Thank you! Thank you, donors!
Day by day— month in and month out— the Ruth M. Smith Center depends on its faithful and generous donors to fulfill its mission to its Daycare children and to the mentally and physically handicapped adults living in its three residential buildings.
The truth of the matter is this: The Smith Center’s mission could not be accomplished without the help of each donor!
One of the most relied upon donations is the gift of “basic needs.” Shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving cream, socks, paper towels, detergents, hand sanitizer, facial tissues, and batteries represent the short list of ‘day by day’ needs frequently met by donors. A complete printable wish list—frequently updated—appears on the Center’s website. (https://www.ruthmsmithcenter.org/support) Donors supplying these needs significantly improve our ability to benefit the children and the adult residents.
Donations to the Center come in many other ways. Recently, when a large chest freezer failed, financial donations quickly and generously arrived allowing the purchase of a new one for storing food. A sofa in bad repair was replaced this summer by a couch donated by
Cook Furniture in Kane, PA. Donations such
as these help us address the ‘unexpected.’
A particularly helpful donor during the summer months is Lindell’s Hatch Patch, located north of Warren. Weekly, they provide free and fresh produce for the residents. Local organizations and churches contribute in a similar fashion by ‘sending in’ meals on dates when a fish fry or a Thanksgiving Dinner or a special dinner is scheduled.
UMW groups and UMC churches are foundational—the ‘main pipeline’ of donors to the Sheffield ministry. Many United Methodist groups donate not only financial support but also time, labor, and equipment to see that projects are completed or essential ministry items are replaced. There are, of course, no shortage of projects on a campus that includes 3 large residential homes, a gymnasium, and a large garage!
Local Boy Scouts have donated endless hours at the RMSC performing activities associated with scouting. Sheffield residents pitch in throughout the year to donate everything from Christmas gifts to bags of snacks to containers filled with the basic needs.
One might rightfully conclude that the Ruth M. Smith Center is blessed. That would be a right conclusion—we are blessed with donors who regularly and generously enrich the lives of our children and our adult residents. Again, we say, “Thanks!”