Friday, July 9, 2010

Pocomoke Family Connections Closes

Three women poured their hearts, and tears, out for an agency that served as a lifeline for them.

Family Connections, an agency that has been aiding families for 35 years, had to close its Pocomoke City location due to lack of funding.

For some it was a helping hand, but for many families in need, it was like the artery that kept their hearts going even after extreme turmoil.
"Family Connections has helped me bridge a gap in between and help me find out where I could get an apartment," said Rosetta Nunally, a new resident of Pocomoke City.

"They helped me furnish my five bedroom house and I have five children, and I had nothing," said Renee Schoolfield, a resident of Pocomoke City.

Family Connections offers free counseling, in addition to programs for abused children, adolescents in need of guidance, and mental health issues.

They even find housing for residents, helping them financially.
"I don't know how I am going to function if they are not there. One day a week I'm thankful for that, but its not enough. And they are our only source here in Pocomoke," said Michele Voigt, also a resident of Pocomoke.

Over the years Staff say they have built strong bonds with their clients.

"We really want to keep the services in Pocomoke as best as we can and to do that we are going to need the community's support," said Teresa Fields, Executive Director of Family Connections.

Since Berlin is the only current location, the Abundant Life Church has opened their doors to the program, and Pocomoke City residents, for on-site services every Wednesday.

If you would like to support the Family Connections program, donations can be made on their website at gowoyo.org, or directly to their Berlin location.

VIA: WMDT.com 



Editor: I have a problem with a couple statements in the article, I've added my thoughts in bold.
1) "They helped me furnish my five bedroom house and I have five children, and I had nothing," said Renee Schoolfield, a resident of Pocomoke City.

A five bedroom house, A FIVE BEDROOM HOUSE?? I'm sorry I have a problem with helping someone out that has a five bedroom house, the first line of help I would offer to Renee would come in the form of advise, and that advise being, how about owning or renting a smaller house like maybe a three bedroom house Renee? Then maybe you could afford some furniture with the money you'd be saving in overhead. I'm sorry I have no sympathy for someone that has children and goes out and buys or rents a McMansion that they know they cannot afford.   

2) They even find housing for residents, helping them financially.
"I don't know how I am going to function if they are not there. One day a week I'm thankful for that, but its not enough. And they are our only source here in Pocomoke," said Michele Voigt, also a resident of Pocomoke.

Michele doesn't know how she will "function" if Family Connections are not there. At least Michele is thankful for that one day a week but admits that's "not enough" for Michele. Well Michele, how about trying to "function" seven days a week just like most of the rest of us do? How about a JOB, if you do have a low pay job maybe you need to get a second job and work for what you get? 


Good grief people, what has happened to our society? It seams that more and more people are looking for a handout, free lunch, a completely free ride so to speak. Work for what you need, work harder for what you want. I grew-up poor (still am) my parents raised four of us without handouts and we didn't have a five bedroom home either. Whatever we did have, but mostly what we didn't have was still was NEVER "not enough" for us even for "one day a week" we were happy everyday of the week and didn't want a handout. 

We didn't have the finer things in life and we didn't ask for them for FREE. We were dirt poor monetarily (still are) but we were rich with pride. Pride in knowing what we did have we earned it, and we earned it through hard work and we earned it honestly. 

The most valuable thing that anyone could give Renee and Michele and all that are like them is look at the above paragraph, apply that to your lives, be the giver not the taker and you will be rewarded ten fold. You will be rich.  

3 comments:

jmmb said...

Where was this located? I lived in Pocomoke most of my life and have never heard of this.

Anonymous said...

I see more and more of these types of places going under for lack of funding. I myself decided a few months ago that I'm not giving another penny to these types or organizations. All these places do is reward irresponsible behavior and allow people to become more and more dependant upon others instead of teaching independence.
I'm curious to know what Schoolfield did for Family Connections in return for the furniture-probably nothing! And I don't mean monetary wise, I mean stuff like helping with upkeep around the place for a few hours a week.

Anonymous said...

This news article is a sham. This group opened their doors to the Pocomoke location less than 6 years ago and has been open 1 day a week for a few years now. Now a local church has now opened doors to them and they even appealed recently to the town council for funding for them. Now they are closed where would future funding go? Hopefully, these individuals learned more than people will hand out things to them; they need to learn skills like how to look for and keep work. Funny, democrat candidate Jimmy Schoolfield was there too talking with them and even funnier one of the women was a Schoolfield. What ever happened to taking care of family. Oh yeah, he's too busy with assault, battery, theft charges and unpaid major bills that he and his wife dont pay. Sign me off as "tired of the democrats having meetings for gaining press in an election year"