Community First Opens Bluffton Office
By LIZ MITCHELL
lmitchell@islandpacket.com
843-706-8169
Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009
To many residents in Beaufort and Jasper counties, Pearla Harvey is known as Mother Harvey. She's an ordained pastor who leads a ministry every Sunday at Simmons Cay Apartments in Bluffton. Now, she's expanding a Jasper County nonprofit to May River Road in Bluffton. A grand opening is scheduled for Saturday.
Community First helps low-income single parents and grandparents raising grandchildren find food, shelter and medical services. The nonprofit also refers families to other agencies that can help them pay bills, find emergency day care or offer counseling services. Cecile Bibaud, a former social worker, is helping Harvey by teaching a monthly parenting class and advocating for parents of children with mental illness or special needs who are having problems in school.
Harvey plans to coordinate a weekly support group for women. She also wants to create a young men's group to teach at-risk youth that, "Knowledge is money, and education is the key.” “I think about how so many people are lost because of a lack of knowledge," she said. "I see what people fall into, so I wanted to make a difference."
Harvey's Community First has been working in Beaufort and Jasper counties since 2003 and earned nonprofit status in 2006. Community First typically helps about 25 people a year, she said.
In the two weeks since Harvey has opened the Bluffton office, she's helped seven single parents with a variety of needs. Harvey expects her new location and the recession to bring in more traffic than usual. She is awaiting the results of a grant application to hire an extra staff member.
"I want to help those who have hope and want to improve their lives," she said. "With the economy the way it is, you don't know what will happen. People drink more and do drugs more. They are going to get frustrated and not know what to do, so I want to get the word out that we will be here for them."
By LIZ MITCHELL
lmitchell@islandpacket.com
843-706-8169
Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009
To many residents in Beaufort and Jasper counties, Pearla Harvey is known as Mother Harvey. She's an ordained pastor who leads a ministry every Sunday at Simmons Cay Apartments in Bluffton. Now, she's expanding a Jasper County nonprofit to May River Road in Bluffton. A grand opening is scheduled for Saturday.
Community First helps low-income single parents and grandparents raising grandchildren find food, shelter and medical services. The nonprofit also refers families to other agencies that can help them pay bills, find emergency day care or offer counseling services. Cecile Bibaud, a former social worker, is helping Harvey by teaching a monthly parenting class and advocating for parents of children with mental illness or special needs who are having problems in school.
Harvey plans to coordinate a weekly support group for women. She also wants to create a young men's group to teach at-risk youth that, "Knowledge is money, and education is the key.” “I think about how so many people are lost because of a lack of knowledge," she said. "I see what people fall into, so I wanted to make a difference."
Harvey's Community First has been working in Beaufort and Jasper counties since 2003 and earned nonprofit status in 2006. Community First typically helps about 25 people a year, she said.
In the two weeks since Harvey has opened the Bluffton office, she's helped seven single parents with a variety of needs. Harvey expects her new location and the recession to bring in more traffic than usual. She is awaiting the results of a grant application to hire an extra staff member.
"I want to help those who have hope and want to improve their lives," she said. "With the economy the way it is, you don't know what will happen. People drink more and do drugs more. They are going to get frustrated and not know what to do, so I want to get the word out that we will be here for them."
Some of Our Programs
First Steps
First Steps is exactly that. It's the first steps a person must take in order to get the help he or she needs for the family. Community First is establishing a database of services available throughout the Lowcountry. We can then make referrals to other agencies and coordinate those efforts to provide whatever goods or services are necessary for the family. Food, shelter, medical attention, and education are all basic needs of a family, and we will do everything possible to make certain that a family that comes to us for help gets their basic needs met.
Parents' Advocate
Many parents struggle to make ends meet, some working two jobs. If their child has problems in school they often can't afford to take time off for fear losing their job. It may seem that these parents don't care about their child or are not concerned with his or her education. However, taking care of a family can be overwhelming when there is only one parent or grandparents, some of whom are elderly and may have health problems. For these reasons Community First has developed a program called "Parents' Advocate."
Parents' Advocate intervenes at school when children need help with academics, behavior problems, IEP decisions, or after-school care. At the parent or grandparents' request, a Community First volunteer will accompany them to school conferences to provide support, guidance, and, if needed, English transitions. Community First is working on obtaining clearance from legal and school authorities to substitute for parents unable to leave their job to attend these meetings. Once approved for that service, and with written permission from the parent, the volunteer will attend the conference and listen to what is being said. Then, at a convenient time, the volunteer will report to the parent the information obtained in the meeting. If a child needs to leave school for illness or behavioral reasons, the volunteer (again with parent permission) will pick the child up from school and keep the child safe until the parent can arrange to get the child.
Parent Support Groups
It helps to know you're not alone. Whether you're a single-parent or a grandparent raising your grandchildren, you can benefit from sharing experiences with someone who understands what you're going through. Community First sponsors a group that's just right for you.
Eat Out – In
By the end of the week everybody’s exhausted. We have the perfect answer to the dreaded “What’s for dinner?” chant of your children. On Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 7:00 p.m. Community First is preparing a home-cooked meal to go. Pick up a well-balanced, take-out meal with a drink for only $6.00 per adult serving. Smaller “kids” servings are also available. Treat yourself this weekend. Everybody’s welcome. We’re looking forward to seeing you!
Additional programs are in the development phase.
First Steps First Steps is exactly that. It's the first steps a person must take in order to get the help he or she needs for the family. Community First is establishing a database of services available throughout the Lowcountry. We can then make referrals to other agencies and coordinate those efforts to provide whatever goods or services are necessary for the family. Food, shelter, medical attention, and education are all basic needs of a family, and we will do everything possible to make certain that a family that comes to us for help gets their basic needs met.
Parents' Advocate
Many parents struggle to make ends meet, some working two jobs. If their child has problems in school they often can't afford to take time off for fear losing their job. It may seem that these parents don't care about their child or are not concerned with his or her education. However, taking care of a family can be overwhelming when there is only one parent or grandparents, some of whom are elderly and may have health problems. For these reasons Community First has developed a program called "Parents' Advocate."
Parents' Advocate intervenes at school when children need help with academics, behavior problems, IEP decisions, or after-school care. At the parent or grandparents' request, a Community First volunteer will accompany them to school conferences to provide support, guidance, and, if needed, English transitions. Community First is working on obtaining clearance from legal and school authorities to substitute for parents unable to leave their job to attend these meetings. Once approved for that service, and with written permission from the parent, the volunteer will attend the conference and listen to what is being said. Then, at a convenient time, the volunteer will report to the parent the information obtained in the meeting. If a child needs to leave school for illness or behavioral reasons, the volunteer (again with parent permission) will pick the child up from school and keep the child safe until the parent can arrange to get the child.
Parent Support Groups
It helps to know you're not alone. Whether you're a single-parent or a grandparent raising your grandchildren, you can benefit from sharing experiences with someone who understands what you're going through. Community First sponsors a group that's just right for you.
Eat Out – In
By the end of the week everybody’s exhausted. We have the perfect answer to the dreaded “What’s for dinner?” chant of your children. On Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 7:00 p.m. Community First is preparing a home-cooked meal to go. Pick up a well-balanced, take-out meal with a drink for only $6.00 per adult serving. Smaller “kids” servings are also available. Treat yourself this weekend. Everybody’s welcome. We’re looking forward to seeing you!
Additional programs are in the development phase.