We are but one year away from the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program; it seems quite remarkable to me that the dream and ideas we had that long ago have come to the fruition we now see. MCEAP, as an agency serving Montgomery County has gained a recognition and respect we could only hope for twenty-four years ago. Throughout the years we have sought to be the stop-gap agency which addressed immediate, emergency, and temporary financial situations in which our neighbors found themselves. We have stressed co-operation with all the major social service agencies serving our area and have striven to be a funnel for information for local churches and other civic groups which are called upon to serve the needs of those less fortunate. It has been our philosophy all along to stress the need for self-sufficiency and personal responsibility while helping people in need to maintain dignity and to get back on their feet. I believe we have, in large measure, achieved these goals set in 1975. I am proud of the accomplishments we have made in this county and I am proud of the people throughout the years who have worked with us to make our dreams a reality. Without the support of the many who have aided us, without the trust engendered in the community at large, without the assistance of local government our task would have been quite impossible.
The years have brought a number of changes in the concept and delivery of social services to the community. The most notable of these changes is welfare reform. The good news for Montgomery County is that welfare reform is working. Our local Department of Social Services has an outstanding record of achievement in helping people make the transition from welfare to work and in so doing regaining a sense of self-pride and the satisfaction of making a positive contribution to society as a whole by participating in the work force. We have been very fortunate that welfare reform coincided with significant improvement in the economy evidenced by the unemployment rate being lower than it has been in years. One of the most important benefits of welfare reform, as it has been experienced in Virginia, is the heightening of awareness by communities that ultimate solutions for local problems are found within the localities and that only when communities come together to take responsibility for problems which arise can truly workable remedies be applied. There is still much work to be done in this area. A key component in local solutions is the continuing need for a secure safety net in the community for those in need. MCEAP is a part of that net.
Let us take a look at the statistics for the year 1998 as we gather for this annual meeting. The total dollar amount which MCEAP has disbursed since 1975 is $1,478,585. This has been expended in serving 35,698 cases and represents 103,097 individuals (duplicated count). In 1998, our total dollar expenditure decreased 13.5% to $84,335.62 yet the number of cases served increased 2.6% to 1732 (representing 4988 individuals). The decline in expenses is accounted for by the health of the local economy. Unemployment figures remain quite low. First time clients, however, are still arriving in our office.
1998 funding continued to be generous and unlike 1997 we ended the year with a positive balance, much of which stems from a bequest to the general fund we received from an estate of a Blacksburg lady who had supported MCEAP for years. We continue as an United Way agency and are grateful to the United Way of Montgomery, Radford, and Floyd. A number of area churches fund us in their budgets, many of whom have done so for years. Again, we must note a word of special thanks to St. Paul United Methodist Church in Christiansburg which operated the gift wrap booth at New River Mall during Christmas, to Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, and to Our Saviour Lutheran Church which sponsored the Potato Festival. The commitment to our goals and operations are impressive. We again received generous support from several civic groups and businesses. Phase XVI of the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program saw our funds of $20,461 a little above the previous year's allocation. Our allocation for Phase XVII is smaller than in 1998, but that amount does not include the state set-aside allotment to Montgomery County, of which we have not yet learned. Every contributor we have, and our total includes a number of individual donors, makes possible the mission we carry out. Because of reduced expense demand in 1998 and with some sizable contributions received during the year, we have a very favorable cash balance entering 1999. I am thankful for this. As you are well aware, the winter thus far has been extremely mild again which further reduces the usual heating expenses incurred at this time.
As I stated at the outset, one of the major aims of MCEAP from 1975 onward has been to operate in co-operation with the other public and private social service agencies. 1998 saw this continue in our efforts with the Mont. Co. Department of Social Services, the Mont. Co. Health Department, Voluntary Action Center, the Christmas Store, the American Red Cross, CHIP, the Free Clinic of the NRV, the New River Valley Community Shelter, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and the Mont. Co. Information and Referral Office. We also assist the efforts of numerous local churches and religious groups, such as the Interfaith Food Pantry, which both refer clients to us and call upon us for information. Open and forthright communication serves to help avoid duplication of services and better serve our clients.
At every Annual Meeting I make a special effort to remark on the fine and enduring relationship we have with New River Community Action. This relationship has always been critical to our success and we remain deeply grateful for it. NRCA provides back-up staff, space for our office and food bank, utilities and a host of other things necessary for us to operate. During this past year NRCA relocated its administrative and Head Start offices to Radford and created a new office for the Montgomery County staff at 114 S. Pepper St. in Christiansburg, where our worker is also housed. This new arrangement is working well so far and has provided the benefit of increased space for the food bank.
Since 1997 the Clothing Shop has been located on Main Street in Christiansburg in the basement of the old Richardson-Horne building. Other non-profit organizations have their offices as well. We remain grateful to Main Street Investment Co. and to Joseph Simmons for accommodating our need for space. In addition to paying our share of the utilities in that facility, in 1998, we also began to pay a modest amount of rent, funded by the proceeds from clothing sales.
At the outset I stated that I am proud of the people who have made it possible for MCEAP to carry out its mission. Our volunteers are quintessential to our work; without them much of what needs to be done would never be accomplished. Through the years they have demonstrated a singularity of commitment to the goals of MCEAP which has advanced our work beyond measure. Our volunteers operate the clothing bank, stock the food shelves, pick up donations, pick up and deliver furniture, assist at the SHARE distribution, help with the filing and records.
Carolyn Whitaker continues to be our Clothing Shop co-ordinator. She, with Bill and Margie Zelinski, Joyce Wright, Loretta Langhorne, Vera Bishop, Sharon Nowlin, Clayton Williams and others, is performing a much needed task in maintaining the Clothing Shop and providing local residents the opportunity to obtain good, clean, and usable clothing. They are doing an excellent job and deserve our heartiest thanks. Donations have poured in throughout the year making the available selection good and varied. We are currently open on Monday and Wednesday mornings and Tuesday evenings. Proceeds from Clothing Shop sales are deposited in our general fund and are used to meet the minimal Clothing Bank expenses and then assist with the financial requests we receive. Of course, clients may and still do receive vouchers for free clothing.
Fred and Diane Clarkson continue, as they have for years, to assist us by allowing our Furniture Bank to remain at Stoway and we thank them for their work and dedication.
The Food Bank, at the Pepper Street location, has, in the main, remained well stocked this year. There have been times when the larder was bare but we are continuing our efforts with local churches to maintain a more constant stock of goods. Throughout the year there have been food drives benefiting the food bank. The Postal Workers Food Drive, a Boy Scout Troup, a Girl Scout Troop, several food drives at schools, and bread donated by Harris Teeter have been most helpful. Our purchased food continues to come from Wade's Foods where they work with us by delivering the food to the food bank.
In 1998, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors continued their support for MCEAP by funding our one staff position. We are thankful to them and to the County Administrator, Jeffrey D. Johnson. This MCEAP position, which has been funded since FY 80-81, is essential to service provision.
The County also continues to allow us the use of a truck in picking up the SHARE food each month and we thank them. We are still the largest SHARE Host Organization in the Montgomery County, frequently with over one hundred units each month. All clients are encouraged to participate in this program which enables them to extend their food dollars. Where circumstances warrant, we have instituted a policy requiring clients who seek food assistance to sign up for SHARE before obtaining additional food assistance. The Knights of Columbus continues to allow us the use of their facilities for SHARE pick up and for our annual meeting and we thank them for their generosity.
Melanie Collins continues as the MCEAP worker. She has been involved with MCEAP for almost six years and does an excellent job, bringing her knowledge of the community and its residents to the job. We are fortunate to have her as our worker. MCEAP is a member of the Montgomery County Human Service Commission and Melanie represents me at their meetings.
As all of you know, last March, we lost a worker and friend dear to all who knew her. The death of Emma Cromer was mourned throughout the county. Emma was one of God's truly special souls that touch countless lives for good with a quiet grace and humility rarely found. She had worked for MCEAP for fourteen years and will be sorely missed for her wit and wisdom and her loyal friendship.
I want to express my thankfulness to our Board members for another year's service and work for MCEAP, its goals and program. Let me make special mention of Jeanne Howard Roper and Angela Little who, with me, are the remaining original Board members. Twenty-four years is a long time of service, you have done it with a distinctive conscientiousness and fidelity worthy of the kind of people you are, and I thank you. I want to thank retiring member the Rev. John Price for his work with us and his boundless service and contributions to this community. I am always thankful to Jeanne Howard Roper for her work as our secretary and to Beth Ashe for her work as Treasurer; their work is excellent and appreciated. I welcome the Rev. Donald C. MacNicoll and Mr. Robert L. Dobson to our Board and express the hope that their tenure will be both long and fruitful.
At this Annual Meeting I am pleased to say that MCEAP is on course. We have worked for twenty-four years to serve those in need, to help them strive for self-sufficiency and personal responsibility, to increase awareness throughout our community of the stake we have in the well-being of each other. We have achieved many of our goals but the end is not yet. We shall continue our work: continue to work with other agencies, churches, and groups, indeed continue to work with all of good will to provide Montgomery County with a safety net agency which can and does give priority to our neighbors.
It is always a great pleasure to see all of you who are here this evening, many who have attended MCEAP Annual Meetings for years. Thank you for your loyalty and support over these many years and your commitment to assisting those in need in our county. I am thankful to God for the support and help of all who work with us and thankful to Him for this opportunity to serve. May God bless you throughout this year!