TABLE OF CONTENTS
From Our Executive Director:
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
If you go back far enough in your family history, you will probably find people who were not initially welcome here - but somehow Americans eventually managed to absorb and accept them. America's dynamic culture and economy are largely the result of the waves of immigration that have flooded it during the past five centuries, particularly in the last four decades. People across our land now have significant numbers of foreign-born neighbors. The nearly all-white town where I grew up, where my local representative was a member of the John Birch Society, is now represented in Congress by a Latina and has thousands of Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian citizens. We all find it hard sometimes to accept change, but Garden Grove, California, has definitely changed for the better.
Our growing diversity is not apparent in every community at first glance, but our new directory of the churches and synagogues of Long Island includes a roster of:
- 214 congregations worshiping in Spanish
- 2 in Arabic
- 8 in Chinese
- 27 in French/Haitian/Creole
- 4 in Italian
- 1 in Japanese
- 27 in Korean
- 4 in Latin
- 1 in Latvian
- 15 in Malayalam
- 8 in Polish
- 7 in Portuguese
- 1 in Taiwanese
- 3 in Ukrainian
- 2 in Urdu
- 1 in Vietnamese
And these are just the ones we know. We have just begun to receive information, for example, from Orthodox churches that worship in Greek, Syriac, or Coptic. And no one thus far has located all the mosques, Hindu temples, and gatherings of Buddhists on Long Island.
One reason we need a complete and accurate census count is so we can learn who we are and where we have come from. The 2000 Census revealed how little most of us - including yours truly - knew about immigrants among us. The states with the highest percentage of foreign-born population, it found, included not just Arizona and Florida, which you might expect, but also Oregon, Wyoming, North Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Tennessee, Indiana, West Virginia and New Hampshire. That's right: Wyoming and West Virginia!
You also may be surprised, as I was, to learn where our new neighbors were born: Alaska has more people from the Philippines than any other nation. New Jersey and Ohio have more foreign-born residents from India than anywhere else. The former Soviet Union sent the most new people to Pennsylvania, as Ethiopia did to South Dakota. For Connecticut, it's Poland; for Louisiana, Vietnam. Tiny Portugal has sent the most emigrants to Massachusetts, as the Dominican Republic has to New York State. Who knows what we will learn from this year's Census?
Congregations face tremendous challenges from cultural, generational, and demographic changes in our society. If your congregation, business, or agency is going to survive and thrive in the future, you need to know your neighbors. We'd be glad to help you meet them.
Shalom/Salaam/Shanti/Pax,
Tom
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DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT:
Sara C. Weiss, Director of Development
We thank two individuals who gave $500 and $900 respectively, and we thank the following institutional donors for their gifts of $500 and more:
| Deamoak's Planning Services | $1,000 Annual Meeting Sponsorship |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist, Massapequa | $2,000 Church World Service/MICAH anti-hunger advocacy |
| First Presbyterian Church of Baldwin | $1,750 Emergency Food |
| Garden City Community Church | $2,000 Use Where Most Needed |
| Goldstein & Greenlaw LLP | $500 Where Most Needed |
| United Methodist Church of Sea Cliff | $563 Where Most Needed |
| Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church | $5,000 General Support/Emergency Food |
We also are grateful to the institutions that gave less than $500, and to all of our individual donors who asked to remain anonymous.
Most Urgent Need
Our most urgent need this month is for baby items, especially for infant formula and diapers, two very expensive items that babies go through very quickly, and for baby cereal (single grain and whole grain). Although both Riverhead and Freeport are in chronic need of baby items, Freeport seems to have a greater demand. We serve many single mothers with babies ranging in age from newborn to toddlers when the mothers are in greatest need for these items. A typical single Mom is a woman with two children ages 3 and 5 who recently gave birth to a baby. Baby formula costs about $25 per can. The can lasts three to four days. These mothers also need diapers from newborn to size 6 for toddlers and sizes in between. Babies go a lot, so a Mom can run through a box of diapers in a day or two if her baby is prolific. We also receive many requests for single grain and whole grain baby cereal. While it is not as expensive as infant formula or diapers, a single Mom raising a newborn can spend a small fortune on these items, and these are chronic needs that are not donated in the abundance that more traditional nonperishable foods for adults are. A gift of $750 would provide infant formula, diapers and baby cereal for a month for two single Moms with a newborn baby. (We're not kidding - babies are expensive to feed and diaper!)
Memorial/Tribute Gifts
A great way to remember a loved one, whether living or deceased, is to give a memorial or tribute gift in his/her name. In your letter accompanying such a gift, please tell us who the gift is in memory or tribute to, and who is giving the gift. We will send a thank you letter to the contributor and to the family of the loved one in accordance with your instructions. Please send your contribution to the LICC, attention Sara Weiss. If you have any questions, call Sara for further information at 516-565-0290, ext. 207. Naming and Tribute opportunities are also available for our programs. Please call Sara for a list. We also have planned giving opportunities that will sustain these programs in perpetuity.
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ANNUAL MEETING HONOREES
At our 2010 Annual Meeting on May 6 at 1st Presbyterian Church in Smithtown plaques were presented to these honorees:
- CONGREGATION OF THE YEAR: Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, for their Large Grant for Hunger
- FOUNDATION OF THE YEAR: Newsday Charities, for their support of Community Resources
- VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR: Pat & Rick Hanson, Freeport Emergency Food Center
- LIFETIME VOLUNTEER ACHIEVEMENT: Glena Jagger
Certificates of appreciation were presented to:
- Harry Janson, Sr. and Shoprite of Hauppauge, for in-kind donations to our Riverhead pantry
- Long Island Community Foundation, for support of MICAH - Advocacy for the Poor
- Marian Hubbard, for funding a much needed staff position in Riverhead
- Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church, for emergency food program support
- Garden City Community Church, for Emergency Food, Multi-Faith Forum & other support
- Long Island Cares, for Emergency Food support
- New York Community Bank Foundation, for core operation support
- TD Bank Charitable Foundation, for Predatory Lending Prevention
- Joseph Kennedy, for emergency food support
- Ann Mallouk, for general operating support
- Christopher McGrath, Esq., for Christmas Toys and general operating support
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SAVE THESE DATES
SEPT. 14 RETREAT AT CAMP DE WOLFE
Tuesday, Sept. 14, 10:00 to 4:00
Camp De Wolfe in Wading River
A retreat for clergy, those who work in soup kitchens and emergency food pantries, and all who work with and advocate on behalf of the poor
Suggested donation: $20
To RSVP, please call 516-565-0290 or email licchempstead@optonline.net.
"SHARE THE HARVEST" NOV. 11 IN BAITING HOLLOW
"Share the Harvest: Helping Neighbors in Need," will take place on Thursday, November 11, 2010 (Veterans Day) from 6:30PM to 10:30PM at Giorgio's, 100 Fox Hill Drive, Baiting Hollow, NY, honoring Riverhead Building Supply (Corporate Honoree) and Carolyn Gumbs (Community Honoree), Riverhead Emergency Food & Community Resources Manager who has served in this capacity for 31 years.
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WHAT THE DSS COMMISSIONERS SAID AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING
Gregory Blass, Commissioner of Social Services for Suffolk County, and John Imhof, Commissioner of Social Services for Nassau County, spoke on "The Plight of the Working Poor on Long Island" at the LICC's Annual Meeting on May 6th at First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown. They described how their Departments are trying to help, what limitations they face, and what congregations and faith-based organizations might do to minister to victims of the current economic crisis.
"The bad economy is destabilizing and destroying families," Mr. Imhof said. He noted the greatly increased rates of substance abuse and domestic violence that his agency has seen since the economic crisis began, and that food stamp applications increased more than 30% in the last year. "The domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse arise from job losses and resulting inability to pay for basic needs," he explained, adding that Child Protective Services are responding to greatly increased numbers "that tell a sad story of family breakdown."
Mr. Imhof said that the County is overwhelmed by the greatly increased numbers of applications for Medicaid and essential social services. Like the LICC, his agency sees people who have to choose between feeding their families and paying the rent, or between feeding their families and buying their child's prescriptions. "Although we hear that the economy is improving, we don't see it," he added, "and the slowest indicator to recover is employment."
Gregory Blass said that what surprised him most when he became Commissioner in Suffolk was the strings attached to every funding stream. "It's shocking how many people are turned away because the funds are so severely restricted, and how insensitive government can be."
Mr. Blass's agency passed the 10,000 mark for monthly child protective services incidents. "Families are under terrible stress and they are disintegrating because of the terrible economy and high unemployment. Ten percent of the entire Suffolk population is on Medicaid and another 4% are in the Children's Health Insurance Program."
Mr. Imhof noted that the Departments of Social Services constantly receive changes in regulations, which make applying for benefits more complicated and requires additional work for their staff, but the agencies are not given funding to pay for the extra work or hire additional staff to keep up with the increased demand. For example, applicants can now apply for food stamps online or by mail, but the state does not fund the additional staffing needed to handle the 2,000 new applications that have come in online or by mail.
When asked how the Departments of Social Services are trying to help the working poor, both Commissioners noted that they have instituted evening hours so people who work during the day can apply for benefits. DSS in both counties are doing outreach, sending people out to the parkways where they find the homeless living in the woods. Many of these homeless people are veterans who are eligible for assistance but don't know they are, the Commissioners noted. Mr. Blass said that Suffolk DSS also is sending people out to local soup kitchens to do outreach and connect these people to the services they need.
"Applicants who bring someone with them to help them wend their way through the bureaucratic maze are far more likely to be successful in accessing public assistance," Mr. Blass explained. "There are so many required documents, and advocates can help applicants assemble what they need. The ones who come alone usually cannot negotiate the maze themselves, so they get discouraged and they give up. When that happens, we lose them for good."
Both Commissioners agreed that having advocates who understand the system is one of the best things faith communities can do to help the poor. Nassau DSS offers training to "deputize" advocates and train them in how to navigate the system so they can advocate for people applying for public assistance, and Suffolk has similar training.
When asked how the faith based communities can work with the Departments of Social Services better to serve the poor, both Commissioners said that advocacy is absolutely critical. "We could not do our jobs without the faith community's advocacy," Mr. Blass stated emphatically. When the Federal Emergency Management Agency cut Suffolk County's Emergency Food & Shelter Program funding by $1M this year, it was the faith community's concerted advocacy that resulted in restoring approximately 50% of that funding. "I cannot overemphasize the importance of faith-based organizations in advocating for social justice. We could not be successful without the help of faith communities," Mr. Blass said.
The Commissioners also urged those in attendance to share with the people they help information on where to call for assistance:
- For the Nassau Department of Social Services, call 516-227-7474 for customer service, or call Mr. Imhof's office at 516-227-7403.
- For DSS Suffolk, the number for the Commissioner's Response Unit (phone bank with readily available info) is 631-854-9935 and the number for the Emergency Services Unit (for assistance 4:30 PM to 8:30 AM) is 631-854-9100.
In Suffolk, the Advocate Training for Social Services Programs occurs annually, and our next session is scheduled for June 15, 16, 17 and 18 in the Media Room of the Dennison Building (100 Vets Highway in Hauppauge, 9:00 to noon). This is a four morning program (i.e. attendance at all four sessions is necessary for each advocate to have a complete training). Nassau DSS will bring their "deputy advocate" training to any group that recruits a group of volunteers.
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IDEAS YOU CAN USE
A Prayer for Our Bodies
"We thank you, God, for the gift of our bodies and all that they can do.
Our hands reach out in love,
caressing the other with compassion,
releasing our tight hold on possessions,
touching the earth you have made,
nurturing new life into being.
Our lips press against the things of this world,
kissing our beloved gently,
tasting the food before us,
offering up words of affirmation and love.
Our hearts beat a rhythm of life into the universe,
donating blood that others may live,
welling in love and joy,
propelling us into action."
--by the Rev. Elizabeth Dilley, UCC pastor in Red Oaks, Iowa, used with permission
rcrc.org/perspectives/preaching_and_praying_about_sexuality.cfm
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WORTH QUOTING
Why Ecumenical & Interfaith Cooperation Is Important
"I'm honored to serve on the Long Island Council of Churches. Their call to and work for social justice fits the old Unitarian prayer, `With gratitude for all we have, may we have hearts that love and hands that serve.' They also illustrate the old union motto, 'In unity there is strength.' . . . We discovered this when we initiated HIHI (Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative). Without the cooperation of many congregations, we could have offered shelter one night a week, not for all seven nights as HIHI can."
--Zoe Taylor, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington's Beacon
Biblical Laws Protecting the Poor
"This law is based on the moral belief that God owns everything - the Earth, its bounty, our bodies - and we have no pure ownership of anything. This is not capitalism. This is not socialism. Instead, it's divine economics that allows private profit but also demands compassion for those who slip through the cracks of the economic system."
--Rabbi Marc Gellman, "The God Squad" Newsday May 8, 2010
Why Esperanto Never Became the Universal Language
"English is the universal language because we have a merciful God. Anyone raised speaking English as a native is seriously hampered from learning other languages."
--Norman Dees, Secretary, Bahais of North Hempstead.
Why We All Need AA
". . . you should spend at least two months attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Not only because practicing AA's 12-step program will dispel any notions that the world can and should revolve around your daily plight - but also because the future of the planet may well depend on whether or not a majority of us can wrap our brains around the central precept of step one: that our lives have become un-manageable."
--David Schimke, Utne Reader May-June 2010, www.utne.com.
Welcoming Sojourners among Us
"Religious leaders have a profound obligation to preach not just tolerance but welcome. We all need to hear this over and over in our churches, synagogues, and mosques."
--Newsday editorial April 20, 2010, on the guilty verdict in the death of Marcelo Lucero
Arizona's New Immigration Law
"Our national leaders must educate the American public on the need for reform and show courage in making it happen. Until immigration reform is passed, other States will attempt to create and enforce immigration law, with harsh and ineffective consequences. . . . We call upon the Administration to review its impact on civil rights and liberties. We renew our call for the Administration and Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to enact comprehensive immigration reform as soon as possible."
-- Bishop John C. Wester, US Conference of Bishops, April 27, 2010
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NEW STUDY OF MULTI-FAITH EDUCATION
Lucinda Mosher recently completed a study for Auburn Theological Seminary of what seminaries are doing to give future clergy and religious scholars some sort of multi-faith education. She found a surprising number of courses and identified three reasons that these classes are catching on:
"Multifaith education makes better religious leaders: Religious leaders must have a working knowledge of other faith traditions to minister effectively in the religiously diverse 21st century.
Multifaith education strengthens faith: Learning about, and from, other religious traditions helps a seminarian grow in his or her own faith tradition.
Multifaith education enhances proselytizing: Understanding other religious traditions improves one's ability to effectively proselytize to members of other faith communities."
Proselytizing, of course, is not embraced by all religions. Some faiths believe that their members are obligated to try to convert others to their faith to save them from some sort of divine retribution; some faiths welcome others to join them but do not feel they must convert them to save them from divine wrath; still other faith communities actively discourage others from joining them unless they are really sure they want to convert. You can read Dr. Mosher's study at www.auburnseminary.org/seminarystudy.
The Long Island Multi-Faith Forum, which was started by the LICC and Auburn Seminary, offers educational programs. The LIMFF unites hundreds of Islanders from eleven different faith communities and many races, nationalities, and cultures. Its volunteers represent the Bahai Faith, the Brahma Kumaris, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduisms, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Native American Spirituality, Sikhism, and Unitarian Universalism. If you are not familiar with all these traditions or did not know that they are your neighbors, you may need a Building Bridges program! The Forum has presented more than 250 "Building Bridges" presentations and Multi-Faith Festivals in schools, workplaces, and houses of worship, for audiences ranging from ten to 1100. While most of our programs are done in English, we can often accommodate requests for Spanish language and bi-lingual presentations and could try other languages as well. For more information about the Forum, its educational programs, and its video "Faiths of Long Island," visit www.liccny.org/multiforum.html.
To request a presentation by the LIMFF for your congregation, workplace, or community group. Call Bernice Suplee 631) 665-7033.or email jbsuplee@aol.com.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect and the Coalition Against Domestic Violence have moved into adjacent offices in Bethpage, along with the Nassau Police Department's domestic violence squad. This new "Safe Space" is at 15 Grumman Road West. This "co-location" will help families more quickly and effectively. For directions, call 516-747-2966 or 516-465-4700.
Not-for-profit agencies such as the LICC provide essential services to hundreds of thousands of your neighbors across Long Island each year.
117,000 Long Islanders work for nonprofit organizations.
Nonprofits provide 15% of the jobs and income on Long Island.
Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia all have more foreign-born residents than the USA, even though we think of ourselves as "the nation of immigrants."
Undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $6 billion to $7 billion a year in Social Security taxes that they will never be able to claim. (For more on this, visit www.energyofanation.org.)
Dave Eggers' book Zeitoun will be published in paperback this month. It tells the moving, true tale of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, an immigrant from Syria, who settles in New Orleans, builds a successful business as a painter and contractor, becomes a proud citizen of the USA, marries a remarkable American woman, raises four terrific kids, and spends a week paddling his canoe through his ruined city, rescuing his stranded neighbors and their starving pets while FEMA, National Guardsmen, and other governmental officials abandoned them-only to be arrested by the same negligent functionaries. A full review can be found in the December 2009 Prelude at www.liccny.org.
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MENTORS NEEDED - AND OFFERED
BUDDY (Building Unique, Dynamic & Diverse Youth) brings together three nonprofit organizations - the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, the Long Island Council of Churches, and the Mentoring Partnership of Long Island - to launch a mentoring program for children in Nassau County whose mothers are incarcerated.
Children of incarcerated parents often experience fear, anger, sadness, loneliness, abandonment, embarrassment, guilt, resentment, isolation and emotional withdrawal from family and friends. Family instability, trauma linked to witnessing the parent's arrest, incarceration and/or criminal activities and uncertainty about the future challenge even the most resilient children. Without assistance, many of these children are at increased risk for poor academic performance, drug and alcohol abuse, unsafe sexual behaviors, and juvenile justice or criminal justice system involvement. This program will help break the cycle and ensure that Nassau's most at-risk kids get the help they need to be successful.
We need volunteer mentors who can devote an hour a week to a young person. Orientations are held monthly and we'll give you all the training and support you need to have a great experience. Also, if you know of a young person (4-18 years) whose mom is incarcerated and who could benefit from mentoring, please call Valerie Taylor at LICADD (516-747-2606).
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LICC PODCASTS ON "LIFE IN DIFFICULT TIMES"
Our friends at Podarama have just launched "Life in Difficult Times - How to Make It Through," available at www.podarama.com/licc, a series of podcasts to inform and aid people in need during this recession. It features Thomas Goodhue (Executive Director of the Long Island Council of Churches), Allan Varela and Barbara Sakovich. "Life In Difficult Times - How to Make It Through" is produced by Sunlost Publishing for Podarama Matrix in cooperation with the Long Island Council of Churches. Those who download these programs are encouraged to support the LICC's efforts to feed people in need. All net proceeds go to LICC Food Pantries. The first three programs are
- The Magnitude of the Problem
- Pride
- How You Can Help
I'd love to hear what you think of these programs. Please visit: http://www.podarama.com/licc.
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MORE ABOUT WORSHIP SERVICES IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
Here's an update on worship services that are sign-interpreted in ASL:
- Bay Shore:
- Bay Shore Assembly of God, 211 Bay Shore Rd., 516-665-5241 TTY
- Centerport:
- Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Sunday, 9:45 a.m.
- East Northport:
- Fountainhead Congregation, 782 Lark field Road, Sunday, 10:45 a.m. 631-462-5048
- Northport Baptist Church, 400 Elwood Road, 631-368-5023
- Green lawn:
- St. Francis of Assisi, Sunday, 10 a.m.
- Hicksville:
- St. Ignatius, 129 Broadway, Rt. 107, 1st Sunday of each month, 2:00
- Holbrook:
- Good Shepherd Church, 1370 Grundy Ave., 4th Sundays, noon
- Huntington:
- St. Patrick's, Sundays, 9:30 a.m.
- Huntington Station:
- Gloria Dei Evangelical Lutheran Church, 22 East 18th Street, First Sun. of each month, 10 a.m.
- Massapequa Park:
- St. David's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 20 Clark Blvd., Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Rev. David J. Meyers; Patricia McCarthy, Deaf Ministry Coordinator, 516-799-7832 (voice); 516-798-9828 (TTY)
- Mastic Beach:
- St. Jude's, 89 Overlook Drive, Sunday, 11 a.m.
- Mill Neck:
- Mill Neck Manor School for Deaf Ministry, Monday, 8 a.m., Rev. William Wrede, wrede@optonline.net, 516-628-4217 (voice), 516-628-4222 (tty), 516-922-3871 (fax)
- New Hyde Park:
- Deaf for Jesus Ministries, 80 Second Ave., Pastor Henry Deller, 516-741-1720 (TTY), deller3@juno.com
- Oyster Bay:
- St. Dominic's, 93 Anstice Street, Sundays at 9 a.m.
- Riverhead:
- St. John the Evangelist, 546 St. John's Place, 4th Sundays, 3 p.m.
- Valley Stream:
- Blessed Sacrament, 201 N. Central Ave., 2nd & 4th Sundays, 10 a.m.
- Wantagh:
- St. Francis de Chantal, 1309 Wantagh Ave., 3rd Sundays, 3 p.m.
- West Islip:
- Our Lady of Lourdes, 455 Hunter Ave., Sundays, 12:30
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NEEDED/OFFERED
Offered:
- How To Teach & Preach about Immigration Seminars June 8 & 12
"WELCOMING THE IMMIGRANT: RESOURCES TO TEACH, PREACH, & TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION REFORM"
- The Long Island Council of Churches, Long Island Wins, and Long Island Jobs with Justice invite religious leaders, clergy members and active lay leaders to be our special guests for an afternoon to discuss immigration on Long Island. These events are for members of all faiths.
- Tuesday, June 8, 7:30PM, Sacred Heart R.C. Church, North Merrick
- Saturday, June 12, 10:00 Church in the Garden - Garden City
You will receive resources to start a dialogue in your congregation and community on the need for comprehensive immigration reform and concrete tools for public-policy advocacy.
Topics will include:
- The DREAM Act: Helping Our Undocumented Children Become College Students;
- Facts and Fears: Immigration in Historical Context;
- Putting a Human Face on Immigration;
- and Comprehensive Immigration Reform: The Time is Now.
Speakers: Fr. Bill Brisotti (Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal); Maryann Slutsky (Long Island Wins); Richard Koubek; Maria Contreras (Jobs with Justice).
Sessions are FREE but seating is limited. Please RSVP with your name, house of worship, and which session you will attend to preachingandteaching@gmail.com
- Professional Stove
- Professional Stove offered to congregations & soup kitchens: Stainless Steel SOUTHBEND stove, 58 x 32 inches, with 8 Burners plus 2 landing warmers, 34 inch Salamander Grill, & 2 Ovens, for the taking from Greenlawn. If you are interested, email woofwow@aol.com.
- Foreclosure Prevention Clinic June 15
- The Nassau Bar Assn. is offering a free Mortgage Foreclosure Consultation Clinic for Nassau Homeowners on Tuesday, June 15, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Barn Assn. (15th & West Streets in Mineola, a block south of Old Country Road). Reservations are required (call 516-747-4070), and bring mortgage documents to your consultation.
- Temporary Protective Status Help June 21
- The Nassau Bar Assn. is offering free help filing for Temporary Protective Status on Monday, June 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Barn Assn. (15th & West Streets in Mineola, a block south of Old Country Road). Presentations will be made in both English and Creole and interpreters will be available to help eligible immigrants file before the July deadline.
There is no charge for this program, and refreshments will be served, but you must make a reservation (call 516-747-4070).
- Help for Homeless Families
- Did you know that families who are homeless and meet certain criteria are eligible for assistance through Family Promise, the Interfaith Hospitality Network? Congregations provide meals and overnight hospitality on a rotating basis while a social worker at the Network's Family Center in Mineola provides case management services. Guests are screened for active substance abuse, domestic violence, and psychiatric problems. Adult participants must be parents or guardians of at least one child under the age of 18 and in their care. To refer a family or to enroll your congregation in the Network, please contact Jacquelin Silkiss, Director at (516) 640-2195. All calls will be kept confidential, and all services are free.
- Help Understanding Medicare
- Learn about Medicare! Perfect for Seniors, Caregivers, and Professionals! Get the basics on Medicare (Parts A, B, C & D). Learn how you can save money on Medicare costs.
Summer 'Medicare Basics' Workshop Schedule:
- June 23rd, 2010 at 1pm - Town Hall on Shelter Island.
- July 14th, 2010 at 1:30pm - the Huntington Senior Nutrition Center
- July 22nd, 2010 at 9:30am - Bay Area Senior Nutrition Center
- August 3rd, 2010 at 10:30am - Riverhead Senior Center
- August 25th, 2010 at 10am - Wyandanch Senior Nutrition Center
There is no charge to attend, however, seating is limited. Call the Suffolk County Office for the Aging at 631-853-5802 to register for any one of these workshops.
- Summer Camp for Kids
- The Salvation Army is offering a week of camp July 13-20 for children ages 7-11 at Star Lake Camp, located on 400 acres in the beautiful foothills of the Ramapo Mountains in Bloomingdale, New Jersey. The week-long sleep away camp provides new opportunities for campers to learn positive life skills and a variety of activities different from those available at school and home. Star Lake Camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and Christian Camping International. Children should be between the ages of 7 - 11 on the first day of camp. Each child should receive a physical or have had a physical within the year of the camping session. All the counselors have been well trained; each counselor is equipped to handle 8 children. They are also offering a sports camp the same week, with bus transportation to and from camp. The Salvation Army only asks that each child pay a non refundable fee of $25 for registration. To apply, call the office at 631-363-6100 and ask for Irene. An application along with a brochure will be mailed to you immediately. Irene can also answer any questions you may have about the camp.
- Scholarships for Organizing Blood Drives
- Here's a unique way to raise college funds for your high school and college-age children, grandchildren or neighbors. Help your student to organize a community blood drive. Simply invite friends, family, teachers, co-workers and religious leaders to the blood drive. The LICC would be glad to help publicize your drive. Collect 30 or more pints and Long Island Blood Services will award the student a $250 scholarship to college. Collect 50 or more pints and they'll award a $500 scholarship. To participate, students must host their blood drive June 21 to September 15, 2010. For more information, please send your name, your student's name, town, phone number and school name to LIScholarship@nybloodcenter.org or call Natalie Barnofsky at 516-478-5006.
- Personal (or Congregational) Finance Seminars
- The LICC's next personal finance seminar for the Salvation Army will be Wednesday, June 2, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Henrietta Acampora Cottage, 39 Montauk Highway in Blue Point (just off Nichols Road, just east of its southern terminus, on the north side of Montauk Highway). This program will focus on budgeting, how to reduce expenses, and how to manage debt and credit.
The panelists will be Rich Murphy, elderlaw attorney Janna Visconti, and Chris Dlugozima from Greenpath, a not-for-profit that does debt and credit counseling.
The LICC offers seminars on how to manage your money well - and not get ripped off on loans. Our presentations usually run an hour to 90 minutes, and we will tailor it to the needs of your audience. We can do shorter programs, for example, for a college class, campus ministry group, or youth group and their parents. They could be a great addition to your congregation's stewardship campaign, helping people to think faithfully about our stewardship of all our resources. Each presentation is shaped around the needs of the audience and we are prepared to address a wide variety of topics.
We would also be glad to do presentations for religious leaders on how to manage a congregation's money more effectively, reduce expenses, pay for energy conservation measures, etc. The LICC will arrange speakers, educational materials, and other freebies. There is no charge for this program. We have speakers who can handle a variety of languages. If you would like to have such a seminar, call 516-565-0290, ext. 206, fax 516-565-0291, or e-mail tomgoodhue@optonline.net.
- Multi-Faith Education
- The Long Island Council of Churches and Auburn Theological Seminary launched the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum in 1993 to help people in our area understand their neighbors. The LIMFF unites hundreds of Islanders from eleven different faith communities and many races, nationalities, and cultures. Our volunteers represent the Bahai Faith, the Brahma Kumaris, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduisms, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Native American Spirituality, Sikhism, and Unitarian Universalism. If you are not familiar with all these traditions or did not know that they are your neighbors, you may need a Building Bridges program! The Forum has presented more than 240 programs in schools, workplaces, and houses of worship, for audiences ranging from ten to 1100. While most of our programs are done in English, we have also been able to accommodate requests for Spanish language and bi-lingual presentations and could try other languages as well. For more information, please visit www.liccny.org.
Needed:
- Advocates with DSS
- At our Annual Meeting on May 6 at 1st Presbyterian in Smithtown, John Imhof and Gregory Blass, the Commissioners of Social Services in Nassau & Suffolk, suggested that we might help train people from congregations/parishes and faith-based organizations to assist people applying for DSS and other programs - and negotiate the often-bewildering paperwork needed to receive assistance. This might also address a need that Werner Reich raised recently, to lessen the isolation of those applying for aid and "de-humiliate" the system.
In Suffolk, the Advocate Training for Social Services Programs occurs annually, and our next session is scheduled for June 15, 16, 17, and 18 in the Media Room of the Dennison Bldg on 100 Vets Hwy in Hauppauge from 9:00 AM till noon. This is a 4-morning program: attendance at all 4 sessions is necessary for complete training. Nassau DSS will bring their "deputy advocate" training to any group that recruits a group of volunteers.
Pre-registration is required: call 631-854-9748 or email linda.odonohoe@suffolkcountyny.gov.
- Drivers Needed
- The LICC needs drivers who can pick up food donations occasionally and deliver them to Freeport, Hempstead, or Riverhead, as you are needed and as you are available - with no guilt when you aren't. On June 14, for example, we need someone to pick up fresh produce in Hauppauge between 10:00 and 1:00 and schlep it to either Freeport (450 N. Main St. at Prince Ave.) or Riverhead (407 Osborne Ave. at Lincoln). Long Island Cares is hosting HPNAP's Farmer's Market these three Mondays, and volunteers are welcome to attend their cooking demonstration and get some great recipes while you pick up produce for us. If you can help any of these days, please call Wally Merna at 516-868-4989 or Olga Torres at 631-727-2210.
- Volunteers To Help Pregnant Women
- The Suffolk Perinatal Coalition is seeking volunteers to guide pregnant women and young families towards a healthy pregnancy. Bilingual volunteers welcomed. You can make a difference! For more information, call 631-475-5400 or visit www.suffolkperinatalcoalition.org.
- A Camera
- Lori Gately is seeking the donation of a camera for Joseph Ole Tipanko an educator in Kenya, whom she met at a UN Conference on preventing human rights abuses. If you might have one to donate, please contact her at lorigately@yahoo.com or 631-848-6192.
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PLEASE INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR CONGREGATION'S BULLETIN
Food donations are needed at the Long Island Council of Churches’ Emergency Food Pantries in Freeport (450 N. Main Street, 516-868-4989) and Riverhead (407 Osborne Avenue at Lincoln, 631-727-2210). We particularly need canned meat, hash, stew ,fruit, peanut butter, low-sodium food, low-fat food, dietetic food, Ensure (and similar supplements), baby food, and infant formula. Donations of toiletries, personal care items, and plastic or paper shopping bags also are welcome. We often distribute produce and other perishable food, too, but please call first before bringing these items to make sure we have room to store them. And please call before bringing clothes—we already have lots to give away.
The Freeport pantry needs a fax machine, a copier, a vacuum cleaner, and small shopping carts.
The Riverhead pantry needs some comfortable chairs or a small couch for guests waiting for assistance.
The LICC also need drivers who can pick up food donations occasionally and deliver them to Freeport, Hempstead, or Riverhead, as you are needed and as you happen to be available — with absolutely no guilt if you do not happen to be free. We need drivers, for example, who can pick up produce at Long Island Cares in Hauppauge on Monday, June 14, between 10 and deliver it to either Freeport or Riverhead.
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NEED A GUEST PREACHER? WHAT SHOULD YOU PAY?
Our Executive Director, the Rev. Tom Goodhue, has some Sundays available for guest preaching this summer and fall. You can reach him at tomgoodhue@optonline.net or 516-565-0290, ext. 206. For a listing of other pinch-hitters, please visit www.liccny.org.
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SAVE A LIFE - GIVE BLOOD!
June Blood Drives
June is a great time for blood donation, since there is almost always a shortage during the summer. We have not yet received listings of drives from LI Blood Services, but if your congregation has a collection date, we’d be glad to pass the word. So far we have heard about:
- Saturday, June 5, 10:30 – 3:30, Bethany Presbyterian Church, 425 Maplewood Rd., Huntington Station. For more information, please call 631-423-6359 and/or visit http://www.bethanypresbyterianchurch.com.
- Monday, June 14, 3 to 8 p.m. Garden City Community Church. For more information, contact Ed Campbell at 516-334-6325 or calced@optonline.net.
- June 22, 3:00-8:30 p.m. 1st United Methodist Church of Amityville
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ADVERTISING IN THE PRELUDE
Each month we mail about 3000 copies of our newsletter The Prelude to the clergy leaders and lay leaders of 1400 faith organizations. We also email this newsletter to 3000 religious leaders and post it on our Web site (www.liccny.org), which receives nearly 2000 visitors each month. Filled with timely articles, news briefs, updates and notices affecting Long Island's communities and churches and the wider world, The Prelude is a must read for all who would "work together to improve Long Island and promote interfaith understanding and cooperation." The LICC accepts paid sponsorship ads, display ads and simple listings (classifieds). Advertising in The Prelude is a great way to reach clergy, lay leaders, and volunteers in Long Island's congregations. To receive a "media kit" with advertising rates, copy requirements, and copy deadlines, please call 516-565-0290 or email tomgoodhue@optonline.net. Congregations that join the LICC and groups that join the Friends of the LICC receive a free classified ad in thanks for paying their annual dues.
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ADS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Director of Music / Choir Director Sought
Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ, is seeking a Director of Music/Choir Director (not organist). Yearly salary $10,500; one Sunday service, and holidays. Small but capable choir rehearses Wednesdays at 7:30, and before church on Sunday. Rehearsal keyboard skills are helpful. Extensive choral library. Please send letter and resume to 131 Middle Road, Sayville NY 11782 or SayvilleUCC@Verizon.net ; attention: Music Search Committee.
Garden City Memorial Day Prayer Service
The Garden City Clergy Fellowship will conduct a Memorial Day Interfaith Prayer Service at the Cathedral of Incarnation on Monday, May 31 at 9 a.m. This year the Memorial Day address will be given by Rabbi Stephen Wise Goodman. He has been the Rabbi of the Garden City Jewish Center since 1985 and is an active member of the Garden City Clergy Fellowship. He is a graduate of Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religions and also a graduate of the Law School of New York University. Besides his synagogue activities, since 1988 he has worked for the New York City Housing Authority, specializing in civil rights issues. Other clergy participating in Memorial Day Interfaith Prayer Service will be: The Very Rev. Theodore Bean, Dean of the Cathedral of the Incarnation; The Rev. Rudy Pesongco, Pastor at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church; and The Rev. Debra Low-Skinner, current GCCF President and the Supply Priest at St. Mark the Evangelist Episcopal Church in North Bellmore.All persons of all faith traditions are invited to attend this Interfaith Prayer Service. The Cathedral of the Incarnation is located at 50 Cathedral Avenue.
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The Long Island Council of Churches is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Long Island Council of Churches unites diverse Christians to work together in ministry with the poor and to promote interfaith understanding. All donations are tax-deductible and much appreciated.
The Rev. Thomas W. Goodhue
Executive Director
Long Island Council of Churches
1644 Denton Green
Hempstead, NY 11550
voice: 516-565-0290, ext. 206
fax: 516-565-0291
email:tomgoodhue@optonline.net
Web: www.liccny.org
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