(May 11, 2017) Mary Yenney, outreach coordinator for Ocean Pines Community Church, who has humbly and diligently held that volunteer position for 15 years, was recently honored by the Maryland Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers as the 2017 Public Citizen of the Year.
The award was presented during a luncheon at the Maritime Institute of Technology in Linthicum Heights.
Yenney manages a church fund which was developed to provide assistance to veterans on the Eastern Shore. The fund offers financial assistance to veterans for overdue rent, housing security deposits, overdue car payments and utility bills. When possible, furniture is secured.
The donations come from the church’s thrift shop, the Shepherd’s Nook, and from local citizens, other churches and veterans service organizations such as the American Legion in Ocean City.
Yenney coordinates veterans’ needs with Tyler Betz, who is with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Community Integration Services in Salisbury.
She doesn’t just secure funds for veterans in need; she goes above and beyond what is expected and follows up with each recipient to insure all of their basic needs are met by offering the church’s food pantry and household items.
She also notifies the social workers in the area who work with veterans when she comes across an item which may benefit a veteran in need. This genuineness and compassion have set Yenney apart and she has proven to be a lifeline to veterans when traditional avenues are unable to help.
She has consistently displayed an essential balance between compassion and discernment in order to meet the needs of veterans. Yenney exemplifies the true spirit of volunteerism.
The award was presented during a luncheon at the Maritime Institute of Technology in Linthicum Heights.
Yenney manages a church fund which was developed to provide assistance to veterans on the Eastern Shore. The fund offers financial assistance to veterans for overdue rent, housing security deposits, overdue car payments and utility bills. When possible, furniture is secured.
The donations come from the church’s thrift shop, the Shepherd’s Nook, and from local citizens, other churches and veterans service organizations such as the American Legion in Ocean City.
Yenney coordinates veterans’ needs with Tyler Betz, who is with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Community Integration Services in Salisbury.
She doesn’t just secure funds for veterans in need; she goes above and beyond what is expected and follows up with each recipient to insure all of their basic needs are met by offering the church’s food pantry and household items.
She also notifies the social workers in the area who work with veterans when she comes across an item which may benefit a veteran in need. This genuineness and compassion have set Yenney apart and she has proven to be a lifeline to veterans when traditional avenues are unable to help.
She has consistently displayed an essential balance between compassion and discernment in order to meet the needs of veterans. Yenney exemplifies the true spirit of volunteerism.