The Glade Valley Community Services

(1/2023) Glade Valley Community Services was founded in 2004 after local clergy discussed the benefits of creating an "umbrella" organization to provide community resources as opposed to coordinating amongst individual churches and groups. Creation of the organization was primarily led by Rev. Gerry Hanberry, then the pastor of Glade United Church of Christ, and supported by other churches in the community. GVCS was granted non-profit tax exemption status in 2005.

Today, GVCS is overseen by a nine-member Board of Directors and operates five programs which include the Back to School Project, Emergency Relief Fund, Food Bank, Holiday Toy Shoppe, and Thrift Shop. While some of these operate on a seasonal basis, others run year-round.

In the summer and fall, the Back to School Project is especially important for families with school-age children who may have difficulty in finding funds for the cost of school supplies. This program gathers school supply lists from schools within the Walkersville feeder pattern, divides supplies by grade level, and distributes them among families after collecting donations. These donations are generally provided by local organizations and residents as well as Stuff the Bus. Additionally, extra school supplies are given to school guidance counselors to distribute to additional students in need throughout the school year.

Back to School Project Manager Christina Karszen is in her first year with GVCS, but has been working as a school social worker for 25 years. Says Karszen, "It’s nice to be part of a community organization. Doing my job with FCPS I’ve accessed a lot of programs, but it’s nice to actually be part of one that’s doing the groundwork."

For families who may have other financial difficulties beyond school materials, the Emergency Relief Fund is vital for providing support in some of the most basic necessities for residents, including utilities, medical bills, and rent payment. The Emergency Relief Fund has been chaired by social worker Ann Wadding and counselor/educator Vicki Poole, for 15 years, and has no other volunteers for confidentiality purposes. Vicki Poole is also President of GVCS. Eligibility for assistance is based on a number of factors and determined by program chairs, although as costs rise the number of residents in need increases as well.

Wadding emphasizes the significance of supporting local residents, saying, "If I can take some stress off of an emergency situation, it then allows the families to concentrate on other important issues going on in their lives."

Food needs are referred to the Glade Valley Food Bank, which is the largest program run by GVCS. Located on the lower level of the Walkersville Town Hall, the Food Bank is a curbside pickup service that is available to anyone in the area. The program is chaired by Donna Swanson and Brenda Haines, who manage food, volunteers, and distribution, along with any and all other aspects of the program. New clients are always encouraged. Says GVCS President Vicki Poole, "Our Food Bank volunteers are always happy to help and residents come away with bags and boxes full of nutritious foods and produce."

For anyone wishing to donate, non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the box located outside the rear side entrance of the Food Bank and monetary donations can be sent to GVCS P.O. Box 655. Any other items like clothing and blankets should be dropped off at the Community Thrift Store drop box located in the parking lot of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Parish Hall.

The Thrift Shop is yet another one of GVCS’s major programs, chaired by Mitzi Smith and Mel Palmer, and is run from the basement of St. Paul’s. Smith has been involved with the Thrift Shop nearly its entire time of operation, as it opened several years before GVCS was even conceptualized. Then, it was run by Kristen Spear in another local church and called Kristen’s Closet. Since then, it has expanded and grown both in space and volunteers, especially since it has connected with GVCS. In addition, the Thrift Shop also works with the Walkersville High School Key Club and the Frederick Rescue Mission.

The Thrift Store is open from 10am until 2pm on most Saturdays. Generally, bags of clothing can be purchased for $3.00 and coats for $1.00 while shoes are free. While volunteers are always needed, so are customers. "Believe it or not, we need folks to make use of our amazingly well-stocked Food Bank and Thrift Shop or call us to help with their needs because we are here to help," said Poole.

With winter bearing down, the Thrift Shop is an excellent place to find warm blankets and coats for the cold. For holiday needs, however, clients can reach out to the GVCS Holiday Toy Shoppe, which ran successfully in December. The Toy Shoppe collects donated items to distribute to families with financial hardship. Donations can consist of individual items or participants can choose to "adopt a child" and provide a set list of gifts for one or several children. Families can register for the program starting in October. Last year, the Toy Shoppe provided gifts for 67 families and 192 children ages 0-18.

And for those over 18 who are pursuing trade and vocational programs, GVCS offers another kind of gift: scholarships. These are given through the Peg and Orley Bourland Educational Assistance Fund for Glade Valley (also called the Bourland Scholarship). Founders of the GVCS Food Bank, the Bourlands were awarded a Wertheimer Fellow Award for Excellence in Volunteerism in 2008. The scholarship is awarded on a year-round basis, so interested applicants may contact GVCS at any time, but applications must be submitted at least 30 days before funds are due.

The Bourland Scholarship is specifically available for students in the Walkersville and Woodsboro feeder patterns who demonstrate both financial need and career goals within trade fields like construction, cosmetology, fitness, and HVAC services among others. Many of these programs are offered through Frederick Community College.

Not only does GVCS provide for human needs, it also brings joy and fulfillment to all involved. "Personally, I feel like I am the one being blessed by the folks I talk to…[who] simply want to be treated with respect and dignity as they try to bridge the gaps," says Poole. "It never fails to remind me that, at any point in time, I could also be in this position of needing to request some help to climb out of the rough patch."

Poole has been president of GVCS since January 2022, after former president and founding member of GVCS Don Boos passed away. Poole says she has been greatly supported during her time in this role by Treasurer Susan Richter, another long-time member of GVCS, as well as other staff and board members and, of course, the Glade Valley community.

"We cannot say it enough, that this community is a very special, caring and generous one and that we couldn't do what we do without the support of the greater Glade Valley area residents," says Poole. "Throughout the pandemic, we have been able to keep all of our programs running, with a few necessary modifications, and our community has really stepped up to cover any and all needs."

Glade Valley Community Services is always appreciative of donations and volunteers, with information about both as well as about individual programs located at their website gladevalley.org.