Commission on Economic Opportunity 

Facebook Twitter

Search

Search:Go
Search Section
  Search Tips
People Helping People
 
 
 
 
 
 

Put idle pennies to good use through Penny Wars for the Poor, a war against hunger and poverty!

 

Penny Wars for the Poor is a charitable challenge helping families with children living in poverty throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The “spoils” of the Penny Wars are donated to the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO)'s Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank. 

The Food Bank's programs include the Children’s Produce Market which offers fresh produce, milk and nutritious staples to school families on a monthly basis in 35 locations across the region.  In the past year, over 16,500 different children received food.  In addition, CEO offers the Be Smart. Eat Right. nutrition education program in 14 local schools, providing engaging, age-appropriate nutrition education to over 9,000 children. 

1)     Get involved! If you have any questions or just want to let us know you will be participating, contact Gretchen Hunt at ghunt@ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org or 826-0510 ext. 275.  

2)     Enlist your team.  Although times are tough in all households, a little spare change can go a long way.

3)     Place a penny collection container in a visible, accessible location; place a “Penny Wars for the Poor” label on the container.  Old water jugs work well.

4)     Collect your pennies for the challenge!  All kinds of spare change is accepted!

5)     Host a “penny rolling party” to count and package your change for the bank.  Make it fun & be sure you recruit lots of enlistees and reinforcements.

6)     Mail or deliver a check to CEO (please don’t send the change!):  Checks should be made payable to “CEO-Penny Wars” and sent to – 165 Amber Lane, P.O. Box 1127, Wilkes-Barre, PA  18703-1127.  If you have any questions, please call Gretchen Hunt at 826-0510 ext. 275.  Or if you'd like to send your contribution by credit/debit card, use this PayPal link:

Resources for Congregations of Faith

(click on link above for template flyers, collection jug labels and more!)

Consider hosting this challenge during the Lenten season!  Here are a few ideas for keeping the challenge interesting for all 40 days:

 Issue weekly reminders that suggest places to find spare change:

  • Your car cup holder
  • Bottom of your purse
  • On top of the washer/dryer
  • Between couch cushions
  • Ask your family/friends to save their spare change for you

Highlight how the funds collected will be used:  Childhood Hunger is a very real problem.  1 in 5 children in our region faces hunger at home. 

Childhood Hunger is a Health Problem:

  • Hungry children are sick more often, and more likely to have to be hospitalized  -  the costs of which are passed along to the business community as insurance and tax burdens;

Childhood Hunger is an Educational Problem:

  • Hungry children many times do poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they cannot concentrate and are without adequate nutrition;

Childhood Hunger is also a Workforce and a Job Readiness Problem:

  • Workers who experienced hunger as children are not as well prepared perform effectively in the contemporary workforce

Plan a visit to the Food Bank or to CEO's Weinberg Food Bank to volunteer:

Take your youth group, women’s group, or other team or class for a volunteer activity.  Bring back a report to the larger group or congregation on how the Food Bank and this challenge impacts the community for good.  Contact CEO’s volunteer coordinator for more information: 570-826-0510

 

 

Resources for Schools

(click on link above for template flyers, collection jug labels and more!)

Issue weekly reminders that suggest places to find spare change:

  • Your car cup holder
  • Bottom of your purse
  • On top of the washer/dryer
  • Between couch cushions
  • Ask your family/friends to save their spare change for you

Highlight how the funds collected will be used:  Childhood Hunger is a very real problem.  1 in 5 children in our region faces hunger at home. 

Childhood Hunger is a Health Problem:

  • Hungry children are sick more often, and more likely to have to be hospitalized  -  the costs of which are passed along to the business community as insurance and tax burdens;

Childhood Hunger is an Educational Problem:

  • Hungry children many times do poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they cannot concentrate and are without adequate nutrition;

Childhood Hunger is also a Workforce and a Job Readiness Problem:

  • Workers who experienced hunger as children are not as well prepared perform effectively in the contemporary workforce

Plan a visit to the Food Bank or to CEO's Community Kitchen to volunteer:

Take your youth group, women’s group, or other team or class for a volunteer activity.  Bring back a report to the larger group or congregation on how the Food Bank and this challenge impacts the community for good.  Contact CEO’s volunteer coordinator for more information: 570-826-0510.
CEO - People Helping People