Teresa Talens

Every day, 150 to 200 families walk through the doors of the St. Joseph Food Program, a mission to feed the hungry of the Fox River Valley. The Food Program is a nonprofit non-denominational Christian organization. The program is entirely local and receives no national funding-existing only on volunteers support and donations.

Ten years ago, the late Joe Cheslock started a club called the “Hi-Five Club.” Its aim was to raise money for necessities that St. Joe’s Food Pantry was short on. The primary idea was for people to donate $5 a month or whatever they could afford. It was not an obligation, just a good deed that donors felt the need to fulfill.

Now, 10 years later, Teresa Talens, a high school student, started a program called “Bag-Up Hunger,” branched off from the “Hi-Five Club.” It is a way to bridge the Xavier community with the rest of the Fox Valley. The initial idea was that every month, each Xavier student would donate one bag of food. Anyone who wants to participate can and each participating student signs a commitment sheet that determines much they will be expected to contribute.

Every month, lunch-sized paper bags are distributed during the homeroom period to students who signed up for the program. There is a theme every month, based on items the pantry is short on, such as “Canned Soup Month,” or “Macaroni and Cheese Month.” After a week, the bags are collected in the office during the morning. Later in the day, one of the volunteers from the St. Joseph Food Program drives to Xavier, picks up the bags and drives the bags back to the pantry, where they are sorted and put on the shelves.

Currently, there are 80 students participating in the program.

Up With Moms

Up With Moms is a program oriented towards teen mothers and mothers-to-be between the ages of 12-21. In 1996 in Turlock alone, 108 children were born to mothers who were 17 years of age or younger, and therefore legally required to attend school. Most, though not all, are from the area of Turlock that is predominantly minority and low income families. There are few programs in the area specifically geared towards mentoring teen mothers and Up With Moms has sought to fill that gap.

The mission of Up With Moms is to support and strengthen teen parent families in the Turlock community through their dedication to high quality support services. Up With Moms establishes partnerships with schools, churches, social service organizations and health care providers that share like values. Although Up With Moms encourages the teens to explore their spirituality as a valuable source of strength, it provides services without regard to racial, ethnic, or religious backgrounds.

Up With Moms’ mission emphasizes mentoring: nurturing relationships between mature women, many of whom are mothers themselves, and the teen mothers. This is the main tool used by Up With Moms to create a support system that is both intercultural and multi-generational. Up With Moms seeks to provide the structure and nurturing these teenage mothers need to mature into positive parents and role models.

Mentors and teen moms are not automatically paired off. Instead relationships are allowed to develop naturally, usually resulting in the best matches. Many of the girls do not have good images to model themselves after with their own children and need someone both to instruct them in the care of their babies and to demonstrate care and concern for the girls’ personal needs. Mentors are expected to attend mentor meetings and contact their “mentee” once a week, at least, in addition to attending the regular Wednesday night group meeting.

Mentors are encouraged to go beyond this, however, by developing a personal relationship with the girls they feel led to, for example: inviting them to their homes for lunch, visiting the girl at her home, calling her to see how she is doing, etc. It is an important responsibility because the mentor must be prepared to make a fairly long term commitment in the form of an investment in someone else’s life.

Up With Moms also encourages the young mothers to educate themselves in child rearing. In the weekly Health and Wellness Workshops they learn to care for their bodies, to pace their energies, and to choose nourishing foods and activities for mind, body, and soul. They learn how they and their children can be safe. In the Parenting workshops, books, songs, games and toys are used to help the young mothers gain knowledge and ideas to encourage their child’s developmental skills and to nurture and enjoy their child.

Thomas Griffin

Osceola County is Florida’s fastest growing county and as a result of this sky rocketing growth, the county has experienced a dramatic increase in crime as well as social ills stemming from substance abuse.

Tom Griffin, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, saw the need for others like himself to reside and recover in a safe environment. In March 1995, he overcame many obstacles and opened the Transition House, a half-way house for recovering addicts. Through total commitment and determination, he accomplished this without any public, charitable or foundation support.

Tom has served as president and executive director from opening without compensation. He is able to maintain a healthy balance between his managerial responsibilities without losing sight of his responsibility to the residents. He has displayed excellent managerial skills, expanding from one to three homes.

The average length of stay at the Transition House is 9 to 12 months and sometimes longer, depending on the needs of the individual. The initial residential program is followed by an ongoing aftercare program, which is based on helping the client implement the changes necessary in order to maintain long-term abstinence.

In the past 12 months, Tom has provided care for at least 50 recovering addicts/alcoholics who have nowhere else to turn. As a result of his help these individuals have been given the opportunity to return to a happy, healthy life. The following is one such example.

Sixteen months ago, a man was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis as a result of alcohol abuse. Because he could not abstain from alcohol each time he was released from the hospital, the doctors gave him approximately three to six months to live. Upon his last trip to the emergency room, his physician treated him for two weeks and signed him into a county psychiatric hospital. It was there that he met Tom and began his journey back to a healthy, functional sober life. Within 8 months of treatment, he earned a seat on the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce and was given the position of fundraising coordinator at the Transition House. Since then he has been promoted to director of development. In only 16 months, Tom helped him to move from a position of complete dependence upon society to one where he is actively making a positive difference in the community in which he lives.

Tom, a certified addiction professional, was the driving force behind the rehabilitation of this man and so many others.

Rose McManus

Rose McManus of Saco, ME, has dedicated herself to addressing the challenges faced by children with disabilities. As the parent of an 18 year old daughter with Down Syndrome, Ms. McManus’ efforts to improve the quality of life for her own child led her to seek out other parents who had children with special needs. She eventually became an advocate for all children with disabilities. Her mission has been to educate other parents, educators, administrators, and organizations to fully understand disabilities and bring about societal inclusion for children with disabilities.

When her daughter Marcy was born, opportunities for inclusion in community activities were limited and attitudes regarding the potential of children with disabilities were still rooted in a model that recommended institutionalization.

In response to her child’s special needs, Ms. McManus became an effective advocate for her daughter’s unique needs. As a result, Marcy was the first child with Down Syndrome to attend the public schools in her district. Ms. McManus assisted the school system on how to appropriately teach Marcy, how to develop an appropriate Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and how to integrate kids with disabilities with their non-disabled peers in the public schools and surrounding community settings.

Amid the ongoing efforts to secure an appropriate program for Marcy’s special needs, Ms. McManus began to branch out and assist other parents with special needs children. She developed the Down Syndrome Society Guild of Maine to provide support and a published guide to parents of newborns diagnosed with Down Syndrome that was a valuable resource in hospitals and doctors’ offices. Ms. McManus is also an active participant and leader in support groups and advocacy organizations. She has served over the past six years as a Board Member for York County Parent Awareness, chairing numerous committees, organizing fundraisers, and working closely with families in need of support and services. As Board President currently in her fourth year of leadership, Ms. McManus oversees the operation of a parent-centered organization that has grown from a support group of 18 parents to an organization that provides information, educational opportunities and support for over 4,000 parents and professionals. She constantly pushes for innovative programs, such as training, a bi-monthly newsletter and a statewide online bulletin board service that links children and adults with disabilities, their families and those who serve them through no-cost, low-tech access.

On a community and systems change level, Ms. McManus consistently advocates for quality services that provide both in-home and community supports to families who are struggling to raise their children in as “normal” a fashion as possible. To this end, she has participated in countless advisory committees, sought out policymakers within each of the local and state agencies that provide services and has helped organize public forums with key legislators to help advance the perspective of parents of children with disabilities and the problems they face.

She is also an 11th year advisor to the Boy Scouts of America, Pine Tree Council, Explorer Post, which serves 14 to 21 year old individuals with disabilities. In addition, she performs in the “Kids on the Block Puppets,” a puppet show that she established in 1985 that features puppets with disabilities interacting with non-disabled caricatures of children to educate children about disability tolerance.

Ms. McManus receives no salary or stipends for any of her community service efforts.

The Ruff House Ministries, Inc.

Alice, daughter of itinerant farm workers, and George, a polio victim confined to a wheel chair, originally started their non-denominational personal ministry of taking in poor, discarded and handicapped children in Lawrence, KS. “Mama” Ruff, a trained nurse, discovered there was no place for abused and abandoned children, so she obtained a license to take care of six children. In addition to raising their six children, Alice and George have adopted more than 100 others and given shelter, food and love to thousands more children and adults over the past 40 years.

In 1969, when the Ruffs moved to Texas to be closer to one of their daughters and to be in warmer climate, they expanded their ministry to adults. Located on the outskirts of Dallas, the Ruff “estate” is a compound of nine connected buildings that house between 70-80 guests at any one time.

Resisting any government aid, Mama Ruff relies on charity for food, to pay utility bills which usually run around $2,700 per month, and to maintain the premises. The guests themselves do much of the work. Others who can get jobs will contribute some of their earnings or food stamps to help.

Ruff House Ministries, Inc., thanks to a devoted attorney, is an incorporated non-denominational organization for tax purposes. For people on their last straw, it is the last stop that catches them, rekindles their self-worth and the will to live to hope and to love.

Particularly striking are the “forgotten ones”, the severely handicapped whose relatives have died or abandoned them. The love of Ruff House, of Alice and George and their natural and adopted children, is described as probably the best things that could happen to such kids. From family indifference, they are delivered to the communal sharing, acceptance and genuine love that are the essence of Ruff House.

As to the day-to-day running of the place, the rules are simple: no drinking, no drugs and no fraternizing.

After 40 years, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, in her 70th year of this life, Mama Ruff, despite some physical ailments, city building inspectors, financial strife and a fire, remains optimistic about what she is doing and knows that she is making a difference every day.

Richard Male

Mobile Meals of Essex is a not-for-profit nutrition program serving 11 Essex County communities. Staffed with a full-time coordinator and two part-time cooks, the program depends on a legion of dedicated volunteers to package and deliver meals to seniors who are largely homebound or no longer able to cook for themselves, as well as other who are unable to prepare meals due to physical handicap, convalescence from illness or inadequate cooking facilities.

In many instances, the Mobile Meals volunteer is a client’s only contact with the outside world. Often, this personal contact is just as important as the food itself. For many program participants, Mobile Meals is more than three nutritious meals a day. It is knowing that, once a day, there will be a familiar face at the door.

One face that has become familiar to many of the clients is that of Richard Male. Despite his own personal setbacks, Mr. Male performs above and beyond the call of duty. Several years ago, he suffered a cerebral aneurysm and was comatose and on a respirator for weeks, fighting for his life. He won the fight for his life, but lost the ability to control his body movements on his left side. Unable to return to his former position in the corporate world, it would have been easy for him to retreat, letting others do for him. Instead, he spends his days helping others. While most volunteers come in one day per week and deliver meals to approximately 10 clients, Mr. Male comes in five days a week and delivers meals to at least 20 clients, the equivalent of two volunteer routes. Moreover, he is always willing to take over part of another volunteer’s route when necessary.

Volunteerism has become a full-time occupation for Mr. Male. In addition to delivering meals for Mobile Meals each morning, he finds the time to work behind the counter at the Kessler Gift Shop, drive for Hospice and perform volunteer work for the Union Congregational Church in town.

Richard Male is described by those he volunteers for as, “a tireless, energetic volunteer who has put aside personal setbacks that would render others helpless and built a meaningful life helping others less fortunate than himself.”

D.P. Hall

D.P. Hall has been a dedicated volunteer with the Safe Place Program of Youth Services of Tulsa since the program began in 1991. Safe Place provides 24-hour neighborhood access through QuikTrip stores, fire departments and Tulsa Transit Buses where youth in crisis or at risk can get help immediately.

Mr. Hall responds to youth that request help at Safe Place site. He has responded to more than 70 Safe Place calls. In responding to a call, he will pick a child up and take them to a shelter, where they are given clothing, food, and a bed. Mr. Hall presents information about Safe Place, Youth Services of Tulsa, child abuse, and personal safety to middle school students throughout Tulsa County. The children are taught where to go if they need help as well as the difference between punishment and abuse. They are also encouraged to tell their teachers and counselors or someone else they trust if they are having problems at home. And if someone outside of their home is causing them harm, the children are told to tell their parents. Often, children are afraid to tell on their parents or an adult, or some children don’t have someone they can trust.

Mr. Hall also volunteers one afternoon per week with clients (ages 12-18) at Youth Services Shelter working with them on a variety of skill building activities that are aimed at helping the children handle domestic situations better if they are reunited with their family and encounter problems again. Mr. Hall also volunteers an average of 25 hours per week with a variety of other agencies/organizations in the Tulsa community such as the Tulsa Public Schools Mentoring Program (Hall was the program’s first mentor), Call Rape, the Children’s Medical Center, and the Tulsa Boy’s Home.

Mr. Hall is a motivated, energetic, and compassionate volunteer and is devoted to making the Tulsa community a safer and better place to live. He is available 24 hours daily to respond to a call from Safe Place and Call Rape.

Jim Gorgans

Jim “Rusty” Gorgans began working with students at Lockhart Middle School in 1993. He wanted to give the at-risk children an opportunity to belong to a club. In 1994, his program was given a name, Clowns R Us. He has volunteered countless hours to this much needed program.

In Orlando, FL, there was a need to improve self-esteem, grades, attitude towards school, attendance and behavior of at-risk students in Lockhart Middle School. At Lockhart there were many extracurricular activities. However, none of them were targeted at, or even appropriate for, the at-risk kids that constitute such a large portion of the population.

Clowns R Us was formulated by Barbara Chasnov in cooperation with AT&T and BellSouth. This program is a combination of unique motivational learning activities presented by AT&T Pioneer clowns, led by Jim Gorgans, and supported by volunteers at the school.

Each student in the Clowns R Us program chooses what “type” of clown to be according to their true personality, with the help of Clown Pioneers. The students are then taught how to apply their make-up correctly and are given a costume and all other needed items. Clowns R Us students attend seminars on the history of clowning, character development, make -up application, wardrobe, props, skits, parade ability, balloon sculpture, face painting and magic. Each year there are thirty openings for clowns to enter the world of volunteerism.

The Clowns R Us group participates in a variety of activities which increase and vary from year to year. Some of these are: parades, Earth Day celebrations, visits to nursing homes and day cares, back-to-school fairs, school carnivals, PTA events, orientations, and charity drives.

This program has proven to be wonderfully successful. The first year discipline referrals were reduced 55% overall and 72% among the students who remained active in the clown program. Academic performance and grades were also improved in the members. None of the students’ grades fell and 13 students improved their grades, by one or more letter-grade. In student, teacher and parent surveys done both before and after program involvement, students scored significantly higher in a number of areas including: self-concept, motivation, attitude about school and ability to get along with peers and others.

Darlene Brumbaugh

Darlene Brumbaugh is a retired elementary school teacher residing in the village of Glenvil, NE. While she has retired from teaching in the public school system, she continues to educate the children and families of this small community of 320 people.

Darlene consistently emphasized the importance of reading throughout her years as an elementary teacher and inspired her students to read beyond the classroom. If the students could not afford the books, she purchased them. Over the years, she collected approximately 10,000 books. The books are for all ages, from preschoolers to adults, and are from a wide variety of genres.

After she retired, Darlene recognized the community’s need for a window to the broader world. The village of Glenvil has no public library, so Darlene converted a space in her garage into a library. Her library has no fees and fines are not assessed for overdue books. The Brumbaugh Library is open four days a week with a volunteer staff. Since the library’s opening in 1996, an additional 1,000 books have been acquired.

The State of Nebraska’s Governor describes Darlene as, “an innovative spirit whose dedication to education has given others in her community more than just the physical place to read, she’s given them opportunity.”

Sister Marie Therese Solomon

Sister Marie Therese Solomon, a native of Trinidad, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Lestonnac Free Medical and Dental Clinic in Orange, CA. After a long tenure as a missionary in Brazil and Africa and a teacher of music and French in California, the nun decided not to devote her retirement to personal interests. Instead of focusing on her talents as a poet, painter, pianist, and composer, she opened up the free medical clinic after witnessing the suffering of those who had no money for medical care. When she founded the clinic in 1979, it was a tiny, one room facility set up to administer free care to children with minor health needs. Under Sister Marie Therese’s leadership it has grown to a full-scale medical facility with an entirely volunteer staff of doctors, dentists and nurses to help the needy free of charge. Along with recruiting physicians to volunteer their time, she also founded the Clinic’s Women’s Guild, an organization that raises funds for the nonprofit clinic.

The nondenominational clinic offers services that include x-rays, medical lab work, mammograms, dental care, and free medicine from an in-clinic pharmacy. Surgeons are among the corps of volunteers as well, operating on everything from breast cancer to hernias to cataracts. Sister Marie also recognized the need for health education, particularly for diabetics, who form a large percentage of the clinic’s patients, as do children. Education in areas such as diabetes prevention, pre/post-natal care, and nutrition, along with psychological counseling are also services provided by the clinic.

Lacking any medical training herself, Sister Marie offers the patients a healing of a different kind. She speaks to the patients individually, offering them love and compassion to lift their spirits and let them know they matter, improving their overall sense of well-being.

The clinic operates six days a week including Saturday, serving more than 6,000 of Orange County’s poor each year. There are approximately two dozen doctors that include primary doctors, specialists, and dentists; and about two dozen nurses that volunteer their time along with the non-medical volunteer staff.

The recipients of the volunteers’ good will are individuals and families who don’t qualify for government provided health care and those who have exhausted their other health care options. Illegal aliens who are frightened to request health care services from the government, in fear of being deported, are also often treated at the clinic.

The establishment of the Clinic’s Women’s Guild has further broadened the outreach of the clinic’s services. In addition to organizing fundraisers for the clinic, the volunteers of the Guild collect and distribute food and clothing to the impoverished and homeless year round, organize a Thanksgiving party for poor families and organize a Christmas party for hundreds of poor children, giving out toys and meals.

Funding for the clinic (in addition to the clinic’s own fundraisers) comes primarily from private donations and grants.