Fri Feb 03 2012
by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
Nordonia Hills -- Area agencies that help those in need say that with increasing numbers of people seeking aid, they believe tough economic times are not over.
"I don't see things improving. We're getting a lot of calls," said Christina Ciryak, executive director of the Emergency Assistance Center in Northfield Village.
Ciryak said that the center now serves more than 200 families. In December 2008, the center had about 165 families on its rolls.
"It seems like food hits the shelves, and then it's gone," she said.
Ciryak said, however, that donations from area food drives are still coming in and she believes once the holidays are over, things will improve.
Pat Divoky, interim director of Summit County Job and Family Services, said the problem is more widespread than just the local area.
"We continue to see increases in the number of clients," she said.
Divoky said the agency's $62-million budget is several million dollars short because of reductions in state funding.
Meanwhile the numbers of those seeking such aid as cash assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid are rising and, Divoky said, "we don't expect it to decrease" anytime soon.
"Perhaps the recession is ending, but historically, organizations such as ours continue to see increases for up to a couple of years after," she added.
Don Thomas, director of the Family Resource Center at Northfield Baptist Christian Church in Sagamore Hills, said about 200 people come into the center the four times a month it is open -- a 25 percent increase over last year.
"I think it will get worse before it gets better," said Thomas.
But Thomas said the center is getting a lot of help from church members, as well as from the Akron Food Bank. He said one 12-year-old boy recently donated more than 400 food items purchased with money he earned by selling pumpkins he grew in his back yard.
"Northfield Baptist is doing a great service," said Thomas.
Michele Ferrara, president of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Barnabas, said the numbers of people needing help have been "jumping."
Ferrara said the local chapter supports about 50 local families with food, rent, clothing and other assistance, as well as the Ozanam Center at Holy Name Church in Cleveland, which includes a food bank and serving of hot meals.
"We have seen people who never thought they'd be going to a food bank, they were always independent and self-sufficient, they're going there," she said.
Ferrara said parishoners have provided consistent support.
"I always like to give them credit because they make it go," she said.
Bob Bolton, president of the Nordonia Hills Baskets of Hope, said things are so difficult that the small organization has stopped providing the food baskets to families in need that gives it its name.
"We're not United Way. We can't raise a lot of money," he said.
Instead, he said, Baskets of Hope is using what donations it does receive to help children in school .
"We've refocused our efforts on the kids in school, helping them with lunch money," said Bolton.
Sue Petonic, district food services supervisor, estimated that since the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, Baskets of Hope has provided "well over $1,000."
Petonic said about 1,070 students are on the federally funded free and low-cost meal program -- about 7 percent more than last year.
"No one goes hungry in the Nordonia schools, that's the bottom line," she said.
At the Northern Summit Multi-Service Center in Northfield Village, Administrative Director Pat Lacowski said she also sees increased need.
"More than ever, most of the people I talk to have worked all their lives and are now out of work," she said. "That can be tough."
The Multi-Service Center offers referrals to various other agencies. Lacowski said she believes many of those in need have been unemployed for a significant period of time.
"When people are first out of work, they have their savings and unemployment benefits, but if they've been out of work for awhile, they run out of savings," she said.
It is not just individuals and families who are suffering, but also area small business owners.
"Small businesses can't offer the deals to customers that the big ones can," said Laura Sparano, executive director of the Nordonia Hills Chamber of Commerce.
Sparano said she is hoping that federal stimulus money will eventually "trickle down to our level."
"The businesses just need to be patient," she said.
She said most local entrepreneurs appear determined to hang on and survive.
"I think by and large, people are saying, 'I'm not going down,'" said Sparano. "They feel like if they can make it through the end of the year and the beginning of 2010, they'll be all right. People still have hope."
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3169
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