where we've been

Since the seeds for the program were planted in 1972 as an informal call for flood relief in Pennsylvania, our program has served throughout New England and the East Coast, including Boston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and throughout the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.

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Locations

Currently, the PVs offer opportunities in both urban and rural settings, with programs in the Appalachian Mountains of southern West Virginia and in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York.

 

Here is a quick synapses of some of the characteristics, challenges and needs in both areas:

 

 

 

Wyoming County, West Virginia

  • 2007 poverty rate: 23.5%, almost twice as high as the nation's 12.7%  1
  • 2005 child poverty rate: 35.3%, the nation's was 18% in 2008 2
  • Population has decreased 8.5% since 2000. 1
  • In 2006, 5.29% of the population moved out of the county. 3
  • In 2007, the high school dropout rate in Wyoming County was 21.1%. That number has been increasing every year since 2002, when it stood at 14.2%. 2
  • 66% of residents in the Upper Guyandotte Watershed, which contains portions of Wyoming County, lack adequate sewage services. Because of the terrain and economics, many residents must rely on failing septic tanks or straight pipes to the nearest creek. 4
  • Prescription drug abuse claims about 40 lives per year in Wyoming County. 5

 

Wyoming County, W.V. Sources:
1US Census Quick Facts; 2WV Kids Count - Anne B. Casey Foundation; 3www.city-data.com/county/Wyoming_county-wv.html; 4Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association (ugwawv.org); 5www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=4490

 

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York

  • Population: 142,058
  • Population below poverty level (11206*): 37.8%
  • Population below 50% poverty level (11206*): 17.6%
  • Single mother households: 27.1%
  • Education: 32.1% have high school diploma; 19.6% have college degree
  • Home Ownership: 16%
  • 2008 Median Gross Rent: $597 per month
  • Median Household Income (11206*): $23,883

 

 

 

 

Bedford-Stuyvesant Sources and References:
*Denotes Bedford-Stuyvesant zip code 11206, which is the area around Our Lady of Monserrate Church where we serve.
http://realestate.nytimes.com/community/11206-Bedford-Stuyvesant-Brooklyn-NY-usa/demographics http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Bedford-Stuyvesant-Brooklyn-NY.html
http://www.city-data.com/zips/11206.html

Our partners

One of the main focuses of the program is to support existing and effective local non-profits and entities in any way we can.

Here are some of the organizations we work with:

Bedford-Stuyvesant
Our Lady of Monserrate Church
Casa Bethsaida
St. John's Bread and Life
Cristo Rey
West Virginia

Itmann Food Pantry
St. Vincent de Paul - Southern W.V. Conf.
Ned's Place Clothing Closet
Family Resource Network
Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association
Wyoming County School Board
S.A.F.E.
Mullens Ministerial Association
Head Start
Early Head Start
New Life Church
Appalachian Outreach