Daniel Lombardo, CEO of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley discussed their needs for the families and individuals they support throughout the year with emergency support and wrap-around services.   He spoke of the current housing crisis, especially among the elderly, acerbated by COVID; he also discussed the needs of families who often leave a residence with little more than the clothes on their backs.   Volunteers of America supports its clients with emergency shelter, for men, women and families, and in Philadelphia those with traumatic brain injuries; he described their intake and plan for putting them back to self-sufficiency through social services, job and financial training.  We discussed the impact of being homeless and how it has a lasting effect on parents and children, it’s a defined trauma.  He also spoke of their programming for those returning from incarceration, veterans and persons caught up in Human Trafficking.  He reminds us that Human Trafficking is a growing crime that will only get worse with the big events coming to the Delaware Valley for the country’s 250th celebration. 

We talked about the needs, beyond the food pantries they offer, Volunteers of America need clothing – especially underwear – for all ages, household goods and linens. 

We discussed the annual Beasley Media Group station BEN FM Radiothon for Volunteers and he asks us to support their families at the holidays.  You or your business can adopt a family to provide the necessary items they need, or you can select names and needs from their Amazon list.   They also need volunteers throughout the years.    

The BEN FM radiothon is December 11th from 6A to 6P live from the Great Plaza at Cherry Hill Mall, next to Santa.  Kristen Hermann hosts with help from 6abc. 

For more information about the services and programming of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley and how you can support them through donations or volunteering, go to VOADV.org. 

For more details on the annual radiothon visit BENFM.com.