SPHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Team up with Samaritans of Southaven

Published on December 21, 2011 under SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN-This Friday, Dec. 23, the RiverKings hockey team will celebrate Southaven's Samaritans organization and its recent accomplishment of raising $2,000 in grants from the RiverKings and owner Maddox Foundation through a ticket fundraiser as the RiverKings take on the Louisiana IceGators.

The Samaritans' mission is to provide emergency assistance, to offer empowering information, and to guide their clients out of poverty one step at a time.

"There are poverty-stricken people who truly want to help themselves but just need some assistance to steer them in the right direction," Samaritans Co-Executive Director Beth Pekaar said. "Our goal is to teach our clients how to be self-sufficient and encourage them to be all that they can be.

"Sometimes, families are just going through a rough patch and need a little help to get them through. It can really be a tear-jerker when you see your efforts were really appreciated and those families are so grateful. It just gives the staff and volunteers such joy in our hearts."

In addition to helping with job skills, prescription medications, and providing an emergency food pantry and clothes closet, the Samaritans provide emergency utility assistance to th e working poor through community donations, as well as help administer Entergy's "Power To Care" funds, which provide emergency utility assistance to the elderly and disabled through contributions from Entergy, its employees and customers.

"We also have the ability to educate individuals who are just lost in how to survive," Pekaar said. "If we see that they come to us for help, but say, eat out three times a week, we can coach them on what is a necessity and what is not. We can educate them on how eating at home rather than out could pay a whole electric bill, for instance."

Entergy Mississippi's Power to Care fund helps low-income, elderly or disabled customers pay their energy bills in times of financial distress. Entergy employees and customers donate to The Power to Care, with company shareholders matching contributions up to $500,000 annually. Samaritans administers a portion of these funds locally.

"U.S. Census figures show that Mississippi ranks among the highest in the number of families living below the federal poverty line," said George Cossar, customer service manager for Entergy Mississippi, Inc. "In fact, nearly one-quarter of our customers in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are considered to be low-income."

To ensure that those who are most in need receive the funds with which they've been entrusted, Samaritans conducts careful screening of potential clients. Unemployed clients in good health must demonstrate that they are searching for employment. Potential clients must also bring photo ID, proof of residence, proof of all income including bank statements, all bills, and social security numbers for all household members. Samaritans makes unemployed clients aware of any job opening that comes to the organization's attention.

Pekaar started out serving as secretary for Samaritans' board of directors; soon she was volunteering in the office. After seeing the impact Samaritans had on the community and the need for services, she threw herself into the work and now serves as co-director with Executive Director Jim Glass, whom she looks up to as mentor.

"Jim Glass is such an asset to the Samaritans and our community," Pekaar said. "He truly has his heart in this ministry. He is truly the glue that holds this ministry together."

Glass and former Entergy Mississippi Regional Customer Service Manager Pat Nelson are faithful members of the Southaven Rotary Club, a group that Pekaar proudly joined after visiting several Rotary meetings with both of them. She says Rotary's commitment to eradicating poverty has been instrumental to her development as a leader in the Samaritans organization.

"Poverty is something that people just don't think can be solved; I disagree," Pekaar said. "People thought polio could not be eradicated, yet Rotary International has been instrumental in virtually eradicating polio throughout the world. When I reflect on that accomplishment and I see Rotary's current commitment to eradicate poverty, I think the goal to reduce/solve poverty in our own community is not out of reach. I feel Samaritans, with the help from Rotary and our own community, can "˜guide our clients out of poverty, one step at a time.'"

Samaritans has ongoing needs including food drive volunteers, food for the food pantry, and a trailer for food drive pickups and funds. Volunteers for any of these positions are welcome.

The Samaritans' office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., no appointments necessary. To donate to Samaritans' works or for more information, call 662-393-6439 or mail P.O. Box 576, Horn Lake, MS 38637.

To donate to "Power to Care," Entergy customers may be made by check a box to add a dollar (or more) to their monthly bill, or donate online through the secure Web site at entergy-mississippi.com . Customers can also find tips to help lower their energy bills and answers to energy-related topics, such as what goes into energy costs, at EntergyAnswers.com .

The Mississippi RiverKings are supported by their community partners, season ticket holders, fans, and by program-related investments of the Maddox Foundation, an independent private foundation based in Hernando, Miss. To find out more about the RiverKings, call 662.342.1755 or visit www.riverkings.com .

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