

Today's Reminder

I can detach and still love, still feel. I can learn to take care of my own business while allowing others to tend to theirs. Today I can detach without losing compassion.

"Love your neighbor, yet pull not down your hedge." George Herbert

Holidays

Easter

Although we know it as the Christian celebration of Resurrection of Christ, the name "Easter" derives from Eostre, the dawn goddess of Anglo-Saxon myth-who was traditionally honored with an annual festival at the beginning of spring. This celebration happened to coincide with Christian holy days, and so was co-opted by that religion. In America, Easter was largely ignored until immediately after the Civil War. The war-torn country needed a holiday which stressed rebirth, so observance of Easter became important.

Easter Bunny

Take your pick!!! No not eggs.. The rabbit is either a traditional symbol of fertility that represents spring, or the rabbit was the earthly symbol of the goddess Eostre.

Easter Egg

The egg represents birth and resurrection. It was apparently an ancient pre-Christian tradition to give people decorated eggs as gifts of spring.