News and Musings:

Thursday, August 19, 2010
Welcome Chris!
 
We're excited to share the hiring of Christopher Fitz, our new Director of Development. Chris started in early August and brings a wealth of experience in non-profit development work and Christian ministry, including Crispus Attucks Association in York, Camp Eder in Fairfield, and Channels Food Rescue in Harrisburg. We're excited to have Chris on the BHA team, especially as we pursue plans for significant expansion through our 20/20 Vision.

Chris lives with his wife Tabea in Marietta and attends the Friends Meeting House in Lancaster. Chris and Tabea have two children, Noah and Joana, ages 5 and 3. Welcome to the BHA community, Chris and family!

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (8/19/2010 8:32:15 PM | link)

Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Workcamp Threepeat
 
We had our own threepeat* this summer: back-to-back-to-back weeklong workcamps. In mid-July, the youth group from Grantham Brethren In Christ Church came and stayed at BHA for a week of service, including significant work on our urban barn raising project and investment in the lives of neighborhood children through our Friends Forever summer day camp.

The following week, youth and leaders from Church of the Brethren congregations in Virginia and Indiana joined us. They continued work with the summer camp kids, helped at a local soup kitchen, and did finish work on our new service barn.

The week after that, we started August with another group of youth and leaders from Church of the Brethren congregations in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. While this group wasn't as receptive to my wearing of Laker's t-shirts, they were fun and energetic and completed mailing projects and renovation projects, and invested in the lives of our summer camp kids.

It was a busy three week period, but the energy and enthusiasm of our volunteers was contagious. Plus, we got to play a lot of four square. So thank you workcampers for a great summer of service to families at BHA and the Allison Hill neighborhood!

* In case you are not familiar with this term Webster's Dictonary defines a Threepeat as something that happens back-to-back-to-back. For example, when the Los Angeles Lakers utterly humiliate Lebron James and the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals, the Lakers will accomplish a threepeat...three championships in a row.

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (8/19/2010 8:38:04 AM | link)

Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thank You Paxton Church of the Brethren!
 
I was asked to preach the morning sermon at Paxton Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg on August 1, and to bring home some toiletries their Vacation Bible School had collected for us.

Well, "some" was an understatement. When I arrived the sancutary of the church was lined around the edges with household and personal care items (like those we request for our supply pantry). Pastor Joann Maurer said "we're a small church, but when we put our mind to it, we do things in a big way." Pastor Maurer and her husband had to follow me back to BHA after church because I couldn't fit everything in my car!

Thanks so much for blessing us at a time when our toiletry cabinet was running so low.

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (8/18/2010 4:11:36 PM | link)

Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thank You Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren!
 
Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren chose BHA as the beneficiary of their summer Vacation Bible School. They made care packages for all of our families, including toiletries, bibles, and homemade blankets. Thank you Mechanic Grove church family!

Friends from Mechanic Grove COB in Quarryville drop by our office to deliver the care packages they made for each family at BHA

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (8/17/2010 4:05:14 PM | link)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Help Homeless Families Beat The Heat and Get Back On Their Feet!
 
Summer is typically a lean time for BHA financially. During vacation season giving drops off, and other sources of funding from grants or special events don't typically coincide with this time of year. But our work with homeless families continues at full steam.

Can you help us Beat the Heat by giving an extra gift this summer? Or having your church or civic group take a special collection to help homeless families "Beat the Heat and Get Back on Their Feet?"

Please help us by doing the following:

1. Think what you can realistically give as an extra gift. $10? $100? $1,000?
2. Make your donation through our website donation page or mail your donation payable to "BHA" to:

BHA
219 Hummel Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104

3. As you process your donation, take a moment to say a prayer of blessing on the families at BHA that are working so hard to get back on their feet. Each day they face incredible challenges and yet show courage by moving forward on their journey of healing.

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (7/13/2010 7:54:43 AM | link)

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Summer Camp Launches
 
This summer, in partnership with Brethren Community Ministries (BCM) and Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren, BHA helped to launch the Friends Forever Summer Camp. This day camp is for neighborhood children and runs for seven weeks, three days a week from 9am-3pm, for children ages 5 to 11. By the end of our first week we reached our capacity of 25 children and are developing a waiting list.

Heading up the camp on behalf of BHA is Lillian Smith (right), a Messiah College intern. Lillian is working closely with Karen Johnson and Amy Otstott, interns from Harrisburg Area Community College who are working with BCM for the summer.

Its been a joy and a lot of fun so far getting to know more children from the neighborhood, including several from BHA graduate families!

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (6/30/2010 4:21:59 PM | link)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Urban Barn Raising - More Progress
 
Another work day by the Mount Wilson Church of the Brethren crew and the siding is up and other exterior finish work is complete.

We still are raising funds to cover the cost of the finish work and laundry equipment for the laundromat. We welcome donations designated toward this project, or if your church or civic group would like to take on part of the project as a fundraiser, please contact our Executive Director Steve Schwartz at (717) 233-6016 or sschwartz@bha-pa.org for more information.

See the entire project from start to finish in more detail in our Facebook photo album.

Posted by Steve Schwartz   (6/29/2010 1:59:20 PM | link)

News and Musings Archive
August 2010 (4 musings)
July 2010 (1 musing)
June 2010 (7 musings)
May 2010 (4 musings)
April 2010 (3 musings)
March 2010 (4 musings)
February 2010 (3 musings)
December 2009 (7 musings)
October 2009 (1 musing)
August 2009 (1 musing)
July 2009 (5 musings)
June 2009 (4 musings)
May 2009 (1 musing)
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June 2008 (3 musings)
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April 2008 (6 musings)
February 2008 (2 musings)
January 2008 (4 musings)
December 2007 (4 musings)
November 2007 (6 musings)
August 2007 (2 musings)
July 2007 (1 musing)
June 2007 (1 musing)
May 2007 (4 musings)
April 2007 (2 musings)
March 2007 (2 musings)
February 2007 (3 musings)
January 2007 (3 musings)
December 2006 (3 musings)
November 2006 (3 musings)
October 2006 (3 musings)