One of the strengths of Huntington is its people, and their willingness to give of their time, talent, and treasure to the benefit of others in need. It is my intent to showcase organizations that exemplify this spirit of giving, via a series of articles on each organization that helps others in need, and depends on the generosity of the citizenry of Huntington to realize this goal. If you know of such an organization in the Huntington region, please contact me directly at evdorsey@gmail.com. It is my hope that some of you reading this may be made aware of an organization that “fits” you in some way, and that you might contribute what you feel is appropriate (time/talent/treasure) to the betterment of all involved!

-Ed Dorsey

Now, on with our first installment in what I hope will be an ongoing series!

Faith in Action of the River Cities Helps Local Folks in Need

Faith in Action of the River Cities (FIARC) provides free, non-medical assistance to the elderly and adults with disabilities in Cabell and northern Wayne Counties in WV and Lawrence County, OH. The organization’s mission statement is “Joining people of faith into one fellowship to serve others in need of assistance.” Currently, FIARC has 185 active care receivers on file, but this number fluctuates due to changes in health, living arrangements and new applications.

FIARC has a staff of three part-time employees, who orchestrate the pairing of volunteer caregivers with care receivers, train volunteers, and raise the funding necessary to support this vital mission. At present, there are 65 volunteers, including an all-volunteer Board of Directors. FIARC operates solely on grants, donations, and fundraiser revenue, and does not charge the recipients of its services or any third-parties.

Faith in Action (FIA) was started through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 1996, and has been self-sustaining through the support of the community. FIARC remains an active member of the FIA National Network, which functions as a resource for all FIA programs throughout the country.

How You Can Help:

Donate. FIARC receives no federal or state funding and does not charge for services provided; they exist on donations as well as grants and fundraising projects.  You can go to the FIARC website (see below) and donate via your PayPal account, or donate by check to 848 Ninth Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701.

Volunteer. FIARC is always in need of new volunteers as they lose some each year to their own health and/or family issues and geographical moves. FIARC is especially in need of more volunteers in certain geographic locations, so give them a call! (See bottom of article for full contact information.)

NOTE: All volunteers must attend an orientation/training session and must pass a background check.  The training takes about 2-2 1/2 hours and training is held periodically throughout the year, or can be scheduled to fit the volunteer’s schedule.  At the training, the volunteer is asked to choose the types of assistance and the days & hours they are interested in helping. Volunteers typically help from as little as 2-3 hours a month or as much as 5-6 hours each week.  FIARC does not require any minimum time commitment — whatever works best for the volunteer.

Support the Fundraisers.

FIARC holds fundraisers throughout the year, where folks can enjoy a fun activity, and help support the financial needs of the organization at the same time! In the Spring, the Annual Chocolate Celebration is held at the Huntington Mall on a Saturday.  Chocolate vendors sell samples of their desserts and gift baskets are for sale by silent auction (or cash-and-carry for declared value). During the winter holiday season, the local Celtic band Blackbirds and Thrushes performs a concert series at Heritage Farm, with all money raised going to FIARC.

For more information:

Faith in Action of the River Cities (FIARC) website: http://www.fiarivercities.org

National Faith in Action (FIA) website: http://www.fianationalnetwork.org

Faith in Action of the River Cities
Rose Thornburg, Executive Director
848 9th Avenue
Huntington, WV 25701
877-367-1271
fiarc@comcast.net