Fund Helps Families Caught in Economic ‘Middle’

Post a Comment » Written on April 10th, 2009     
Filed under: News
WEST PEABODY, MA (April 10, 2009) – A charity administered by Joel Anderle, pastor of Community Covenant Church, is expanding its assistance to middle-class families who make too much money to receive government aid, but are unable to get other help during the economic downturn.

“On The Threshold” was formed 20 years ago, but previously provided housing assistance only to local residents who had lost their job and could not make ends meet. Now the charity is helping with utility bills, moving costs and food.

“I think in a nutshell this will help be part of the solution,” Anderle told the Salem News.  “It’s a pragmatic piece to keep people in the their houses. It’s such a slippery slope, if you lose your house.”

As of February, 53,874 people who earned between $41,608 and $77,948 were collecting unemployment, according to the state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the Salem News reports. That is 19,615 more people than at the same time last year.

The local clergy association formed On The Threshold in 1989 when the technology sector of the economy was hit hard. At the time, Jim Anderson, pastor of Community Covenant, and Rabbi Abraham Morhaim of Temple Ner Tamid created the nonprofit to help people who suddenly lost their jobs and needed funds to cover their mortgage.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

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