2006 Update and Appeal Letter

March 15, 2006

Dear Friends:

Last year, 2005, our eighth year was one with many milestones. We increased the total number of people assisted by almost 20 per cent; we received an increase in the number of applications for assistance, while focusing on those in need; and we increased our fund-raising by 15 per cent.

Our holiday drive was successful in that we almost doubled the number of adults and children we supplied with needed winter clothing. Food assistance was pro­vided for 20 additional adults and children, some of this food assistance continuing into 2006. The Fund also had its first Holiday Dinner open to everyone in the community who needed a place to have a holiday meal as well as sharing a feeling of enjoying the holiday season. Working with Doris Hensler of Chestertown Gen­eral Store, the fund served 18 meals at the store on December 24 and delivered another 24 to homebound individuals. The Fund plans to have another holiday meal next year.

But 2006 appears to be a different type of year. At a meeting held in North Creek in November with representatives from local, county, and state agencies, and representatives of public charities, as well as elected state representatives, the agenda centered on providing services, particularly heating assistance, at a time when services both on the federal and state level appear to be shrinking. The meeting was held at the North Country Outreach Center under the supervision of Father James of North Country Ministries. Though the meeting was the first of its kind, the Fund was able to report that it had increased its budget for heating assis­tance by 25 per cent for the coming year, and would continue to work with other agencies within its area to assist those in need. The Fund was the only organization present providing local heating service, though the Fund has worked with North Country Ministries and Father James in the past providing emergency heating assis­tance to some in the North Creek Area. The major difficulty with state heating assistance is that the $400 maximum heating allowance per family has remained the same for three years while the cost of heating fuel has spiraled to unprecedented levels, causing the average family being assisted through the government's program (HEAP) to have an average increased heating cost of almost $1,000 a year. This proves extremely difficult for these families. The Fund has been able to budget a certain amount for heating assistance over the past three years. The success of the heating program, to this point, besides the fund's budgeted amount, is because a number of the local fuel deliverers, particularly Riverside Gas & Oil, Buckman's Family Fuel and Able Energy have been very helpful working with the Fund.

Because of the warm winter so far, we have been able to meet the heating requests. The Chestertown Rotary, under the supervision of Cliff Bouchard of Adirondack, has authorized an additional amount of money for heating assistance which will supplement that allocated by the Fund for those in the area in need. The Fund will notify the fuel provider of authorization for the delivery and the bill for de­livery will go directly to the Rotary.

Besides the heating problem there are a number of additional problems, which includes the fund's pri­mary function of assisting those families facing catastrophic circumstances in their lives. The Fund anticipates an increase in assistance for those who are disabled, and those with disabilities who have been shifted from their Medicaid prescription coverage into Medicare under the new prescription pro­gram. The prescription drug program has, in many cases, increased the co-payments for prescriptions. In some cases people within the Medicaid program were already having difficulty meeting co-payments prior to the change. The Fund anticipates an increase in its Medical and Hardship budget in order to meet the additional needs of people facing this situation.

There are other problems on the horizon that will need attention. It appears that the length of time needed to process disability case applications will increase because of a change of requirements and medical verification. This interval always causes hardship and the need for basic daily essentials for those moving through the application process. There will also be a reduction in the number of people eligible for food stamps, which will result in an increase in applications for food assistance. And, there will be a reduction in student loans, which will create additional pressure for our scholarship fund.

This is our only direct fund raising letter for the year. As we enter our ninth year we need your help as much as ever. Without your assistance none of our programs would be possible; and, it has only been your support in the past which has enabled us to provide the various services which would otherwise be unavailable. Thank you for your generosity and concern.

Sincerely,

Carl W. Lamm
The Helpers Fund

If you would like to make a donation towards the work of the Helpers Fund now, please go to our contributions page. Thank you!

The Helpers Fund is a 501(c)3 charity which has been serving the geographical area of the Tri-Lakes region since 1997.

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