Manheim Township townlively.com
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XL • NO 36
Coats for Kids warms extremities and hearts BY JEFF FALK
P
icture this: A makeshift store containing aisles and aisles of brand-new kids’ coats separated by sizes, styles and colors. Families in need can enter, peruse the winter coats, select one and take it home. That’s what Coats for Kids looks like. That’s what the Salvation Army means when it says, “Doing the most good.” “My favorite part about Coats for Kids is when the kids go into where the coats are,” said Shady Boules, who’s been Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ operations and development manager for five years. “You see their eyes open. I tell them, ‘Go ahead; pick a coat.’ They’ll answer, ‘Do you mean I can pick a coat? Do you mean I can pick my favorite color?’ For some, it’s their first time. To see kids making a decision on what things they can wear is very rewarding.”
It is at that exact moment when all the hard work that goes into the Salvation Army Lancaster’s Coats for Kids program becomes worth it. The 30th annual initiative to make sure every kid in Lancaster
“It gives hope to the children when they know there’s a community standing behind them.” County has a brand-new winter coat continues. Coats for Kids, which is currently being implemented at the Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ headquarters’ gymnasium at 131 S. Queen St., Lancaster, kicked off its efforts in October, and the program will run through the end of March or until the weather turns warmer.
“Once fall arrives, some people start thinking, ‘How do I get coats for my kids?’” said Boules. “We want kids to be able to go to school and make sure the other kids can’t tell their coats came from the Salvation Army. We treat our neighbors with dignity. We want them to be proud of their coats.” This season’s Coats for Kids initiative has already distributed 1,900 brand-new kids’ coats to kids and families in need from Lancaster County. The Salvation Army expects to hand out another 600 coats before the end of the winter season. Individuals can still donate brand-new coats by dropping them off at the Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ headquarters, or they can donate monetarily. “If people have more coats, we’d appreciate it. We need more coats all the time,” said Boules. “We hope we’ll keep doing it. Every single dollar for this program goes
A Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ volunteer assists clients at Coats for Kids.
right to Coats for Kids. It doesn’t for next year and the year after.” go anywhere else. We want to The Coats for Kids program is make sure we have enough coats designed for kids up to 16 years See Coats for Kids pg 5
BY JEFF FALK
Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how some people conduct themselves, gain knowledge, speak and listen and relate to others. It’s a disorder that we continue to learn about and one that might be more prevalent than first realized. NeurAbilities Healthcare of L ancaster approaches autism from both clinical and
behavioral perspectives. Two of the organization’s main goals are to enhance the lives of people and families affected by the disorder and to integrate those individuals into society. “People are often coming to us because they are struggling to support their family members,” said Adriana Neumann, NeurAbilities’ senior director for applied behavior analysis clinical services. “There’s something they’re struggling to manage. They want their child to learn, to See NeurAbilities pg 4
CAPLC promotes economic opportunity for all BY JEFF FALK
There are a great many Lancaster County nonprofits seeking to fulfill basic needs. But there’s so much more to life than bare necessities. Not only does Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County (CAPLC) want its clients to survive, but the nonprofit also wants them to thrive. “There are folks in our community who are living with low incomes,” said Kristy Aurand, See CAPLC pg 5 Members of CAPLC’s senior leadership team gather at a staff meeting.
Heart Healthy Apples • Vegetables • Citrus • Pears • Fresh Cider • Milk • Bread & More OPEN ALL WINTER! Mon.-Sat. 8-6
400 Long Lane at Marticville Road (Rt. 741 & 324) 717-872-9311 www.cherryhillorchards.com Follow us
R114773
15 Varieties
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER FEB. 5, 2025
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
Postal Patron
MTM
NeurAbilities supports those with autism