Since CAARSEA’s inception in June 2020, the vision of our grassroots organization has been to foster a community that is united to overcome racial and other forms of social injustice. We have worked with multiple local agencies to ensure equitable awareness of and access to services for residents of and visitors to our area. As we’ve seen gaps in opportunities and support, we have worked to highlight these gaps to those in positions of influence and to rally members of our community to intervene.
Our efforts to reach out to and support members of the unhoused community, which began in 2021, started as monthly meal and clothing distributions under the leadership of Cheryl Darby and Sandy Molnar, and it expanded significantly under the leadership of Gail Plant, Kristin Frederick Leonard, and Rachel Grossman: This past year, CAARSEA continued to provide food and clothing for our community members in need via monthly outreach efforts. This winter, with support from The Church on the Mall, Plymouth Township Police, Plymouth Township Council, Plymouth Meeting Mall management, local businesses, and you, our cherished volunteers, we established a Code Blue Shelter that routinely provided warmth, shelter, and hot meals during freezing winter nights. Establishing one of the few available Code Blue Shelters in Montgomery County last season was a tremendous undertaking that involved hundreds of volunteer hours and significant Board engagement. While we had no idea that it would involve as much legwork as it actually required, we are proud beyond measure of the care and community that our unhoused neighbors experienced as they sheltered in the Church on the Mall during frigid nights between October 2023 and April 2024.
“CAARSEA Community Cares” grew with a vision to change the lives of unhoused community members. Gail, Kristin, and Rachel, with the Board’s support, engaged in robust advocacy on behalf of the unhoused with the goal of expanding county resources and policies such that one day, none of us has to sleep outside. We are excited to announce that in order to most effectively focus on this mission, “CAARSEA Community Cares” has launched into a new non-profit organization called “TLC for the People,” in which TLC is an acronym for “Transforming Lives and Communities.” This new organization is separate and independent from CAARSEA and is currently seeking a 501c3 charitable organization designation. Its primary initiatives include but are not limited to operating the Code Blue Shelter and the Code Red Cooling Center, facilitating the daily and monthly outreach efforts, and expanding affordable housing in Montgomery County through policy advocacy. Gail will continue in her Board role with CAARSEA, continuing to serve as a Policing Liaison with Lorrie Scott. Kristin and Rachel will remain involved with CAARSEA as members but will not continue in their roles on the Board, and we thank them for their dedication and service. All three women are leaders within TLC for the People. We are thrilled that this work that began within the CAARSEA community has the opportunity to expand and thrive as a stand-alone non-profit organization. This development is a true testament to the power of community, connection, and what is possible when people band together in concern for one another!
You are invited to learn more about TLC for the People by visiting:
Website: tlcforthepeople.org
Social media platforms: Facebook page and Instagram handle
CAARSEA remains committed to addressing inequity in our community and looks forward to collaborating with TLC for the People in support of the unhoused by making material and monetary contributions as well as helping to share TLC for the People’s announcements and support their advocacy efforts. CAARSEA will retain the “CAARSEA Community Cares” moniker for its original initiative to support children within the Colonial School District experiencing housing insecurity and in need of resources donated by our community members. With TLC for the People taking leadership in caring for the unhoused community at-large, CAARSEA will recalibrate and rededicate the capacity of our Board members and community members to the wide range of matters related to racial equity and social justice within our local interactions among neighbors, government, schools, policing, and political activism. Thank you for your continued support of and engagement with CAARSEA. We look forward to sharing plans with you soon for events and other initiatives to be scheduled over the coming months.
Sincerely,
CAARSEA, Board of Directors
TLC for the People, Board of Directors
Comments