1 week Ago By Liz Rogers
The size of the late Raven Anderson’s hands was extra large. Figuratively, so was the size of his heart. His widow, Jessica Anderson, of Monessen, is launching a new organization to help needy families, toddlers, and young children to honor his memory and giving spirit.
The kickoff of Raven’s Hands, which will serve the mid-Mon Valley, coincides with Jessica Anderson’s 50th birthday, which was Wednesday. The event will start at 6 p.m.
at Resonate (yoga studio), 1295 Grand Boulevard. Anderson added that Raven’s Hands recognizes that the community is home to many established and thriving support systems. “Our goal is not to reinvent the wheel or duplicate existing services,” she explained.
“Instead, we are committed to connecting individuals and families to the valuable resources available locally. We are also eager to collaborate with other agencies to ensure that we can effectively refer families to the assistance they need. “We understand that financial barriers can make it difficult for many families to access essential items.
Items once considered necessities have, in some cases, become out of reach for families. Our mission is to help provide these items, either through referrals or through the direct efforts of Raven’s Hands. While we will primarily focus on supporting babies, toddlers, and children, we are also mindful of the needs of the entire family.
” In its initial public distribution, Raven’s Hands was able to distribute more than 40 comforters, blankets, and other essential items to families in need. Anderson, a community activist and longtime employee of the Family Center in Monessen, came up with an idea aimed at helping her community based on the legacy of her husband, who passed away in October 2021. “His hands were his most prominent characteristic,” Jessica Anderson said.
“Anybody who met him and shook his hand would know. They were humongous, and they were strong. Yet he was the most caring and loving man with a huge heart.
I would say after his hands, his heart was his next most prominent characteristic. “I wanted to carry on the work that he did while he was alive. He helped a lot of people, and he wouldn’t take a dime.
He helped single women and widows, elderly people in their homes. He just wanted to help. I can’t do those things.
I really wanted to keep his legacy of helping and his hands and heart alive, and I wanted to honor him in a way that I thought was special. “I can’t fix anyone’s furnace and things like that but I can give someone a Pack and Play, if they need it.” Anderson said goods are more expensive, but as prices continue to rise, the extra help for families has not increased.
Pack and Plays cost more than five years ago, and families struggle to meet their basic needs without having to add extra things like a nursing pillows and similar items. Anderson is committed to helping, and her new organization, Raven’s Hands, is off to a good start. Still, it will take a commitment from the community and her family to help in the way she aims to.
“While we acknowledge the numerous challenges and needs that individuals and families face, Raven’s Hands is initiating our efforts with a focused “three branch approach,” Anderson said. “Although our scope may expand as we grow, we are currently concentrating on resources, information, and essential needs.” Raven’s Hands will periodically post specific requests for items.
However, Anderson said there is a continuing need for car seats, strollers, bassinets, nursing pillows, and other essentials for babies, toddlers, and youth. Anderson said the organization’s mission includes the core priority of empowering families. “We aim to support families through both individual and group settings, offering presentations, handouts, and discussions on topics such as sleep safety, developmental milestones, community safety, and more.
The information we provide will be an invaluable resource to families, and we believe it will have a long-lasting impact.” Raven’s Hands asks that donations brought to the launch include strollers, nursing pillows, bouncer chairs, activity mats and educational toys. Information about Raven’s Hands can be found on its Facebook page or by phone at 724-216-7855.
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