Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2020
July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020

The Community Survival Center

A Bridge of Hope to the hungry and homeless since 1983.

Celebrating 37 years of service to our neighbors in need.

ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED

JUNE 30, 2020
Mission and Vision Statements; Values and Purpose
Mission and Vision Statements; Values and Purpose
The mission of the Community Survival Center is to provide survival items of food, clothing, and household goods to members of our community in times of need. Our programs are self-sustaining through the support of the community.

Our vision is a community where everyone has enough to eat; clean, warm clothing, and the basic essentials to set up a home.

Our values are to maintain the dignity of each individual and to treat everyone with respect.

The purpose of the Community Survival Center is to help those in need, particularly those who are hungry.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2019/2020

 

Susan Baldwin – President; Retired Vice President, Citizens Bank; Longmeadow resident; Member since 2006

Ronald Hokanson – Vice President & Treasurer; Social Worker at Ludlow High School; Wilbraham resident; Member since 2013

Gloria Bourbeau – Secretary; Retired Teacher; Ludlow resident; Member since 2012

Dennis Bunten – Retired teacher, Ludlow Public Schools; Ludlow resident;
Member since 2017

Normand Grondin – Deacon at St. Elizabeth Parish; Owner of Spirit Among Us, Catholic Book Store; Springfield resident; Member since 2014

Emily Hayden – Retired Bookseller; Wilbraham resident; Member since 2008

Sandy Paquin – Staff Assistant, Baystate Medical Center; Ludlow resident; Former Board Member 2005-2012; Current Member since 2017

Mary Cassidy – Executive Director since 2016

Narrative
So, the first half of the year was normal but, as everyone knows, almost the entire second half of the fiscal year was different from anything we have ever experienced. Just about every event that helps bring in food and cash donations was cancelled. Our shops, the Thrift Shop and the Fill a Bag Program, as non-essential services, were closed. Closing the shops meant we had no space to accept clothing and household donations. We are slowly getting back to normal, like everyone around us.

The faith-based community, usually our biggest supporters, found ways to keep supporting us. Several churches held drive-up food drives: pretty clever, don’t you think? Many people who donated cash via their weekly church services, continued to send donations to ensure they maintained their support of the Center. Other people, upon receiving a stimulus check, used those funds to support various charitable agencies, including the Center. Many of our monthly supporters increased their monthly amounts. And then there were the grants…to name a few, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts awarded us with funds to help with staffing costs; Serve with Liberty, who usually send a volunteer group to help with Flip Day, instead awarded us grant funds; Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation had awarded the Center a 3-year grant, paid the last of their pledge early to help with the pandemic; and the inFaith Foundation awarded funds to help the homeless population in our area. Several came in right after the close of our fiscal year including the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, which awarded us monies to purchase food as well as paper and plastic bags for distributing the food; the Eastman Foundation provided money for food and for a new freezer; and the Ludlow Elks gave us a Spotlight Grant to help with COVID relief.

Since we had to close our shops as non-essential services, we were concerned that, without that income, we may have had to close. The community really came to our rescue and we are extremely grateful. We cut back the hours of the Emergency Food Pantry to just two days a week and we served clients outside so that we could maintain social distancing and keep everyone safe.

Even with all the above, we managed to provide necessary and nutritious food to families and individuals from Ludlow, Wilbraham, and Hampden, as well as the Indian Orchard, Sixteen Acres, and Pine Point neighborhoods of Springfield. More than 150 seniors, residents of Hampden County, visited the Pantry each month to receive a supplemental food package that included breakfast items and frozen meats. Additionally, 15 preschool children were provided with a monthly food package of 20 breakfasts, lunches, and healthy snacks. We were even able to increase food distribution from six times a year, to seven, during the pandemic months.

We did all this thanks to the community; each and every one of you.

Contributors
CURRENT CONTRIBUTORS FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020

 

INDIVIDUALS $92,852.00

Monthly Pledge $11,010.00

PROGRAM GENERATED $42,023.00

CHURCHES $47,161.00

Monthly Pledges $2,400.00
Special Collection: St. Elizabeth $19,536.79

GROUPS $14,442.00

BUSINESSES $22,051.00

FUND RAISERS $15,209.00

THRIFT SHOP $73,206.00

GRANTS $23,516.00

Central NY Community Foundation $1,000.00 Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation $4,000.00
Community Foundation of Western Mass $3,400.00
FEMA $3,000.00
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts $5,000.00
inFaith Foundation $2,000.00
Mary Collins Moynahan Foundation $3,000.00
Project Bread $1,000.00
Serve with Liberty Charitable Foundation $1,000.00

 

OTHER $3,293.00

INTEREST $147.00

 

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS $303,901.00

 

Without your support we would not be able to serve people in need throughout our service area. Our programs are self-sustaining through the support of the community. Thank you for putting the Community in our name.

 

This is a list of those who provided financial support via donations, fundraising events, and grant funding during Fiscal Year 2020. Financial donations help with our operating expenses like keeping the lights on and the refrigerators running; not to mention heating and cooling costs, maintenance and repairs, insurance, staffing, disposal costs, of course food costs, and much more.

 

$15,000 +
Saint Elizabeth Parish
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church

$5,000 +
Country Bank
Food Bank of Western Mass
Knights of Columbus 10195 Oktoberfest
St. Cecilia HOPE Ministry

$1,000 +
Susan & Charles Baldwin
Benevity
Reverend Lionel Bonneville
Carris Corporate Foundation
Central New York Community Foundation
Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation
Church of the Epiphany, Wilbraham
Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
Community Foundation of Western Mass
Eastman/Solutia
Ethel & William Farrington
FEMA/EFSP
Albert & Amelia Ferst Charitable Foundation
Kathy & Mike Fuss
Catherine & Henry Geberth
Carol & Ron Habel
Emily & John Hayden
Hayden Corporation
Dina & Ron Hokanson
Robert Holdsworth
inFaith Foundation
Barbara Kelleher
Adam Kellogg
Linda & Peter Kelly, MD
Knights of Columbus 10195
Knights of Columbus 3535 Benefit Dinner
Knights of Columbus 3535
Life Care Centers Apple Festival
Ludlow Lions Club
Elizabeth Mayo
Kenneth Melanson
Mary Collins Moynahan Foundation
Laura & Thomas Normand
Planet Aid
Project Bread
Rotary Club of Wilbraham – Hampden
St. Catherine of Siena’s Youth Ministry Souper Bowl of Caring
St. Cecilia’s Parish
Serve with Liberty Charitable Foundation
Vistra Energy MASSPOWER
Water Resource Services
Wilbraham United Church

$500 +
Carole Alderman
Carol Barnes
Big Y Corporate Office
Kim Dylewicz
Diane & Michael Fraska
Grace Union Church
Ronald Hale
Health New England
Christopher LaVoie
Alfred LaRiviere
Susan Magee
John Moynihan
Agnes Murray
Robert Murty
Joyce Ogonowski
Orchard Covenant Church
Mary & Michael Paquette
St. Cecilia Catholic Women’s Club
Jeffry Shank

 

$100 +
Peter Ablondi
Afternoon Fosterian Group
A.L. Cignoli Company
Jane & Salvatore Alessio
Lavalier Alves
Patricia Bagnall
Guy Baillargeon
Grace Batalha
Baystate Ob/Gyn – Dress Down
Georgia Lee & Joseph Bigos, Jr.
Laurie & James Bliss
Sheila Bolduc
Gloria Bourbeau
Sandra Bruschi
Amy Buchanan
Marcia & Dennis Bunten
Edward Butrick
Rachel & Helen Carrier
Robert Carrier
Anna Casagranda
Shirley Ann Chappell
Helen Chesworth
Paula Chevrier
Rosemarie Chicklowski
Davinci Salon
Celebrate Ludlow
Christ the King Ludlow Ladies Guild
Janice & Paul Chrzan
Judith Cmero
Georgann Collins
Amy & Mark Condon
Walter Craven
Thomas Dean
Russ Desrosiers
Michael J. Dias Foundation
Nancy Dias
Linda Doucette
Nancy Douglass
Karla & Michael Dowd
Beverly Dudley
Joseph Dusel
Eliza Eberli
David Echols
Ecoh Systems
James Emerson
Michael Engel
Irene & Carl Ersing
Sally Fenix
Gail & Tom Finnegan
First Church Ludlow
Flower Arrangers Wilbraham Garden Club
Ann Foy
Judith Friel
Catherine Gatesman
Georgina Geck
Michelle & Stanley Gosciminski
Donna & David Graziano
Ann Grehoski
Michael Halpin
Rita & Stefan Hamylak
Haymarket Square Association
John Hegarty
William Henry
Norma Hill
Indian Orchard Citizens Council
Mary Janeczek
Deborah Kirk
Doris & Dave Koziol
Ruth & Clifford Kruger
Joseph Kulig
Joanne LaPlante
Kathy Lawrence
Joyce & Stephen Lewis
James Lonczak
Ludlow Chiropractic Office
Ludlow Public Schools
Ludlow Country Club Women’s Association
Anne Redman Lyon
Jacqueline Madden
Susan Martins
Mass Mutual
Elizabeth Mearls
Judith Mercadante
Karen Nadeau
Sandy Paquin
Holly Park
Alison Parker
DuAnne & Richard Pasquini
Richard Pinkos
Robert Plasse
Chad Podoski
Teresa Poteat
Pride Stores, Bob Bolduc
Juliette Rivest
James Rocha
Edward Rohan
Joann Rossi
Rotary Club of Ludlow
Russell Bond Dress Down Friday
Thomas Salomone
St. Catherine of Siena Parish
Frances & Joseph Selva
Maryann Scott-Smith
Barbara Sirois
Sidewood Sticks
Spirit Among Us
Stop & Shop Community Bag Program
Joan Targonski
Kathleen Timpson
Edith Tipton
Charlotte & Michael Trimboli
Pamela Ubidia
Union Church of Christ
United Food & Commercial Union 1459
United Way of Pioneer Valley
Violet West
Western Mass USSSA Umpires Assoc.
Westfield Bank in Ludlow
Beverly Williams
Kathleen Witkop
Wilbraham Junior Women’s Club
Wilbraham United Women’s Evening Fellowship
Wilbraham Women’s Club
Suzanne Woytych
Judith Yando
Zonta of Quaboag Valley

Apologies to those who are not included and to any I may have omitted. Your support is truly appreciated.

 

These Food Donation Donors collected at least 500 pounds for the Center, and often much more, this past year:

Big Y, Ludlow
Big Y, Wilbraham
Christ the King Church in Ludlow
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Cumberland Farms Center Street, Ludlow
Cumberland Farms East Street, Ludlow
Cumberland Farms West Street, Ludlow
Cumberland Farms Indian Orchard
Cumberland Farms, Wilbraham
Evangelical Covenant Church
Federated Community Church in Hampden
First Church in Ludlow
Gary’s Village Mart
Green Meadows School
Immaculate Conception Church
Knights of Columbus Council #10195
Ludlow Lions Club
Ludlow School Bus Drivers
Mile Tree School
Orchard Covenant Church
Rachel’s Table
Save a Lot Indian Orchard
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
St. Catherine of Siena Parish
St. Cecilia’s Parish
St. Elizabeth Parish
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
Stop & Shop, Boston Road, Springfield
Tiny Explorers Learning Center
Vistra Energy, MASSPOWER
Wellspring Harvest Greenhouse
Wilbraham Public Library
Wilbraham United Church

Income and Expenses
INCOME & EXPENSES FY2020

EXPENSES
Salaries $169,334.00
Payroll Taxes/EMAC $16,596.00
Mortgage $15,571.00
Property Taxes $1,895.00
Garage Rent $3,900.00
Utilities $6,686.00
Telephone &Internet $2,485.00
Office Supplies $968.00
Postage $167.00
Liability Ins. $9,642.00
Personnel Support $84.00
Repairs & Maintenance $925.00
Disposal Costs $7,237.00
Food Purchases $4,105.00
Program Supplies & Support $3,731.00
Mileage $0.00
Professional Services $4,503.00
Fundraising costs $0.00
Fees & Dues $125.00
Miscellaneous $545.00
Equipment $0.00
Sales tax $1,977.00
TOTAL EXPENSES $253,210.00

INCOME
Individuals $62,852.00
Program Generated $42,023.00
Thrift Shop $73,206.00
Churches $47,161.00
Groups $14,442.00
Businesses $22,051.00
Fundraisers $15,210.00
Grants $23,516.00
Other $3,293.00
Interest $147.00
TOTAL INCOME $303,901.00

DAILY OPERATING FUNDS
Berkshire Bk Non-Profit NOW Ck. $52,999.00
Berkshire Bk Money Market (Mortgage) $10,611.00
MONIES HELD IN RESERVE
Berkshire Bk – Business Money Market. $94,345.00
TOTAL FUNDS HELD IN RESERVE $94,345.00

Food Donations and Distributions
FOOD DONATIONS DISTRIBUTION 2019-2020

PANTRY DONATION YTD
GARDEN/LBS. 1,155
BULK ITEMS/LBS. (bread) 31,541
TOTAL FREE SHELF FOOD 32,696

PURCHASED FOOD LB 8,267
MEFAP/LBS 9,461
MISC FOOD BANK ITEMS 0
FOOD DONATIONS/LBS 96,059
TOTAL PANTRY FOOD ITEMS 113,787

TOTAL DONATED FOOD/LBS 146,483

EMERGENCY FOOD
POUNDS USED 75,043
Families 1,339
Adults 2,040
Children 1,431
PRE-SCHOOL PROG
POUNDS USED 3,341
Families 66
Children 84

SENIOR OUTREACH PROG
POUNDS USED 45,576
Families/Households 1,247
Individuals 1,498
TRASH 7,997
TOTAL POUNDS DISTRIBUTED 131,957

NEW FAMILIES 194