Just as the Council of Churches’ (CoC) North Marshall Street exterior does not let on the full scope of services that are housed within, the entire headquarters itself is only one portion of the services that the CoC extends throughout Lancaster County. An interview with Executive Director Scott Fischer revealed a broadly spanning effort to address social needs within the city and beyond.

Fischer explained that the CoC was formed in 1947 as a way to unite the like-minded efforts of many churches throughout the county: “Church leaders wanted to work together cooperatively in different areas, and over the years, that cooperative work has produced a lot of community resources.” The organization has always synched its efforts to community’s needs at a given time. For example, through the ‘60s and ‘70s, the CoC was actively involved in serving a then-considerable migrant worker population.

In its early years, CoC funding was drawn 80-95% from participating congregations. Today, member-church donations account for 60% of the CoC budget. The churches themselves have not been giving less money, Fischer noted; but the CoC’s endeavors have continually expanded, requiring new approaches to partnership and funding. More individuals and businesses are supporting the organization than at any time in the past.

One example of the CoC’s recent growth would be its partnerships with State and County assistance programs. Agencies have begun to recognize that longstanding organizations like the CoC offer strong and efficient outreach networks that can be used to channel public assistance resources into their communities. These partnerships have been able to save tax dollars while improving the level of public service, according to CoC Assistant Director Lindsey Hess.

The PA WORKWEAR program is a partnership between the PA Department of Public Works and the County Job Training Program. Under previous programs, qualifying jobless citizens would be granted a $250 stipend for workplace attire to assist in the pursuit of employment. Today, however, PA WORKWEAR funds are channeled through the CoC, which hosts an well-organized business-wear boutique of sorts. At a significant taxpayer savings, CoC leverages free donations, public funds, and bulk purchasing power to provide a dignified retail-style “shop” for those directed to the program. As Hess pointed out, $250 does not go a long way when one is trying to purchase a week’s worth of professional clothing; but this program can provide its clients with exactly what they need.

Fischer was also excited to announce that the CoC is now receiving used vehicle donations for a new “Cars to Work” program, which will look a lot like the PA WORKWEAR program (except, of course, with cars). A $750 vehicle allowance for is currently provided by the State for those pursuing employment. “But what happens frequently is, if…$750 is all you have, then you get a car that doesn’t really work,” Fischer said. The CoC will be able to leverage some of these State funds to bring donated vehicles up to par. This way, clients of the program will be provided with a car that will last them a few years, at least.

In addition to State partnerships, the CoC has gained a leadership role among similar organizations throughout the county, Fischer explained: “We’ve resourced a winter shelter in Columbia….We’ve been working with Ephrata and the ministerium up there. And in some of their community meals and emergency housing issues, we’ve basically shared our expertise, our ideas, and, in some cases, our manuals for how you run a winter shelter….Currently, we are [also] working with the Family Center in Gap, PA,” which may soon open a food and clothing bank.

With an ever-increasing presence in Lancaster’s social safety net, the Lancaster County Council of Churches is defined by its efficiency, ingenuity, and compassion. But, looking at the organization’s considerable influence, Fischer maintains a humble perspective: “The people that are part of churches throughout the county are not the only people that care about the place we live. But they’re amongst the people that care; and this is a way to work strategically with those people as resources. [We] leverage those resources to move forward on common agendas that we all care about.”

At 344 N Marshall St, the Council of Churches (CoC) headquarters rests behind a thrifty edifice: The simple white building is fronted with a modest parking lot and is adorned with little more than a few signs to identify the organization. But within those walls there runs an intricately patterned network of community services, each carefully modified over time to provide the highest quality care to the greatest number of people.

The CoC was initially formed under a different name in 1947 to increase unity and cooperation among the many churches and denominations resident in Lancaster County. The partnership has since expanded into an extensive system of community services supported by well over 100 local congregations.

Recently, Assistant Director Lindsey Hess offered NewsLanc a tour of the Marshall St center, from which a variety of community services are provided in a time-tested, well-organized manner.

A few doors beyond the front lobby lies the CoC’s food bank—what Hess describes as, “by far, the biggest” program run through the facility. The bank provides the usual dry and canned goods, as well as refrigerated items such as meat, eggs, and butter. The program has recently been reconstructed to a “client choice” model, in which food recipients are allowed to hand-select their groceries to best fit the needs and preferences of their families.

For this process, the bank is arranged like a scaled-down supermarket. Food is organized into three long aisles, sectioned out according to various meal categories. Staff or volunteers guide clients through the selection process, which typically ends with a cart full of free groceries. By closely engaging with clients, the CoC is able to continually refine their donation requests to better align with user preferences. Most of these donations come from participating churches and some individuals.

A nearby room houses the CoC’s clothing bank, which offers a caringly filtered selection of free donated attire—nothing dirty, nothing stained, nothing over-worn—for those of demonstrated need. The bank is cleanly arranged to feel like any retail environment. According to Hess, this service is accessed frequently during winter months by released prisoners, often with only the summer clothes they wore before their sentence. Although it officially operates on Tuesday and Friday mornings, CoC staff will occasionally open the bank to drop-in visitors in crisis, such as a mother and children who escaped a violent home with only their pajamas.

The food and clothing banks are certainly not the only services provided through the N Marshall St facility. There is also a variety of programs that help needy individuals transition into a steady career—from the stately racks of free business attire, to the ready stash of free bicycles, to the practical advice on how to approach a job interview. And, even beyond the N Marshall St facility, there exists a variety of services operating through participating CoC congregations—from overnight winter shelters to daily community meals with no strings attached.

In the midst of the CoC’s myriad programs, there is a unique quality of compassion and ingenuity that runs throughout. Each service is finely tuned and optimized to provide what the community truly needs. But for all the expert services, processes, and systems, the organization never lets go of its human-level commitment to care for each individual in need. Every situation is handled through personal contact on a case-by-case basis. The result is that no one with legitimate need will fall through the cracks. As Hess put it, “We don’t have—like the Government—those guidelines where, ‘if you make a dollar too much, I’m sorry, we can’t help you.’”

For information about the Council of Churches, please click here.