Mission Possible: Pettengill House embarks on fundraising push
Carol Feingold/Correspondent
After a year of the impossible, it’s time to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and latch on to the affirmative with Mission Possible, this year’s Pettengill House, Inc. fundraiser.
“Over the past year a lot had changed because of the pandemic,” said Sierra Partlan, Pettengill House director of development and programs. “Usually at this time of year we’re planning our annual fundraiser at the Blue Ocean Music Hall, but this year that’s not possible. Instead we’re focusing on what is possible.”
Mission Possible launches on May 1 and runs for the entire month of May with a fundraising goal of $50,000. Accentuating the positive, the campaign will highlight behind-the-scenes glimpses of the work being accomplished at Pettengill House.
Pettengill House steps up service for pandemic impact
Carol Feingold/Correspondent
The Pettengill House Inc. was founded in 1994 by a group of local residents and agency representatives to address the needs of the most at-risk, under-served children and families in the communities of Amesbury, Byfield, Groveland, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury, and West Newbury.
During FY 2019, Pettengill House helped provide services to over 3,000 children and families. That was pre-pandemic. Since March the need has only grown, a lot, and The Pettengill House has responded with expanded services all delivered with enhanced safety precautions.
“The pandemic has definitely resulted in more need in our communities,” said Sierra Partlan, director of development and programs, “and intensified the challenges that our clients were already facing. Our Food Pantry alone has seen about a 50 percent increase since the pandemic struck.