Wednesday, November 18, 2009

We need your help - Can you write a letter to help us?

We can make a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors. We are
called by God to do so. You can help us make that difference. We just
sent a request to Comcast asking that they provide the community center
their services at no charge for the next 12 months. Their service provides
the Internet connection and telephone services.

Below is the letter and request sent to Comcast. It tells why we need the
service.

We are asking that you also wrote Comcast and ask they to provide this
service to the center for the next 12 month without charge.

It does not matter where you live, Please write Comcast and make this
request.


Director
The Comcast Foundation
North Central Division
676 Island Pond Road
Manchester, NH 03109

Dear Director:

We can make a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors. And we
are called to do so. This is the purpose of the Mor Gregorios Community
Center in Plymouth, Indiana. Comcast can help us make this difference.

We are not requesting funds. We are asking that you provide the cable
service at no charge for the next 12 months. All those we serve are within
Comcast¹s service area.

The center provides several public programs. One of those is the employment
program. The center provides help from trained volunteers for individuals to
file for their unemployment and to file their weekly reports. All of this
must be done online in Indiana. Help is also provided to do online job
searches, preparing resumes, learning and practicing interview skills, and
other employment related activities. The program serves those who are
unemployed and those who are under employed.

Indiana Workforce Development provided the training. Workforce Development
loaned some of the computers to the program. Ancilla College and others
within the community donated other computers and equipment to the program.
No funds are provided to cover any of the expenses of this program or any of
the other programs of the center. All workers at the center are volunteers.
None of the individuals working at the center are paid employers,
contractors, and none receive any compensation. All work for free. And
that includes me.

Because we receive no funds of any type, we need your help. You can make a
difference in the lives of those we serve. We are not asking for a financial
donation. We don¹t want money. Currently, the Internet connection at the
community center is through Comcast. I pay for it personally. That also
includes the telephone service and a cable connection. I do not know how
much longer I can continue to do so. Winter is approaching and the heating
bills are rising. We receive no funds for that either.

The Internet connection is needed to file individual reports each week, do
online job searches, and many other jog related activities. The telephone
is used to call possible employers, schedule interviews, and receive
employer¹s callbacks. Some of the participants are using the Internet
connection to complete online classes to improve their employment skills.

We are asking that Comcast provide this monthly service at no change for the
next 12 months.

If you need additional information about the Mor Gregorios Community Center,
please let me know. We are under an IRS 501 (c) (3) corporation. Since the
community center is based on an Orthodox Christian paradigm, all services
are provided to all, without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, color,
class, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. All are served as
the Icon or image of God. We conduct all our affairs according to Orthodox
Christian social teachings with special emphasis on respect for the dignity
of the human person made in the image and likeness of God. Our vision is to
experience life together as a community, as a village where every human is
treated as if he or she were Christ Himself. All our programs are for all
people. Participants do not need to be Christians. The programs are for
those of faith and those of no faith. Everyone qualifies for the center¹s
programs.

Sincerely,

Father Theodosius Walker
Executive Director

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