Community Resource Services was founded in 1988 by a small group of concerned volunteers who wanted to address the growing need among community residents for health and welfare assistance. They recognized a trend involving many families facing difficult financial situations for the first time in their lives, but who were not necessarily eligible for government programs. There was no other agency in the area equipped to handle this segment of the population, and CRS set out to fill that gap.
Since then, CRS has remained the primary social service agency in Avon and Avon Lake, consistently providing assistance to the economically disadvantaged. With the driving principle being “People Helping People,” CRS has been able to put those words into action countless times since its establishment. The agency has grown from one part-time director to its current staff, which includes a full-time executive director and six part-time client service coordinators.
In response to increasing demands on the food pantry, CRS became a member agency of the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio in 2008. Founded in 1982, Second Harvest is the largest regional hunger-relief organization, with a network of more than 110 member agencies serving Crawford, Erie, Huron and Lorain Counties. Second Harvest secures and distributes nearly 5.5 million pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 155 programs, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and a Kids Café.
CRS also serves as the local Salvation Army Service Unit, which enables the agency to provide additional assistance in the form of direct aid. As part of this affiliation, CRS provides volunteers for the annual holiday Kettle Collection program, and distributes a portion of the money collected to those in need.
Thanks to CRS I don’t have to worry about my family going hungry. That’s never a factor.
Thank you for helping me with my health problems, my financial problems, and at times, just when I was at a loss for what I was going to do!
You never think when you you’re old you’ll be in the predicament to ask for help. After working all your life, sometimes that just isn’t enough.