Pennies for Poverty:
Two Cents For Change
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Making change:
Group distributes grants to fight poverty
By Katie Lovett, Features Editor
Since the nonprofit Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change began three years ago, it has distributed $30,000 in grants.
Those grants go to individuals and organizations who have an idea for an initiative or program that works to lift people out of poverty, said the nonprofit's president, Eleanor Turke.
The volunteer group began with a purpose to fundraise, promote volunteerism and make donations to food pantries and soup kitchens, and to raise awareness about poverty in the city.
Its mission is to increase awareness of and fight poverty in Newburyport, Turke said.
Applicants can seek grants twice a year, Turke said, and the group typically receives about a half-dozen requests each year. Among the most recent grants they issued was to the Newburyport Learning Center to help fund an after-school reading program for kids at risk.
"We look for things that are innovative," Turke said.
The applications are awarded based on a set of criteria, she said. Grants can also be awarded on an emergency basis, such as when the Salvation Army sought funds to purchase toiletries.
To help them accomplish their mission, the group has distributed collection cans at various businesses around the city and will hold fundraisers.
Last summer, Star 240, a motorcycle riding club, gathered at Haley's Ice Cream in Newburyport each Wednesday to raise money for the organization, offering music, entertainment and photo opportunities. For the last two years, downtown merchants have raised donations for Pennies for Poverty during their "Witches Night Out" Halloween event.
On Tuesday, the nonprofit will host a wine tasting dinner at Oregano Pizzeria and Ristorante, as part of a fundraising program offered by the Pleasant Street restaurant.
By purchasing a ticket, guests can enjoy a four-course meal, each accompanied by a complementary wine from Ruby Wines Inc. The proceeds will go to the Pennies for Poverty 2 Cent grant fund.
"It's the first time we've done one quite like this," Turke said. "It's a nice evening out for people."
Pennies for Poverty also hosts speakers as part of a lecture program open to the public.
In March, the group will hold a weekend-long food drive at Shaw's plaza to collect canned goods and nonperishable foods for area food pantries.
The pantries seek a range of items, such as snacks for kids to bring to school, breakfast items, pasta and spaghetti sauce, and toiletries, Turke said.
IF YOU GO
- What: Wine Tasting Dinner for Pennies for Poverty
- When: Tuesday, Feb. 8; 6 to 9 p.m.
- Where: Oregano Pizzeria and Ristorante, 16 Pleasant St., Newburyport
- Why: Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change, awards grants to local agencies to fill urgent needs or fund initiatives to raise people out of poverty.
- How: Tickets are $60 per person. For information about the menu or to purchase tickets, call 978-358-7484 or e-mail 2c4c@2cents4change.com.
Povery here comes out of the shadows in hard times
Posted on Newburyport Current, Mar 26, 2010 @ 11:52 AM
Wicked Local Photo by Ian Hurley
Pettengil House volunteers Jean Mercer of Salisbury, left, and Dianne LeSage of Newbury, help fill a bag of food items for one of the food pantry's clients on Tuesday morning, March 9.
Newburyport—
How much is enough to get by? The answer can be different, depending on where you are.
In Newburyport, the admittedly high cost of living—in particular, housing costs—affects the ability of families to make a go of it.
Families and individuals are struggling in the city, but they often go unseen and unacknowledged, said Catherine Gould, co-founder and president of Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change.
"Poverty here in Newburyport is very different than poverty in Lawrence," she said.
The nonprofit seeks to raise awareness of extreme need to lessen its effects and ultimately eliminate its root causes. In its recently released "Monitoring Poverty" annual report, we learn that 711 Newburyport households are subsisting in severe poverty and 1,424 in moderate need, while 1,345 are considered to be at risk for poverty.
Pennies for Poverty developed its own definition for poverty in the city —one that took into account the elevated cost of living. So being poor in Newburyport reflects a higher income limit than the federal poverty line, which is about $20,000 for a family of four.
Pennies for Poverty concluded that, to avoid poverty here, a single person must earn at least $25,000 a year; two adults, $35,000; and a family with two children, $50,000.
The report also found something alarming: Earning less than $50,000 could leave many in Newburyport teetering near poverty, especially those without assets to fall back on.
This lack of a "security net" leaves them always one disaster away from being in dire need. An unforeseen car problem, medical expense or job layoff can quickly drive families to the brink.
"You have to have a cushion in this economy," said Gould.
The report counters the notion that Newburyport somehow has escaped the distressing incidence of poverty, she said.
"Because it's perceived as an upper class town, people don't talk about their own personal financial issues. Everyone tries to keep the perception going," she said.
Financial hardship also carries stigma and shame, something Gould wants to change by bringing poverty out of the closet so people can feel comfortable sharing their problems with friends and neighbors.
Intangible but real
The plight of struggling families in Newburyport should be a concern to all, Gould said, because something fundamental would be lost if the city were to become homogenous, without economic diversity. A shrinking middle class is a symptom of a social ill, she said. "It's very unhealthy and creates a big social divide."
Gould said she worries that, with the recession, more and more people nearing retirement will face high debt, while the younger generation will struggle to get by on low-wage jobs. Members of both generations might not be able to afford to stay in their hometown.
"It would be a loss to the community if they had to move out of town. You lose your cultural heritage," she said.
In Newburyport, where there's a lack of racial diversity but a vibrant mix of long-time locals and newcomers, it's the "cultural heritage that people find fascinating ... that brings the flavor," Gould said.
For information about Pennies for Poverty and its programs, visit 2cents4change.com