Shelves Of Franciscan Health St. Clare Health Clinic Crown Point Food Pantry Will Remain Stocked Thanks To $25,000 Donation From Certified Electrician

CROWN POINT, Indiana - The Franciscan Health St. Clare Health Clinic Crown Point's food pantry will be able to increase its assistance to those in need for the next year, thanks to a $25,000 donation by Certified Electrician, a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 697 and the National Electrical Contractors Association.

The donation was presented to the Franciscan Health Foundation on Monday, June 17, 2019 at Franciscan Health St. Clare Health Clinic Crown Point at 1121 Indiana Aveune in Crown Point, which provides affordable healthcare services to the community, including the uninsured and underinsured. As part of its service to our Franciscan mission, the clinic stocks a pantry with food and hygiene products for anyone in need.

The pantry relies on donations, but demand can sometimes deplete supplies. "We go through times when the pantry gets hit pretty hard," said Renee Kellom, clinic operations manager. Jennifer Willis, clinic practice manager, said it's difficult when "you have that little kid who comes in with his mom and is hungry, and they're looking for something, and I don't have a whole lot here."

Ryan Reithel, Business Manager for IBEW Local 697, said their union members are always looking to find areas of need in the community and ways to help fill in those gaps. "Ultimately, we're able to do this thanks to the customers that hire our electricians here, locally, because it's the members' work hour contributions that add up, allowing us to be able to give back. It's truly a full circle partnership with the community," he said.

"We want the community to hire our electrical contractors and electricians, so we in turn try to support the community back," said Casondra Ayling, Director of Business Development for Certified Electrician.

Rick Peltier, Executive Director of the Franciscan Health Foundation in Northern Indiana, thanked Certified Electrician, their electrical contractors and union members for the donation, noting that the St. Clare pantry "has been a top philanthropic need for quite some time, so the impact of your gift is incredible."