Worship Center, continues to be active and productive.

 

Over the past year, our devoted volunteers have worked diligently to support our

community and neighbors through a variety of programs and helps.

Most significant of these are our Calvary Emergency Housing Assistance Program

and our Calvary Food Bank.

 

Calvary Community Economic Development Corporation is an IRS 501C3

approved activity to provide general  assistance to the needy in our community. 

Supported entirely by devoted volunteers from our congregation, this organization

works to obtain financial and materials support to help our neighbors in need.

        

Manned entirely by volunteers,  we've effectively formed a Compassionate Team

that addresses the emergency housing requirements of the truly needy among us.

(I would love to list their names here, but may be a privacy issue!)

 

Pastor Curt Oliver leads the Calvary Emergency Housing Assistance Program and

works to obtain grants to aid those facing Court-Ordered Evictions and Utilities Turn-Offs

in our community. 

 

Over the past two years, we've partnered with the Arundel Community Development

Services, Inc. of Annapolis,  MD to obtain funding to help those facing evictions.

(ACDS, Inc. is a private business arm of our local government that oversees  housing

issues in Anne Arundel County.)

 

ACDS approved a grant of $25000  for the 2007-2008 year  to help any families

facing eviction in  our community.  Over this period we helped 88 families with

245 children remain stabilized in their homes, rather than being evicted for non-payment

of rent.

 

Since July 1, 2008, ACDS approved another grant of $20000 to help those facing

eviction.  We supported 44 families with over 125 children  remain stabilized in their homes

rather than facing eviction with emergency rental assistance support.

 

With the help of our volunteers we also provided followup resource support for

such issues as Medical Assistance,  Employment Assistance,  Personal Counseling,

and Religious Reference Counsel.

 

In our first year, we were required by ACDS to counsel 50 families.  We helped

88 families.  Now into just our 4th month of the second year, we were again required to

counsel 50 families.  In four months, we helped 44 families!  The demand has been

so great and continuous that we had to resort to counseling only two weeks out of

each month.  Even with that, it's obvious we will run out of funds before six months

is completed.  Just an indication of the housing market and need for assistance

here in West. Anne Arundel County.

 

Under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kronner, the Calvary Food Bank

is another ministry under CCEDC.   It is run entirely by a staff of 10 volunteers who

coordinate pick up, storage and distribution of FREE food weekly here on our

church grounds.  Since Summer 2001,  this program has worked 52 weeks a year

to provide food to the needy in our community.  Upwards of 100 families will come

to our Storage Barn to receive FREE foods donated by local supermarkets,

such as Giant and Safeway.  With a slowing economy, layoffs, and high food

prices,  the Calvary Food Bank continues to draw large numbers of families and

individuals to supplement their meals at their homes.

 

Additional fresh and canned goods are always needed.

 

Many in our community are facing difficult times due to the costs of Medical

Care (many do without),  Rent and Housing,  Gas for Transportation,  BG&E services,

and the general cost of living. 

 

These are our neighbors.  Their issues and needs are very real and requests

for support continuous.

 

Our desire at Calvary Community Economic Development Corporation is that

other churches and businesses in our community would look to see if they could

also partner with us to help 'Serve the Under-Served In Our Community'. (I Samuel 9)

 

If your prayers and heart convince you join us in partnership,  provide a

monetary donation or other resources to these efforts,  please give me a call

anytime.  (I Samuel 9 is a good reference to read regarding this partnership).

 

Contact me any time.   I can be reached at 410-969-5100  or  410-969-9399.

 

Our EIN #33-1105509 determines that we are fully tax-exempt and devoted to

serving our neighbors.

 

To  GOD  be the Glory!

 

Pastor Curt Oliver

Executive Director