The Enon
Emergency Relief held its 1st meeting on 3 February 1962
with representatives from the Methodist and Congregational (Knob
Prairie) churches, the Fire Bells, the Lions, the Firemen’s
Association, the VFW, Lioness, the VFW Auxiliary and the Village of
Enon (the Mayor). The first officers elected were Chairman, Bernice
Cottingham, Vice Chairman, Jacki Hauter and Secretary-Treasurer,
Cleota Hartman. That first year a total of 11 families received
Christmas help. The Enon Emergency Relief was incorporated as a not
for profit organization in July 1962. The stated purpose of the
organization is “to furnish and give such aid
as is necessary for the immediate preservation of human life and
welfare arising from emergency situations within Enon and the adjacent
territory.”
Since
then the EER has continued to grow and to provide “one stop” service
for emergency relief and referrals to the people of the Greenon School
District. Now, as then, the organization is staffed entirely by
non-paid volunteers. Our church provides funding, food, and volunteer
support. The EER relies on the local people for the money and food
needed to provide emergency assistance. Food is mainly provided from
food drives sponsored by the Post Office and the Boy Scouts as well as
church donations. The last Scout drive provided over 2500 items
including toothbrushes, other personal products and cans, boxes and
bottles of food and the Postal food collection provided over 2,400
pounds of food.
The EER
runs USDA Commodity Distributions every other month, two clothing
distributions per year and coordinates the Christmas Adopt-A-Family
program. In addition the pantry is open each Monday from 3 P.M. to 5
P.M. for emergency food, utilities, medical, rent or other assistance
or referral. Assistance was provided to 391 people during 2001 as
well as processing a total of 94 family units during the Christmas
Adopt-A-Family program. In addition, clothing distributions served 156
people and the USDA Surplus Commodity Distributions assisted 135
families. All of these programs are run out of the pantry located on
Village property behind the E.M.S. building. After storing the food
in various basements and in building space donated by Jim Miller
Furniture and later by Dr. Joel Vanderglas, the EER moved into the
current building (105 N. Scott St.) in January 2000. All of the
funding and volunteer labor for construction of the pantry was donated
by local people and various area businesses and foundations.
The Pantry Under Construction
Volunteers Sorting Food Collected by
the Postal Workers
