Conference moira::parenting

    Family shelters are unfortunatly all over the place.  I have a listing
    of a few in the Worcester Area.  Shelters and half-way houses may be a
    place to start they always need things like clothing and I'm sure a few
    toys could help brighten some childs life.  Also some Medical clinics
    or hospital play areas could probably use some replacements to their
    well-worn toys.
    
    Joyce

     A few ways I can think of......

     * check with your local church - ours does a monthly collection of
       canned/non-perishable foods for one of the local charities and
       has an organization that keeps track of needy families in the area
       and sends out a "can you help" message when something's really
       needed - I would imagine they'd also take stuff in anticipation
       of need

     * places like Catholic Charities, Children's Aid & Family Service (?),
       your local daycare center (especially for toys), kindergarten....

     * for clothes, I tend to pass Matt's along to a friend of the family
       who has a boy a few years younger than Matt - some of the stuff he
       can wear right away, some he has to grow into, some gets "handed 
       over" to his sister (my son is "HER Matt" so if she doesn't get
       something, 8*) )......I like the idea of giving the clothes to 
       someone I know, but have also given to the places mentioned above.

   Just a few ideas...

   Debbi J

Here is a list a sent to the base-noter but thought I should post it here.
    
    WORCESTER-AREA RESOURCES FOR THE HOMELESS      (all 508 area code)

    SHELTERS
    --------

    ABBY'S HOUSE - Shelter for women and children.
            23 Crown Street, Worcester, MA  01609, (756-5486)

    DAYBREAK -  Shelter for battered women and their children.
            Admn. Office:  755-5371, (24 Hr. Hotline 755-9030)

    FRIENDLY HOUSE - Family shelter.  (792-1799)
            11 Sycamore Street, Worcester, MA  01608


    CAROL A. SCHMIDT VILLAGE - Shelter & Emergency care for the teens.
            975- Millbury Street, Worcester, MA  01607  (757-5579)

    SHEPHERD'S PLACE - Family shelter.
            54 Queen Street, Worcester, MA  01610  (757-5198)

    ST. FRANCIS & ST. THERESE CATHLIC WORKER HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY -
            Temporary shelter for men and women.
            52 Mason St., Worcester, MA  01610  (753-3588)

    YOUVILLE HOUSE - Family shelter.
            133 Granite Street, Worcester, MA  01604  (3084)


            TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
            -------------------------------------------
    FRANCES PERKINS HOUSE - 16-18 Cottage Street, Worcester, MA  01609
            Phone:  757-7506

    GEORGE STREET TRANSITIONAL HOUSE - 12 George Street
            Worcester, MA  01609      Phone:  799-2499

    TEEN PARENT APARTMENT PROGRAM - 23-37 Boylston Street
            Worcester, MA  01605      Phone:  757-5579

    
    
    Hi, 
    
    there is a place in Nashua N.H. called `Sheepfold'  Theey take clothes,
    toys, etc. between the hours of 10-2 they are located on Spruce Str. 
    Nashua N.H. Phone# 603-889-5907.
    
    They keep an inventory of things for fire victoms.. etc..
    
    
    Joyce

    The Nashua Soup Kitchen (which has a shelter for families) and the safe
    house for the Rape and Assault Support Services are also good places
    that constantly need toys.
    
    Another place is Gateway Family Planning, which provides health and
    maternity services to women who cannot afford their own doctor.
    
    Nashua Soup Kitchen: 42 Chestnut St, 889-7770
    Greater Nashua Rape and Assault Support Services: 889-0858
    Gateway Family Health Center: 268 Main St, 883-1626
    
    judy

    In 1991 my wife and I adopted our daughter from Romania. We spent 6
    weeks in the country and saw first hand the horrible conditions of the
    orphanges. Today there are still over 150,000 orphans warehoused in
    appauling conditions where they lack basic needs such as clothes,
    medical supplies,formula, toys, and most of all, love.
    
    We belong to a national organization made up of parents who have adopted 
    these children. We collect everything mentioned above and make 3 trips 
    a year to Romania to distribute the supplies to the orphans.  In fact 
    we just sent over 4000 pounds this week!
    
    Any contribution would go along way for a child who has nothing. You
    can contact me at dtn 256-5752 or send any donation to :
    
          Mark Treon care of THE CHOSEN CHILDREN OF ROMANIA
          BOX 401 
          Barre, Vermont  05641
          tele. (802) 479-2848
                              

    
    Mark - 
    
    Are they still blocking adoption of those children outside the
    country?   My heart goes out to the little ones!
    
    Jamd                                 

    
    Having seen children in Albania, I vote for Romania or any other third
    world country if you can get them there.
    
    However, Dept of Social Services Foster Families is another idea as is
    Birthright which advocates against abortion and is in a position to
    distribute to young single moms.

    Our town has a home for Unwed,underpriveledged mothers.  It's called
    Morning Star home, is on Main St Oxford (right in the Center of town) 
    They are always in need of clothes, baby furniture, and even regular
    furniture.  We donated our old livingroom set to them last November.  I
    wish I could relate to you the gratitude that was expressed by the
    director, and some of the expectant and new moms.  
    
    As a member of the town's ambulance, we have transported most of their
    mom's in labor. (this is a policy not a necessity, so the housemother/
    labor coach can get to the hospital after her call-in replacement has
    arrived at the home).  What I can understand about it is that most of
    the moms are from other parts of the state, many are very destitude,
    even homeless, and are welcome to stay at the home for a few months
    after they give birth, and are at the home for several months prior to
    birth.  The hospital takes whatever the State Welfare department pays,
    and nothing else, and the OB donates his services completely.
    
    Just thought I'd add one more "worthy cause" to the list.
    
    Lyn

    Over the weekend I was reminded by a teen friend of the Shriner's
    hospitals in both Boston and Springfield MA.  (FYI, they have many
    hospitals all over the country, Atlanta is another that comes to mind).
    
    I and some of our young ladies will be going to the hospitals next month 
    to bring stuffed animals to the children, used and new. I just wanted to 
    make a suggestion that if you're cleaning out and want to get rid of toys
    these children would be most appreciative.  There is an earlier note, I
    think in this version of notes with more details and addressses, the
    patients are never charged for any of their services.

    How about the Flood Relief effort out in the midwest???  I'm sure you can 
    take them somewhere local and they will get them there.  Just an idea.  

   re: flood relief..  I thought I heard on the news the other day that
   the American Red Cross was accepting donations (of money anyway)
   targetted for the flood victims.  Perhaps they would take other stuff
   as well...
   
   - Tom

    For those of us local to the MA area, I am aware that Shaws
    supermarkets, Stop & Shop supermarkets, and I think also Star Market
    chain have been filling trailer after trailer of relief supplies.  They
    have specifically targeting diapers, (and I'd guess diaper wipes too)
    bottled water, and NON perishables are needed.  Plus all kinds of
    cleaning supplies. ( I can't even begin to imagine the filth these
    people will have to encounter when the waters receed).  Household needs
    and bedding have been requested as well.
    
    WBZ Radio and television is accepting cash donations, and for what it's
    worth I think the other two major TV stations are pretty much following
    suit.
    
    Grafton MA is helping out Grafton (I think) IL, they are having a drive
    this Saturday (7/24) on the town common.  Quincy MA is helping Quincy
    (IL?) which is what I think sparked a lot of the market and media
    hypes.
    
    Lyn
    

    Thanks for all your suggestions. All I have to do is decide where to
    direct my charity :-)
    
    Shaila

Just FYI for now - I called both my local (Colorado Springs) Shriners and also
the Boston Shriners Hospital to check on their policies regarding charging
patients. The local one never called me back, but the Boston hospital said that
they do not charge any of their patients, even if they are rich. 

      Carol, as co-moderator

    When I went down to Maynard for a course in May, I sat beside a 
    burn victim in the plane. She was going to the Shriners Hospital
    in Boston for one in a long series of surgeries to improve her 
    skin's looks and functionality (she was 19 and had been in a house
    fire at the age of 9). She told me that the Shriners were footing
    all the bills for her (even though she wasn't even a US citizen or
    resident).
    Hats off to this wonderful organization!
                                  
    	Monica

    I just saw collection boxes for the flood victims in Hannibal, MO. I
    think that is where my charity at this time is going since the thought
    of kids not having water to drink or lack of water to make formula for
    infants just gets to me.
    
    Shaila

    ..forgot to mention that the collection boxes are in MKO1.

    I heard on Channel 4 news (Boston) that ALL Elks Lodges will be
    collection points this weekend for donations for the Mississippi area
    victims.  It seems to me that the hours listed were something like 8-6
    Saturday and Sunday.
    
    I have talked to a aunt locally, who has talked to a couple of my other
    Aunts in MO, and the Ozark area, and what I'm hearing is that all we
    see on the news is just as it looks, and then some!  Fortunate for our
    family, so far (and that's the key words) all is well for my relatives!
    
    Lyn

    
    Another good idea ..... about 1 1/2 years ago I was in a car accident. 
    I had my 2 boys with me, and they were fine, but Mom had to be
    transported to the hospital.  The police stayed with my boys most of
    the time, and were really wonderful explaining things and making sure
    the kids were okay.  The police gave them each a stuffed animal. 
    Obviously used, but it was something that *REALLY* made the kids feel a
    lot better, and to this day brings tears to my eyes that the police
    would even think about having such a thing.  
    
    So, perhaps stuffed animals to your local police dept??  
    

    More on the MidWest flooding (a bit of a tangent). My cousin lives in
    Des Moines, and said they need food, clothing, and MONEY more than
    anything.  They don't need water, since it gets trucked in large
    tankers.  She thought toys would help younger kids keep their mind off
    their troubles, and suggested the Salvation Army as an excellent
    collection point.  She gave one of her friends $100 to buy herself and
    her 2 kids some shoes that weren't soaking wet!  
    Sarah