The funds will help provide a nurse educator on-site at the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter, giving residents access to health evaluations
The Times
Meridian Bank, a locally based and managed bank with locations throughout the region, recently donated $7,500 to Family Service Association of Bucks County, a non-profit organization that served more than 26,000 people last year.
Since 1953, Family Service has been helping children and families improve their lives, doing whatever it takes to help them overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. The organization provides mental health treatment, recovery support, emergency shelter, parent education, suicide prevention services and more.
“At Meridian, it is our privilege to help strengthen and grow the communities we serve,” said Christopher J. Annas, founder, chairman, president and CEO of Meridian Bank. “We partner with organizations including Family Service to enhance local economies, build thriving communities and make a difference in the lives of the people we touch.”
Meridian Bank’s donation will support the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter, a program of Family Service. The shelter is a temporary residence for individuals and families who have lost safe and stable housing. The 24-hour shelter houses approximately 75 people at any given time with on-site services such as case management, counseling, budgeting, job search resources and health education.
The funds from Meridian Bank will help provide a nurse educator on-site at the shelter four days a week, giving residents access to health evaluations where they can be referred to physicians as necessary.
“We expect residents to work hard, alongside our staff, to get back on their feet. But many come here with unaddressed physical health needs that impede their ability to focus on other challenges,” shares Murielle Kelly, Family Service director of housing services. “Residents need to first be physically healthy so they can then shift their focus to job searches, savings, childcare and affordable housing.”
A nurse educator’s role is to promote wellness through health, nutrition and medication education, as well as to aid shelter residents in overcoming health barriers to finding and maintaining housing.
“We are pleased to partner with Meridian Bank to provide this service that is critical to the well being of the residents at the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter,” said Marlene Piasecki, interim chief executive officer of Family Service. “The bank is clearly dedicated to investing in the Bucks County community to ensure that all residents have access to the services they need.”
To learn more about Family Service and the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter, visit www.fsabc.org
