Idyllwild’s HELP Center continues to serve Idyllwild

Since 1992 Idyllwild’s HELP Center has lived by a motto: “neighbors helping neighbors.” Executive Director Colleen Meyer and Client Services Director Deva Taffel gave the Town Crier an update on the Center’s programs. Meyer and Taffel are quick to credit and express gratitude to the many local organizations that support them in their mission. As in the very beginning, groups like the Idyllwild Board of Realtors, the Rotary Club, Soroptimists, the Idyllwild Community Fund, and churches, including the Idyllwild Bible and Idyllwild Community Churches, continue to play major roles with cash, in-kind donations and labor. Fairway Foods Market also provides year-round support.

Taffel explained the HELP Center’s food distribution program. “We did 1,306 nonperishable food bags last year and purchased 720 $25 Stater Bros or Fairway gift certificates. This gives clients access to fresh food that pairs well with the nonperishables. Last Year, Idyllwild Board of Realtors donated $725. Rotary has donated $1,000 in the last few years towards Fairway gift certificates. The county Office on Aging comes twice a year, June and Christmas time, and brings Stater Bros cards, so we are able to give them out to all our seniors.”

“Clients can access the food pantry every week with staples that come from several sources. There is a weekly food drive at Fairway; volunteer Johnathan O’Keefe provides a shopping list at the front door, people purchase items from the list, he comes back with boxes of food. The Idyllwild Community Church gives $400 in food staples and household goods. They just had ‘Souper Bowl Sunday,’ and on Monday they brought boxes of canned goods from their congregants. The Community Church also donates around $1,000 for food gift certificates for food programs. We also have a special relationship with ICCs Town Hall Feeding America program, providing basic staples. Juan Patlan (Manager at Fairway) is awesome, Fairway matches funds. We have a food basket by the check-out for donations.

When Skye Zambrana was Client Services Director, she put together food bags. When she was in an accident, the Center began letting clients pick their own bags, which had a positive outcome: “We have a lot less food waste.”

Another important HELP Center program is the Medical Assistance Fund. It provides vouchers for things like gas for trips to doctors’ appointments, and prescriptions, over-the-counter medication and other supplies at Idyllwild Pharmacy. There are also vouchers for vision and dental care, as well as chiropractic and acupuncture treatment. Idyllwild Health Center also accepts vouchers. The Soroptimists keep a well-stocked Women’s Cabinet for personal hygiene. Everybody needs personal hygiene, and kids and adults can receive bags made by volunteer Theresa Teel. Clients can also make their own bags. “Being able to pick out what kind of things they want is powerful for a client.”

With the high price of gas and electricity, many clients have difficulty with utility bills. The Center also has a Utility Assistance Program. “In the current grant year, Idyllwild Community Fund gave 50 residents $100 each to help with electricity or propane.”

Taffel expressed special pride in the Center’s Firewood program, run by Mountain Community Fire Safe Council’s Woodies. “Last year we provided 926 appointments for firewood. We allow people to come weekly, and encourage them to come every week, even during summer, to stock up. Kim Fryer, with MCFSC is our contact, she works with the local tree companies, like Whitney and Pino, and lets us now when a big load will come in.” The firewood program also helps introduce clients to the Center. “It gets a lot of people in the door the first time.”

Children’s programs help with school supplies, and Target gift cards for back-to -school clothes and shoes. Kids get to pick their own fully stocked backpacks. Last year, children’s program funding came from Youth Grant Makers, through the Idyllwild Community Fund. There are vouchers for ICC’s Town Hall Sports programs and Idyllwild Arts Academy summer programs. The Christmas-time Angel Tree has become a holiday tradition. It allows anyone to make a child’s Christmas wish come true. The tree is another part of Fairway Market’s collaboration.

Thanksgiving gift certificates for Stater Bros or Fairway help make Holidays brighter. And there are turkeys. “Chris Stroud will call from Idyllwild Arts Academy, will give us frozen turkeys. For Christmas, they give faculty frozen turkeys, those who don’t want them donate to us, usually there are 20 to 25 turkeys.”

Meyer points out that the Center focuses on improving clients’ situation, not just getting them through the week. They also help clients apply for county and state aid. “We refer out to other programs, like Community Action Partnership of Riverside County, (CAP.) They do utility assistance and weatherization. That is a free program, available even for renters.”

The HELP Center’s Thrift store, managed by Julia Ledesma, is a frequent stop for thrifty shoppers and those trying to declutter their homes. Volunteering is easy, just ask. The store is open daily, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Meyer acknowledges that Idyllwild’s isolation makes it harder for the county to deliver services here. “Our location makes it a little bit harder. We love this community so much that we will find a way. If there is a will, there is a way.”

All of these programs are only available based on funding availability. “Any time of year you can donate.” And donors can specify which program(s) they want to fund by adding a program name to the memo line of their check. Before making a donation of goods its best to call first and ask, “what do you need?”

The Trump administration’s freezes on federal spending have introduced a new uncertainty into this year’s planning. In the past, the HELP Center has received federal funding from two sources: FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program, over $17,000 last year, that went towards food vouchers; and CDBG (Community Development Block Grants, through HUD) last year over $10,000. “There have been judges ordering the release of funds, but money is still not being released. Those are our only federal or state sources of funding. It is honestly devastating, there is no way to make that up. That is almost $28,000 that we don’t know about. Both grants have been submitted, we have received no information, we don’t know when that will happen. If anyone wants to call their congressman and talk to them about this, please do.”

People interested in donating or receiving aid are asked to call the Office of Client Services directly at (951) 659-2110. Visit the Thrift Store at 56430 Highway 243. The website also allows online applications for programs: idyllwildhelpcenter.org.