| Who We Are And What We Do... An Introduction to Our Organization... In 1988, Kim Chernecky of Bethany founded Concerned Citizens to Aid the Needy (CCAN) in an effort to help families struggling with poverty. Over the years, CCAN grew to serve not only the poor, but the sick, the elderly, the homeless, and anyone else in crisis. As the needs of its clients grew, so too, did the needs of the organization. The need for a facility to house the organization, now renamed COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC.(to better describe the services we provide) is urgent. CCS, Inc. registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c ) 3 charitable organization, providing us with the opportunity to obtain funding for a much-needed facility. Through donations, and many, many volunteer hours, CCAN has been able to help thousands of people over the years. And through the generosity of this and surrounding communities and businesses, we plan to help many more. By promoting large-scale, organized volunteer programs, we expect to expand services and grow the organization tremendously in the near future. We are currently in the process of raising funds to make the dream a reality. As our organization is currently housed in an inadequate location, lacking office, storage, and work-space, we are in effect "homeless" ourselves. The ability to secure an adequately equipped facility will enable CCS to provide and expand services for an ever-expanding client base, allowing us to serve more people. |
| About Our Organization |
| Please Help |
| What We Do: CCS collects and distributes food, clothing, toys, household items, furniture, and more all year long to families and communities in need. Items are collected at various drop-offs in the Amity area and delivered to surrounding communities. Specific requests are noted for specific families. When donations are received, those items are delivered to the families that need them. New toys, housewares, clothing, or holiday items are put into storage for the Holidays. All other items are distributed immediately to area homeless shelters and community centers where they are given to those that need them. The Holidays: By far, our largest hands-on project is "The Santa Project". In cooperation with BIC Corp. in Milford, and often various churches and organizations in the area, CCS matches sponsors with children and their families for Holiday gift-giving. Generally, there are about 125-150 children on the list each year. Each child is matched with a sponsor who purchases gifts for them for the holidays. CCS then collects and delivers all the gifts to the recipients. It's a tremendous program, with incredible rewards. Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and friends at BIC, this program has been overwhelmingly successful for many years. Once we have aquired an adequate facility for our organization, we will be able to expand our program to include many more families. What We Need: No doubt about it...We need MONEY. We NEED A BUILDING OF OUR OWN. We need money for the every day operations of the organization. Fuel costs are prohibitive. Any monetary donation is greatly appreciated. Remember, your donation is tax-deductible! FOOD. Any non-perishable food items are welcome! Stop & Shop Gift cards allow families to choose what their families enjoy. It also allows them to purchase fresh meats and fruits and vegetables. Remember, these families need to eat every day-not just around the holidays... GAS. CCS does not receive funding for the very expensive fuel costs associated with picking up and distributing all the donations that we receive. Since 1988, volunteers have very generously paid for the costs of transporting all the donations, in their own vehicles, out of their own pockets-a very expensive proposition, considering the high cost of fuel today. If you or your business are interested in helping; e.g. Food drive, donating heating oil, office space (Bethany, Woodbridge, or Seymour area only, please), office supplies or equipment, monetary donations, toy drives, etc... feel free to contact us at (203)393-3728 or by mail: CCS, Inc., 73 High Rd., Bethany, CT 06524 Thank You for Your Support |
| OFFICIAL AWARDS: Annual Award From Woodbridge Human Services Department Bethany Citizen of the Year Award 2000 State Of Connecticut Official Citation-General Assembly 2000 Secretary Of the State Public Service Award 2002 Christian Community Action's Pillar of the Community Award 2007 |
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