AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi
and Lean on Dee Senior Home Care Services
Though the Easter holiday is not officially part of SPAN’s Holiday Caring Program, SPAN, Inc.’s co-directors Michele Sabean and Maia Grabau like to mark the holiday by including something special for their food pantry clients. Thanks to a generous donation from St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal Church, Grabau was in the process of arranging 50 Easter baskets in front of the office fireplace. She had also accepted the first of a large number of Easter dinner boxes and gift cards from Our Lady of the Fields Catholic Church in Millersville.
SPAN’s food pantry shelves are full, at the moment, thanks to generous donations from the Good Neighbors Group’s S(o)uper Bowl of Caring food drive in February. In addition, food donations from Boy Scouts of America troops 855, 858, and 993’s Scouting for Food Drive came in over the past two weekends and several local churches dropped off contributions.
“We’re so grateful to Good Neighbors Group and the others,” said Sabean. “The foods we’ve received from them should last us from now through the summer (when donations drop off) till fall. Donations generally pick up again in October.”
SPAN, Inc. is best known for its food pantry according to Grabau, the organization’s Director of Development. However, since the founding of SPAN by six local churches over three decades ago, the lion’s share of SPAN’s mission has been helping families in need of financial assistance.
“Help for people with utility turnoffs is where we give out the most money,” Grabau said. “We have become more of a financial assistance provider. The vast majority of people coming to our office are seeking financial assistance.”
As Sabean, who is Director of Development, leafed through SPAN’s Annual Report looking for a graph, she explained that the primary mission of the organization is to provide food or financial assistance to qualified families to help them through a critical or emergency situation. Because of extraordinarily high energy costs, utility bills are the most urgent need followed closely by home eviction preventions and medical bills.
“For 2023, donations made it possible for us to help with more than 2.5 times the amount of emergency financial assistance we do in a typical year,” Sabean said. “On average SPAN gives about $100,000 in financial assistance a year. In 2023, SPAN provided over $287,600 in financial disbursements. The need for emergency financial assistance increased dramatically with the official end of the pandemic and its additional supports.”
She illustrated her point with the graph shown below.
Grabau added that most people have no idea how much financial aid SPAN, Inc. supplies to families in its primary service areas of Arnold, Millersville, Severna Park and Broadneck and secondary service areas of Brooklyn Park, Ft. Meade, Odenton, Crofton, Gambrills, Pasadena, Crownsville, Glen Burnie, Severn and Linthicum. Thus, SPAN, Inc. headquarters at 400 Benfield Road behind Our Shepherd Lutheran Church sees a constant flow of people seeking help.
What is amazing is that SPAN is a totally self-sustaining organization reliant on financial donations from individuals, local businesses and churches willing to help. SPAN fortunately has a small number of regular donors who are very generous. Nevertheless, its directors, board members and volunteers are always looking for monetary donations.
The number of SPAN Member Churches has risen from the original six to 13, all of whom make contributions.
Sabean and Graubau also oversee various fundraisers, one of which is coming up on April 21. For the fourth year, Severna Park native Laurette Hankins-O’Connell is producing a Cabaret Performance and Silent Auction to benefit SPAN. By now a tradition, the concert starring Hankins-O’Connell and accompanist Anita O’Connor will delight the audience with “Broadway Bonanza”, an exuberant and occasionally irreverent salute to a wide variety of Broadway and movie musicals.
Conceived as a way for actress and singer Hankins-O’Connell to give back to the community she grew up in, the concert will be held this year at St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Parish Hall. St. Martin’s generously donated the space cost-free so 100% of the proceeds from the concert and silent auction will be donated to SPAN. Tickets for the performance are $25 and may be ordered at https://www.spanhelps.org/cabaret_concert_silent_auction.
“We’re already getting some great Silent Auction items donated by local businesses including a week’s stay at an Ocean City condo. This year for the first time, we’ll put the auction online prior to the concert so people can take part in the auction even if they can’t make it to the event,” Sabean said.
SPAN seeks donations by participating in local events including the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s 2024 Shop Local Fun Festival coming up May 4th. They’ll also be participating, as usual, in the Severna Park 4th of July Parade and collecting donations along the parade route. Both Grabau and Sabean are excited because they are already working to upgrade their float this year.
SPAN’s second biggest fundraiser, the Twelfth Annual Turkey Trot 5K or One Mile Fun Walk will be held November 2 at Kinder Farm Park. The autumn weather is usually beautiful and SPAN is able to raise a lot of money through the event from sponsors who participate year after year. Generally, there are about 200 participants including runners, walkers and volunteers. It’s so much fun that the event always draws good-sized crowds.
“We’re doing a mailing this week for Early Bird Sponsors who will receive four free entries with their donation,” said Sabean.
SPAN’s Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas are, by far, the organization’s most impressive, initiative matching donors with families needing help. Each year, between 150 and 200 families learn about the program through schools or Social Services and sign up for the program The donors are incredibly generous and, because of them, between 150 and 200 families can have happier holidays.
Grabau, Sabean and the volunteers who work with clients are often touched by the stories of people seeking help. Many have issues that far exceed their immediate financial needs.
“One woman who came in with a very large BGE bill had recently undergone a triple bypass surgery. Shortly, after her surgery, her son was tragically murdered,” said Grabau. “She has two remaining children. Because of all she’d suffered, she was unable to work for some time and had gotten behind paying her bills. Though we cannot heal her broken heart, we try to do our part to help lighten the load for clients like her. We gave her assistance with her utility turn-off and encouraged her to sign up for the Christmas program. When people are suffering emotionally, just knowing someone cares can give them the strength to keep going.”
SPAN’s budget for monies going out far exceeds the amount brought in by fundraisers so financial donations are needed and greatly appreciated. To learn more about SPAN or to make a donation, visit SPAN Serving People Across Neighborhoods (spanhelps.org).
Partners In Care’s Spring Fling With Bling on April 17th
Partners In Care invites everyone to join them at Bleues On The Water on
Wednesday, April 17th from 11:00am – 2:00pm for the 18th Annual Jewelry Extravaganza – Spring Fling With Bling! Guests will enjoy luncheon and a fashion show, then shop an abundance of fine and costume jewelry from PIC’s Upscale Resale Boutique, as well as designer clothing, shoes, purses, and other tempting treasures.
Tickets are $40 per person and it is advised that you purchase them soon by visiting https://partnersincaremd.salsalabs.org/springfling/ as they are expected to sell out.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
