United Way encourages kindness

MARTINSBURG — The United Way of the Eastern Panhandle is encouraging the community to participate in Random Acts of Kindness week by donating to area food pantries or to the Warming Hands and Hearts fund. This is the first year the organization has participated in the weekly event, established in 1995 by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation to encourage individuals to lend a helping hand to others. “We actually picked up on it because a lot of other United Ways and a lot of other nonprofits were sending e-mails announcing that it was Random Acts of Kindness Week,” said Vicki Shean, the director of resource development at United Way of the Eastern Panhandle. “We just all decided that it was a good idea and a great thing to do. With food pantries being so short, we decided that might be a priority of ours to direct people to give to those food pantries.” Shean is asking that individuals donate food items to the Jefferson County Community Ministries, at 238 W. Washington St. in Charles Town; the Berkeley County CCAP-Loaves and Fishes, at 336 S. Queen St. in Martinsburg; and the Morgan County Emergency Assistance Team, at 44 Bath St. in Berkeley Springs. Shean is also asking that individuals donate to the Warming Hands and Hearts fund, a program designed to supplement state-offered heating assistance programs. The program has fallen short of funding needed to support those in need of assistance to manage their heating costs. “Given the recent weather, I would expect that there is going to be a real surge of need,” Shean said. Only $143 of the $7,000 that was raised for the program is left to assist those with their heating needs, said Ada Palmer, program manager of the Warming Hands and Hearts fund. Palmer assisted seven people Thursday in finding funds to supplement heating costs, she said. “Mother Hubbard’s cupboard is bare,” Palmer said. “We’ve been trying to get along with community donations.” Palmer said she is asking for donations, however small or large, to the fund. “Don’t be too busy, don’t turn your head away, don’t think it’s going to be taken care of any other way,” Palmer said.