Last night, the Twin Lakes Village Board discussed not following through with sending The Sharing Center $1,500 to help meet end of the year expenses.
Village President Howard Skinner, who introduced the reversal proposal, said he misunderstood what the money would be used for. He thought it would be used to buy food etc, not cover other expenses.
Lynn Biese-Carroll, the center’s executive director, issued the following statement in reaction:
We have worked very hard to build professional relationships with businesses to help increase the quality of food given to low income residents of Western Kenosha County. We (The Sharing Center) are now able to provide more fresh meat, dairy, fish, fruit and vegetables than we do dry or canned goods per family order. We have arrangements where we do not have to pay for this first rate food, but do have to pay for the vehicle to get it and the grocery stores to cut and repackage it for us, as well as rent and basic overhead expenses to house our many programs (including food distribution). It would be much easier to simply box up canned and dry goods (that we bought or were donated to us) and a few misc items of government-issued food, than to seek out local food distributors and add fresh meat, dairy and produce everyday to the wonderful donations of dry and canned goods we get donated to ensure that all Western Kenosha families(our policy) have access to good nutritious food. 20+ % of our monthly clients come from Twin Lakes area. 74 families (23%) of our 2010 families in need of Thanksgiving and Christmas food and support and 30% of the seniors we distribute supplemental food to monthly come from the Twin Lakes vicinity. 38% of the people who come only for free clothing, personal hygiene, baby food, diapers, free haircuts, and free household items and furniture (not for food) are from the Twin Lakes area. 2 of the 4 schools we will provide healthy snacks to every day are in the Twin Lakes area (Lakewood and Wheatland). We have gone out of our way to include all of Western Kenosha County in all of our programs. By addressing each municipality we were merely asking the municipalities to assist us in covering the cost of assisting their residents. We will continue to extend our services to all schools and all residents of Western Kenosha County regardless of the level of support we receive.
The move was discussed at the Twin Lakes Village Board’s Committee of the Whole meeting Monday and will be on the agenda for action Dec. 20.
The Village of Twin Lakes is balking at supporting the Sharing Center for $1500? Seriously? There are many village residents that utilize this service. There is always enough money for a new ladder truck for the fire department or the Aquanuts stadium, but we can’t come up with $125 a month to support the Sharing Center? Cut the check!!!
This is a time we should be supporting each other. In this economy it is these services which should take presedence over other material items which can wait. People are important. Without them we have no community. It’s time to take care of each other. Cut the check.
Mr. Skinner you should be ashamed of yourself. Honestly, is $1500 going to break the backs of Twin Lakes Residents? Remember the Karma Wheel; What goes around, comes around.
Various posters, in my opinion, are missing the big picture. Is it really the responsibility of the various government units, and therefore the taxpayer, to support a non-profit charity through donations from tax dollars? I think not. That is a personal decision to made by each individual, not by a board of supervisors on behalf of ALL taxpayers. Let’s put this in perspective. I run a non-profit that attempts to help school kids by donating to schools for programs that the school budget can no longer sustain. Would you support me in my request from the various government bodies if I were to ask them for a donation? If not, where do you want to draw the line?
Yes, it is a good thing that the Sharing Center is doing. Yes, we should support those less well off than ourselves. But should that decision be made on our behalf out of tax dollars that are already earmarked for something else? Or should that decision be a personal decision, made by each individual?
While I applaud the efforts of the Sharing Center for the work that they do. I am a bit confused as to why they feel the need to help “all” of Kenosha County and Schools. The Salvation Army is in Kenosha and works to help those that come through their doors.
I guess what I am saying is “Is the Sharing Center the only helping agency in Kenosha County?
Where I come from in West Virginia, there were several helping agencies and we each covered a certain area(district) of our county. We would meet each month with each other to talk about the needs that we were seeing and would brainstorm to see how we could become more effective in our work for others. The group that I was Director for was sponsored by 12 area United Methodist Churches. I would also go out and speak to other groups in our Community letting them know of the work that we did. Never did I ask for a certain amount of money from the groups that I spoke to, yet God provided and each group were ready to give a donation, no matter how great or small, it was much appreciated. Motorcycle groups would take up donations when they would do one of their bike runs, bringing the donations to us when completed. We were always called to be asked what was needed from food to diapers, hygiene products, to clothes and even, yes fresh meats and cleaning supplies. I always felt so blessed when each group or organization came forth to give what they could. Never did I ask the town government for money no matter how many people were served. It was never necessary.
Tell me, is the Sharing Center the only helping agency? If there are other helping agencies, what are we to do if they decide to put their hat in the cup and ask for moeny for services rendered?
Paula: The Sharing Center serves Western Kenosha County. — Darren