60 Years of Making a Difference

Peoria Friendship House needs help to keep helping others

For 60 years the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service has been striving to make a difference in the lives of men, women and children who need clothes on their back and food on their plates.

But as the economic downturn continues, despite assurances of financial experts that the recession has ended, the agency that serves the two poorest Census tracts in Peoria sees its own needs growing, as well.

Friendship House needs money for its programs and food for its pantry so it can keep helping the city's Near North side for another 60 years, said Executive Director, Dr. Barbara Hartnett.

"Not-for-profit agencies get more business rather than less during tough times. We're no different. All of us are in the same boat. That's why we need those who can still help to step up some more," she said. It doesn't help, she noted, that the agency — like many in Peoria — is awaiting promised funding from the state and federal governments.

November is a big month for Friendship House, especially this year with a brunch scheduled for Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m. at the Hotel Pere Marquette.

The brunch is a celebratory event meant to recognize the agency's volunteers and supporters, but it also will be a fundraiser as Friendship House is seeking sponsors. Tickets are $50 each or tables for $1,000.

Then, throughout the month of November the agency's annual Stuff-A-Bus campaign, in conjunction with Kroger and CityLink, will be held. The bus will be parked at CityLink and donors are asked to bring canned goods and non-perishable items.

The Stuff-A-Bus campaign has long been a key event for Friendship House, but this year the need is greater than ever before, Hartnett said. "In years past we would get a bus filled and it would bring in enough food to last us for nine months. Last year, we only made it through February," she said.

That's not because giving was down, she added, but need and demand were way up. They still are and the shelves at the Friendship House pantry are getting bare.

"We have seen some people come to our food pantry (for food) who just two years ago were among our biggest donors. That is very sobering. Everything a person has can be lost or taken away so fast when times get bad," she said.

There also has been growth in the number of people who attend the agency's Sunday Blessing Soup Kitchen, get clothes from its Daily Threads Thrift Closet and receive personal hygiene kits.

Normally, 98 percent of the homeless population is male, she added. "Nowadays we are seeing entire families living under the bridge. It is very sad.

Three years ago we served a total of 35,000 meals. In 2010 we served about 53,000 meals, many of them to children. How can they be expected to do well in school when they are hungry?

"I have to say, though, that when it's magic, it's magic. When we see we have done something that really makes a difference in someone's life, we remember why we are here and we keep going," Hartnett said.

Money that comes in to Friendship House is used to fund all its programs, she said, and donors can choose where their money is used. That includes another key program for the agency, Dress For Success, in which women are given clothes and other needed items to wear for job interviews or new jobs. Hartnett said the program remains a bright spot for Friendship House as it still averages better than 50 percent placement rates for its clients who use the Dress For Success program.

Volunteers are also key to Friendship House being able to reach those in need and luckily, that has improved the last few years. In 2009 volunteers served about 123,500 hours; in 2010 it reached 140,000 hours, she said. Most of it is through the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) of Peoria and Tazewell Counties.

Friendship House also offers After School Program for students, kindergarten through 8th grade, giving them a safe place to go after school with snacks and tutoring. Summer camps also are available.

The Hispanic Outreach program provides services to help that segment of the population become viable citizens of the community. There are health fairs and free tax assistance and Christmas programs.

"We've made it 60 years through perseverance and faith. We are faith based and we get support from churches and through the faith of the people who support us, help us and work for us. We need that faith today more than ever," Hartnett said.

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