Ephrata Area Social Services

***Calling all business owners and employers....this post is for you!***

Are you struggling to find candidates that match the skillsets you need when hiring? Do you wish that you had someone on the ground making connections with potential future hirers? Are you invested in workforce development in your community?

As part of EASS's new workforce development program, we are coming to you! We want to meet with your hiring managers and HR teams to gain a better understanding of your business needs and how we can match you with potential hirers.

Learn more below!

This program is offered through a grant received by United Way's Level UP and Launch program. Are you interested in donating to support workforce development in Northern Lancaster County?

You can donate directly through this link:

https://uwlancaster.givenow.stratuslive.com/LUL-EASS

United Way will MATCH your donation to support this program.

More collection boxes have been placed out in the local community for school supplies!

Check out: Ephrata Recreation Center, Ephrata Public Library, Kountry Korner Drive In to pick up a list or drop off items.

Shopping items include:
Toiletry Items
Hair Products
Umbrellas
Gum & Candy
Sensory Items
Makeup Items
Lunch bags
Icepacks
Food Containers
Phone Cases
Wallets
Makeup Bags
School Supplies

Are you currently unemployed? Working but feel like you can't get ahead? Have aspirations to switch careers but not sure how?

Introducing our workforce development program! EASS wants to work with you to find long-term, stable employment that helps to support your household.

This program is offered through a grant received by United Way's Level UP and Launch program. Are you interested in donating to support workforce development in Northern Lancaster County? You can donate directly through this link: https://uwlancaster.givenow.stratuslive.com/LUL-EASS and United Way will MATCH your donation to support this program.

We hope all our friends and golfers 🏌️‍♂️ are having a great day at Northern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce Chamber Cup event.

EASS is proud to be part of the NLC with so many of our other friends, nonprofits, and businesses.

***Attention guardians of kiddos in youth sports***

Free PIAA sports physicals are being offered by our community partner. Penn Medicine at Clipper magazine stadium.

If you need the paperwork printed, call us!

717-733-0345. We are happy to help!

Our Sports Medicine team is offering free PIAA sports physical for student athletes entering grades 7-12, Aug. 1 at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Students must bring the PIAA physical form (available online at http://spr.ly/6184iwZrQ under the Resources tab) with Section 5 on health history completed and signed by a parent or guardian. To sign up call 717-627-7675 or go to: http://spr.ly/6185iwZrv

🍎🍎🍎EASS is collecting back-to-school items to benefit students in Ephrata and Cocalico districts. 🍎🍎🍎

Shopping items include:
Toiletry Items
Hair Products
Umbrellas
Gum & Candy
Sensory Items
Makeup Items
Lunch bags
Icepacks
Food Containers
Phone Cases
Wallets
Makeup Bags
School Supplies

The back-to-school event is open to children K-12th, so we are asking for a variety of items.

Dropoff locations include Griddle & Grind Cafe LLC, Ephrata Starbucks .marketplace.starbucks, Good's Store (Ephrata), EASS.....and more to come!

Let's send our students back to school feeling confident and loved 💓 by their community.

To sponsor an individual child's clothing and shoe need- visit Javateas to grab a sponsorship tag!

The power of volunteering...

☑️Weeds pulled
☑️Trash picked-up
☑️Doors painted
☑️Refrigerators cleaned
☑️Windows cleaned
☑️Shelves stocked
☑️Inventory reviewed

Thank you, thank you, thank you Victory Church Ephrata Location for including EASS as part of your Serve Day 2024! Words cannot express the gratitude we have for all the work that was put in this morning in our small but mighty space. 💜

***New Face Alert***

Meet Katie, EASS's new Case Manager! Katie is joining EASS as a support to the CSS department including providing case management, applying for state benefits, assisting with housing, and various other obstacles that neighbors in our community face.

In addition to these services, Katie has hit the ground running helping support the Cocalico Acts of Love Summer lunch program and will be helping to lead the senior enrichment event Gather on the Hill.

Katie is passionate about helping assist clients with workforce development. She has already implemented strength-based assessments and resume building tools in not only English but also in Russian.

In her spare time, Katie is an animal rescue advocate. She enjoys volunteering at local shelters and participating in fundraising events to benefit animals. She encourages everyone to visit https://theanimalrescuesite.com/ or https://greatergood.com/ to find out easy, free ways to help support multiple causes such as animal rescues, rainforest preservation, autism awareness, veteran services, and so many other worthy causes.

Katie says she is most looking forward to "Learning! EASS serves such a diverse population, I am excited to work with everyone in the community."

Welcome Katie! You are doing great, and we are lucky to have you.

Stop by and visit Javateas Gourmet Cafe and Old Republic Distillery Tavern Ephrata to grab a back-to-school tag.

These tags are matched to specific needs of children in the Ephrata and Cocalico school district.

Thanks to a partnership with Peace United Church of Christ, EASS is excited to pilot this program.

We have the best neighbors in this community!

Thank you Compleat Restorations!

When your Mom is the Director and the grocery pantry is short volunteers....

Thank you Quentin for helping to fill in the gaps over summer break.

Please support Baron Stiegel Lions Club 🦁 this weekend.

EASS grocery pantry has felt the impact of Martin's Country Market closing. Each week EASS picked up at least one full grocery cart of donations from Martin's shoppers. This is not including the large food drives the Lions Club held twice a year including receiving financial donations from shoppers.

Supporting local events like this will continue to help our neighbors in need. ❤️

Baron Stiegel Lions Club will be here this Saturday (June 29th), selling toasted cheeseburgers and meatball sandwiches! They will also have quarts of pot pie for $12. 10am until sold out! Proceeds benefit Ephrata Social Services Food Bank

https://mailchi.mp/5ff91b981a52/exciting-news

Congratulations to Carl for receiving Driver of the Quarter!

Carl has seen many changes to EASS throughout his years of employment. He continues to adapt and change for the benefit of clients served. Carl always seems to have an ornery look in his smile but really has a heart of gold. He picks up shifts to help out the team and can be found being a handy man fixing small projects around the office.

Congrats Carl!

EASS is excited to announce that in partnership with Peace United Church of Christ, we are offering a back to school program. This program is similar to the holiday exchange program. Families in need within the Ephrata and Cocalico school district can fill out the request form below. Individuals may stop in at EASS to also complete forms.

Then tags will be hung around at local businesses for sponsors to purchase items. More details to come about where you can find the tags.

This program is only able to accept a certain number of kids since it is the 1st year. It is first come first serve for recieving the forms and registering.

Contact EASS at 717-733-0345 to learn more!

Gearing up for Acts of Love Summer Lunch Program. 🍉🍇🍎🍓🥪

Starting today every Wednesday for the next 10 weeks families with children in Cocalico district can visit 1 of 4 parks between 12-100 pm to receive a free lunch.

This program is sponsored by Cocalico Ministerium.

Thank you to all the volunteers and churches who are assisting this summer. Thank you to REAL Life Community Services for overseeing two of the distribution sites.

Do you love the summer months? We absolutely do!

Summer brings lots of fresh-faced volunteers that are on college and high school break. These students spend their summer helping out a few days a week at the Hand-Up client-choice grocery pantry.

We pair each student with a seasoned volunteer to help train and education them on EASS's programs.

Thank you, Nicole, Lauren, and Charlotte, for making the pantry a warm, welcoming place.

EASS could not do it without you!!

Calling all Cocalico residents 📞☎️ We know that the kids are out of school and many households will have an increase in need for food. Swamp Lutheran Church & EASS are here to help you.

Next Wednesday is EASS's food box distribution at Swamp Lutheran Church.

If you or someone you know is in need, please call 717-733-0345 and dial 0 to register. Pick-up is during the afternoon hours.

Boxes include non-perishable items, dairy, meats, produce, and some toiletry items when available.

Who loves a good theme?

We do! 🥳

Gather on the Hill was lots of fun with our June movie theme. Many of our regulars were not able to make it but we were excited to see some new faces!!

No Gather on the Hill in July due to vacation schedules but we will be back at it in August.

Maybe another BINGO is on the radar!

EASS phones 📞are ringing off the hook. Several programs have seen an increase in request over the past month. Many churches and local businesses have reached out to inquire about EASS's services in order to better help streamline calls they are receiving.

We are here to help! Here is a shortcut to the current most "in-demand" services provided by EASS.

We hope the information provided reaches the community to connect people to services.

*Just a reminder, EASS can't do it alone. Your donations matter! EASS is mostly funded through grants, private donations, corporate sponsorships, civic groups, and churches. Your donation goes a long way to helping the community. Want to learn more? Reach out to schedule a tour. We would love to have you visit the space that over 3,000 services a month are happening to benefit Cocalico and Ephrata *

📕Educating the Community. 🍏Fighting Against Hunger. 🚗Enriching the Lives of Others. 🫶 TOGETHER

Want to join these smiling faces?!?!?

Volunteer opportunities available at the front desk and grocery pantry!

Contact Tiff to learn more [email protected] or 717-733-0345 ex: 115

EASS is also a great place to complete community service hours.

Today was a great day of training for staff and volunteers.

EASS's Executive Director, Casey Ellis, presented on De-escalation techniques. After Don Wilson, Fort Indiantown Gap's Fire Chief, provided a very insightful Active Shooter training.

Thank you, Don and Casey, for providing these important trainings.

Also thank you to Ephrata Public Library for the use of their excellent space.

EASS office will be closing at 10:30 am today for a staff and volunteer training event.

We will reopen on Thursday at 9:00 am.

We love produce, yes, we do! We love produce, how about you?!?!?

Our first cauliflower of the season has been donated thanks to Bergstrasse Lutheran Church's Community Garden.

Produce is unlimited at EASS for our clients to encourage healthy eating.

Have extra veggies growing in your garden this year? 🍓🫐🍒🍑🍉🥦🥕🌽🫑 Don't let them go to waste. Donate them to EASS!

Donation hours, Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Reminder- EASS is closed today in observation of New Year's Eve!