T&E Care Mission
T&E Care will provide assistance to local families by:
- Identifying persons in need through contacts in the community;
- Communicating these needs,
respecting always the privacy of the intended recipients, to the
T&E Care network via email, this website, and other media;
- Facilitating the delivery of such assistance through T&E Care directors, officers, and other volunteers.
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History of T&E Care
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed
much of the Gulf Coast area in September, 2005, a number of the
residents of Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships (as well as a few
neighboring communities) decided to pool their resources to support a
few families who chose to relocate to this area. In order to help in an
efficient way, we needed to organize ourselves. We called our group
“Tredyffrin & Easttown Care.” Requests for help were disseminated
to friends and neighbors by email, and word spread quickly. Before we
knew it offers to help were pouring in. The Residence Inn in Berwyn
offered rooms at a very reasonable rate, a family offered a car,
doctors offered services, and other community members offered jobs,
clothing and general support. The community was incredibly generous in
supporting three families that eventually made their way here,
all from the New Orleans area, but all through very different
circumstances.
Throughout the fall, community members worked hard
to make these families feel at home by taking them shopping, helping
the kids get enrolled in school and involved in local sports leagues,
providing occasional meals, teaching them how to navigate the local
roads, and generally being a support system for their everyday needs as
they worked to put down roots in this area. This continued until
December 2005 when one family found an apartment and no longer needed
T&E Care's help. Then in February 2006 the second family moved back
to New Orleans. In March the final family moved to an apartment in the
area . When this family made its move - the community helped to furnish
the entire apartment for them - furniture, electronics, all
kitchen/linens/bath items, etc! It was amazing!
It was shortly
after the holidays in 2005 that T&E Care decided to apply for non-profit
status. We found out that so many community members were interested in
helping other families. At the same time we realized that there were
families right in our area that struggled with difficult situations.
While the problems these local families face might be different from
those related to a hurricane, they are problems, none-the-less. It is
our hope that a little support from the community to help a family
through a difficult time might be all that is needed to get a family
back on track again.
We received notice of our official
non-profit status in May, 2006. To date we have helped dozens of
families in many different ways - making a rent payment, furnishing an
apartment, paying a utility bill, helping with some college costs,
finding someone a job, helping someone get medical help, supplying
clothes or toys to a family, offering legal advise, shopping for food, or getting a computer for a family. There
is no set program that we follow - when a need is identified we do our
best to help out - always reaching out to the community for assistance.
Families that we help are usually referred to us through the local schools or churches. Occasionally they come directly to us. We always confirm all requests for help - and know that the situation is real. Because we don't have a continual and/or guaranteed source of money, we prefer that a family is working (or trying to get a job). We try to get a family over a hurdle, but we can not be a regular source of financial help for them. Some hurdles are bigger than others of course.
Be very proud that you live in communities like Tredyffrin and
Easttown, and those communities around us. We CAN make a difference to
those whose lives are turned upside down for whatever reason. 
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T&E Care - official non-profit number
T&E Care was approved as an official non-profit organization on February 10, 2006.
Its Employer Identification Number is 04-3846699.
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T&E Care Finance Controls
The Tredyffrin & Easttown Care Form 990 and exemption certificate are available for public inspection. If desired, please contact our treasurer at 990@tecare.org to set up a time to review or to receive a copy.
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T&E Care Policies
Nondiscrimination Policy - “It is
the policy of Tredyffrin & Easttown Care to provide its services
and supports to qualifying families residing in and around Tredyffrin
and Easttown townships regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion,
gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin or
handicap/disability”. Adopted 4/10/07
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