Hello! My name is Krystine Sipple, and I am the interim executive director of Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center.
Some of you might know of us as the food cupboard in downtown Oxford. Some of you might not have ever heard of us at all, so let me tell you what we do. We help our neighbors through times of sudden crisis or hardship, and we do that through providing both food and financial assistance with rent or utilities. Our case managers are here to help guide you through whatever crisis you are dealing with, and help you get through to the other side of it. And during the COVID-19 crisis, we are still open.
In the United States, it is an unfortunate truth that most of us are just one crisis away from poverty. Loss of a job, loss of reliable transportation, loss of a spouse – there are many reasons people might find themselves in crisis. And right now, so many of us are in crisis mode.
This is a scary time. Some of you might be afraid to come out to get groceries. Some of you may have never needed our services before, and you might feel strange about asking for help. But please know, we are here for YOU. We have case managers on call Monday through Thursday, and there is always someone at the center who speaks Spanish if that’s needed. If you find yourself in need of help PLEASE give us a call. The number is right at the bottom of the screen.
If you are worried about coming out to get food, here is how this works. You call in to the Center, we take a food order over the phone, have it packed and ready in a cart for you, you pull up outside, and get the cart from our porch. There is no in-person contact.
You also do NOT need to live in Oxford to get help from us. We serve people from all over Southern Chester County. We also work alongside so many nonprofit partners in the community, and we can point you in the direction of anything you need. Superior Workforce Solutions is available every week to help people find much-needed jobs. Domestic Violence has a presence in our center and is a just phone call away. Please, whatever it is you might need, know that we are here for you.
If you find yourself in a position to help others right now, you can make a secure online donation on our website, listed below. Also on our website you can find a list of need grocery items. Donations of food can be dropped off Monday – Thursday, from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. We would be so grateful for anything you can do to help.
We will all get through this together – neighbor helping neighbor. Thank you for helping us help you.