Volunteers to the rescue

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

While many Mon Valley residents have not been able to leave their homes, volunteers have stepped in — despite putting themselves at risk — to make sure older residents, children and families in need have necessary supplies.

Jennifer Pennline came home from New York City to help take care of her parents, Pete and Sally, six weeks ago and has found a new passion during her visit.

Coming from out of state, she had to self-quarantine for one week. She started thinking of ways to pass the time and found her way to a local home delivered meals program.

“It has been one of the greatest things I have ever done,” Pennline said. “I volunteered to do a shift of Meals on Wheels in downtown Charleroi thinking I could help some people and I ended up doing Meals on Wheels every single day since I’ve been here, along with other amazing volunteers.”

“My friend Johnny is probably in his 80s and delivers every day,” she said. “We call him ‘Cool Johnny.’

“Alvin, we call him ‘the boss.’ He keeps everything calm and organized. He would do anything for anyone.”

She completes her route with help from Ashley Furlong and Joyelle Pfrogner Carter.

“We have a pretty great group,” Pennline said. “We mask up, 6 feet apart with our gloves on and deliver.

“We recently had to start cutting down the number of days we volunteer to three days each week to minimize contact, so now we deliver double the meals on those days.”

She said the recipients make the experience worthwhile.

“Most of the people we deliver to are people who can’t go to the store or out at all,” Pennline said. “They thank us every single day.”

Taking precautions such as wearing masks and gloves, in addition to sanitizing between each delivery, helps to keep volunteers and residents safe.

“That is the only way to do it,” Pennline said. “It’s the only way. I came here thinking I would be also able to help my family with groceries and things like that, but by me going to the store it could put the residents who get Meals on Wheels at risk.”

She hopes others decide to join in the effort.

“A lot of our volunteers were from our churches, which have closed down,” she said. “Those volunteers are also high risk and scared.

“I feel like helping people is the best thing we can do during this time. We need all the help we can get.”

She is currently living with her parents in Speers, and her brother Brian makes trip to the grocery store for the family.

She has one daughter, Zia, 20, who lives in New York City.

When the pandemic is over, Pennline said she is coming back to Charleroi.

“I have decided I am not going back to New York,” she said. “I have been ready to transition for a while now and it just seems like the right time. I want to be home in the Valley.”

The Salvation Army in Monessen is also aiding the community. Capt. Sue Thwaite agrees that volunteerism is essential.

“We are giving people hope,” Thwaite said. “That is pretty essential in a time like this.”

Since March, the Salvation Army has gone from 30 volunteers each month to 12, but its mission has not wavered.

From March through Easter, the Salvation Army delivered 2,985 youth meals that include drinks and snacks, gave 400 bags of Easter Candy to children, more than 200 toys, 280 Blessings in a Backpack to Ringgold elementary students, 327 Grab and Go bags, 17 cases of candy to area fire departments, 40 meals to Monongahela Valley Hospital and eight Dollar Energy applications.

“Not to mention countless prayers and emotional support,” Thwaite said. “Right now a lot of people are waiting. Waiting for this to be over, waiting for their stimulus checks, waiting for their unemployment to come through. But we are here in the present. Our volunteers and our mission is to provide hope in this trying time.

“That’s the core of what we do.”

She said there are more ways to volunteer than residents may realize.

“I want to encourage people to think outside of the box, outside of traditional volunteering in person,” Thwaite said. “You can volunteer by making a donation to an organization you care about, check on your neighbors, do random acts of kindness. It’s not everyone against the world right now, we are in this together.”

In addition to local agencies, a website is available to help find opportunities across the state.

To find an opportunity:

• Call a local agency to directly inquire.

• Go to pa211sw.org to find opportunities by agency or location.

Volunteer organizations can also post opportunities by creating a profile at ServPA by going to serv.pa.gov.