Corydon, IA

Belinda Willhite Attends Grassroots and Groundwork Conference

Joyce Lash — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:56:29 +0000

Belinda Willhite from Corydon participated in the Grassroots & Groundwork Conference in Bloomington, Minnesota from May 28 – 30 and learned how communities around the United States are tackling poverty reduction.

Donna Beegle, the daughter of migrant farmers, shared her personal journey from generational poverty to completing her PhD, becoming President of Communication Across Barriers and founder & CEO of PovertyBridge, a nonprofit dedicated to changing lives for people in poverty. She is a national presenter and author of “See Poverty, Be the Difference.”

“The conference had some real eye opening moments as we learned some of the different ways that communities around the country are tackling the debilitating problem with poverty in America”, said Belinda Willhite as she shared resources and her experiences at the conference with fellow members of the Welcome We Help, inc. organization.

Former Iowa Governor Thomas Vilsack presented an interactive session to close the conference – Linking Grassroots Poverty Reduction and Public Policy –and challenged participants to share what they learned when they return home.

Welcome Basket to New Residents

Joyce Lash — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:22:53 +0000

Each month Connie Argo and her committee members assemble a Welcome Basket for new residents in the city of Corydon. Each basket contains contact information for Welcome We Help and encourages new residents to join the volunteer force. The baskets also contain information about community service organizations and resources for families. Businesses in the community have contributed items to be placed in the baskets. When the baskets are delivered the volunteers make a special effort to greet and determine special needs of the new residents.

Finding New Volunteers and Building New Projects

Joyce Lash — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:13:05 +0000

Welcome We Help, inc. is active in recruiting new volunteers to help in the attack on poverty. Information booths have been set up at the Hospital Health Fair, Wayne County Fair, and Summer on the Square. During these events and at the Oscar celebration participants were asked to complete volunteer sheets if they can help with a project or have new ideas to suggest. This along with weekly advertising to ensure community members know when the group is meeting maintain an open door policy to increase community participation. The current membership reflects a balance of economic levels in the community. This representation has helped the group focus on the poverty needs of the community.

Young Leadership Plenty Participant Contributes to the Community

Joyce Lash — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:58:57 +0000

Cody Morgan, a recent high school graduate and leadership plenty graduate, has identified a need in his community and is taking action to mobilize community members to get on board. During the past school year several staff members were released from their contracts because of budget problems. Community meetings suggested that other ways might be available to address the budget short fall. Cody organized classmates to investigate ways to cut energy costs at the school. He gathered information from other school districts who have built wind turbans to generate energy for their buildings. Cody meet recently with the Wayne County Board of Education to make a presentation on his findings and has received their blessings to continue to work on determining the feasibility of adopting this and other conservation efforts. Cody is currently recruiting members of the community to serve as a committee for further investigation.

Emergency “Mini” Grants

Joyce Lash — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:40:21 +0000

Welcome We Help, inc. has developed policies that will guide them in providing financial support to community members. The policies have enabled them to make “mini” grants to individuals who have a history of giving back to their community. During the past year a community member received financial assistance for the purchase of new tires for a family vehicle.

Reliable Transportation Services

Joyce Lash — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:36:57 +0000

Welcome We Help, inc. volunteers have answered the need for reliable transportation for community residents. Dee Jones coordinates the requests with a group of drivers who have traveled up to 80 miles distance for health care and other family needs.

Empty Stocking

Joyce Lash — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:36:24 +0000

Wayne County has an annual “Empty Stocking” project. Welcome We Help,inc. volunteers have helped with the project or been recipients of their Christmas Gifts. In December WWH provided a cash donation to the organization and offered volunteer assistance if it was needed when packages were being assembled and delivered.

Why Welcome, We Help?

Belinda — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:28:37 +0000

During the Horizons Study Circles in early 2007 it became obvious that our community in Corydon had many assets that were underutilized for various reasons. A small group of us got together and decided to form a non-profit with the intention of being a place where information could be gathered in a central place and disseminated to anyone who placed a phone call.

We started meeting weekly and assignments were made. We needed a location to house our operation. Virginia Ireland and Belinda Willhite walked around the square in Corydon checking out vacant buildings and identified a few possibilities. The rest of the group looked at one potential site, a recently closed dry cleaners. Finally, we found a cottage just a block off of the square that was for sale. Roberta Chambers, our president and a lawyer, made contact with the real estate agent, John Rider, and made an offer. It was accepted and we were elated. We had a place to operate from.

Then came reality. We began the process of remodeling on a shoestring budget. Members asked where would we get the money? We were so hyped about working to end poverty that we thought everyone would be willing to help. Not so fast. It was summer by the time we had the keys to the building and in a rural community that is a very busy time. In spite of that, a few committed individuals removed old shingles from the building and caulked and painted the exterior. Connie Snook-West, who owns the hardware store in town, donated paint, caulk, brushes and electrical outlets to our cause. John Poston and Shaun Bradberry put insulation in the attic area. Sheet rock was mudded and texturized by another member, Chad Wilson. A new sewer line was dug and we were on our way to having a bathroom. Virginia Ireland donated $1,000 for new windows and Chad and his father-in-law installed them.

Then winter set in and it was too cold to do much so we went back to meeting at the Chambers and Relph Law firm. A rainy and late spring again has slowed us down but we now have flooring ordered and we are closer to moving in to our cottage.

We applied for and recieved two grants from the Wayne County Foundation in the amount of $11,250 for improvements to the building. This money will pay for the materials to build a handicap ramp and to make the bathroom handicap accessible. Volunteers will do the work.

We wanted to be able to move in sooner but, as with any good idea, it sometimes means we had to be realistic and alter our plans. We held fundraisers and slowly watched our bank account increase to allow us to buy the things we needed that weren’t donated. This is something that the community has helped with and during the process we have been given opportunities to increase awareness of poverty in our community. We are looking forward to moving in this year.

Andy Perkins is going to Ghana!

Belinda — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:55:44 +0000

Andy was a facilitator for the Horizons Study Circles and at age 19 was the youngest. He had just received his Associate Degree from Indian Hills Community College. Andy went on to participate in the Leadership Plenty sessions and then became involved in the formation of Welcome, We Help. His commitment to ending poverty has taken him in a new direction. He applied for an internship in Ghana, S. Africa and asked if Welcome, We Help would write him a letter of recommendation. We were excited when he notified us that he had been accepted. He will be leaving this month for a country that is so far removed from Wayne
County. Andy is an example of youth that are aware of the disparities in our economic policies and is actively working to improve conditions for those in need. We wish him the best and are looking forward to hearing all about his time in Ghana. Way to go, Andy!

WWH Volunteers in Action delivering Mobile Meals

Belinda — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:19:41 +0000

Melinda Martley, Virginia Ireland, Marj Pyner, Roberta Chambers and staff, Belinda and JD Willhite and Dee Jones have been helping the Mobile Meals (similar to Meals on Wheels) deliver meals to seniors and the disabled in the Corydon community since the spring of 2007. When there is a shortage of volunteers, the Wayne County Home Health Coordinator calls Welcome, We Help and we make arrangements to fill in so that there is no interruption in this important nutrition service to our residents in need.