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Peoria Friendship House Celebrates 60 Years of Service

By Joe Bennett
November 6, 2011 Updated Nov 7, 2011 at 11:10 AM CDT

PEORIA, Ill -- The Peoria Friendship House of Christian Services celebrated 60 years of community outreach, recognizing their partners and staff with a Sunday brunch at the Hotel Pere Marquette.

The organization oversees multiple community programs like Dress For Success and Latino Outreach.

The anniversary comes at a time when some members of the community need help the most.

Michelle Kelly can speak to the many successes of Peoria Friendship House. She began volunteering at the same time she tried on her first suit through Dress for Success. That service landed her a job.

"They will help you with resume skills, they help you with interview skills," Kelly says. "They offer mock interviews, which are fantastic."

When Kelly lost her job three years ago, the organization again offered a friendly shoulder to lean on.

"They called me and said we know you're laid off right now, could you possibly help us out?" Kelly adds. "So now I'm the administrative coordinator."

For six decades, Friendship House has served the community, offering services that help women find jobs, prevent families from losing their homes, provide volunteer opportunities for seniors and keep children off the streets.

However, Vice President of Community Relations Jeff Turnbull says this is not just a time of celebration, rather a time of need for many who benefit from the organization.

"Children are coming in that live in the neighborhood on their own," Turnball says. "Families with babies that are homeless are coming in."

Turnbull adds families who regularly donated food items a few years ago are now regularly coming in to request meals.

"We're seeing the worst of the worst. It is a situation where children are going hungry in Peoria and we're trying to help out as best we can."

But resources could be better, according to Turnbull.

He says Friendship House is in need of more food for holiday meals and more volunteers for holiday programs so the organization can continue to help families in need and individuals like Michelle Kelly.

"I wouldn't be where I am today without Friendship House," Kelly says. "And I think this is a very important organization. I'm very grateful for all the support that it gets."

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