Catalog raises money, awareness for services

By MARY CAREY Staff Writer
From dailyhampshiregazette.com, Thursday, January 03, 2008.

AMHERST - The Amherst Survival Center is addressing two ongoing challenges - raising money and getting the word out about the services it offers - with one glossy catalog.

A six-page gift catalog mailed to about 1,500 people in mid December outlines what is going on at the 1200 North Pleasant St. drop-in and free food and clothing distribution center as well as offering estimates about what the costs of each service.

It also allows potential donors to mark which services they want their contributions to help fund. Some of the biggest-ticket items include "A Day in the Life of ASC," at $1,000, the "Survival Center Express" at $4,000 and the Kitchen Cornucopia at $3,000.

Ruth Wade, president of the Center's Board of Directors, said the organization has received a favorable response to its newest fundraising effort, which has helped the center take in more private funding this year than in previous years. Although Wade does not have final totals yet, she said, "I know for sure, it's well over what we've done in the past."

About 100 people have placed orders through the catalog, Wade said.

The center's annual budget is some $300,000 a year - about half from private individuals, businesses and churches.

"It's our hope it really grows and becomes a part of our fundraising plan, because we faced a huge cut from the town of Amherst last year of almost $17,000," Wade said.

Tracey Levy, program director at the center, said staff came up with the idea of the catalog as a way to draw attention to a local charitable organization much like the group Heifer International draws attention to its efforts to relieve poverty in developing countries.

The Arkansas-based Heifer International distributes colorful brochures and videos explaining how contributions are used to buy farm animals like horses, pigs and chickens for struggling families. "Most people in Amherst, I think, don't realize there is a need as great as there is, locally," Wade said.

The $1,000 "Day in the Life" gift covers the estimated cost of providing a hot lunch, emergency food from the pantry, fresh bread and produce, items from the free store, shower and laundry facilities and companionship for the estimated 100 or so people who visit the center daily.

The $4,000 "Survival Center Express" buys gasoline and supports vehicle maintenance for the red pickup and white van that collect and deliver food, clothing and furniture.

The $3,000 "Kitchen Cornucopia" purchases six months' of food supplies for about 4,500 meals.

There is a $250 "About Town" option providing transportation and admission tickets to local festivals to 25 people, a $100 "Daily Bread Basket" option and a $50 "House Warmer," which goes toward household items and a week's worth of dinners for people who have recently had to move out of their homes.

Susan Wennemyr, the board's treasurer, said one person thought the center should offer more lower-priced options, but that the catalog has succeeded in giving people a favorable impression of what has been going on at the center.

"While it increased giving and the number of people giving, most people didn't give for one of the bundles we had. But most people said, 'I can see you guys are doing great, because the catalogue looks nice,'" Wennemyr said.

"People who keep up with the Survival Center also know there's a new board, a new executive director and new services at the center," Wennemyr said. Cheryl Zoll succeeded longtime director Evangeline Westcott, who retired in 2006. "We have doctors coming and social workers, and someone who cuts hair."Exciting things are happening," Levy said.