Williamsport American Rescue Workers celebrate 90 years in the community
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — A huge tent sits outside of the American Rescue Workers building on Elmira Street in Williamsport. The organization is hosting a party to celebrate its 90th anniversary. Staff invited the public and those who use the non-profits food pantry.
"That's what we've done for 90 years is feed people that might not have enough to put food on their tables on a daily basis and so we said, well, let's feed our community, that's what we do best," said Dawn Astin business administrator Williamsport American Rescue Workers.
Dawn Astin is the business administrator at the American Rescue workers in Williamsport. She and her husband have both been with the organization for 45 years. Astin says she fell in love with the people throughout her career.
"I thought in my life I lacked opportunity but when I came to American Rescue Workers, I realized that were so many that lacked greater opportunities than I did and so we wanted to help them and preach, teach, live by example, a better way to live."
Every year, the organization provides 22,000 people a place to stay. Multiply that by 90 years and that's quite an impact in the community. The organization has three different shelter programs, serves over 44,000 meals each year and sees about a thousand people come through every Christmas.
"Once every month we have about a thousand families that are coming through our social services center food pantry, so when you add all of that up that's a lot of hunger and homeless prevention programs," said Astin.
Astin tells us while the work can be challenging at times, marking 90 years in the Williamsport area is a major accomplishment.
"We want to do more so to figure all of that out is challenging and new funding has to be found, we have to work smarter, and so that—but it's been a delight all of this time to be able to serve through the ministries for the American Rescue Workers."
