WHEELING, W.Va. — In late January a devastating fire ripped through the plant of a popular Wheeling company known nationally for its popsicles.
In the days, weeks and now months following the blaze, the Ziegenfelder Company has received much support from the Wheeling area.
Included in the recovery efforts is a partnership between Catholic Charities West Virginia (CCWV) and the frozen treat company to help displaced employees.
CCWV CEO Beth Zarate said since the partnership formed around $22,000 has been raised for direct employee assistance and social service support.
“We talk with the employees to make sure they have the services they need,” Zarate told MetroNews. “It could be anything from helping them get their ID card, to pay their electric bill, to food, to clothes for work.”
CCWV has set up a case management fund for the employees that have seen generous donations from the public and Wheeling community leaders such as John Moses with Youth Services System and Rabbi Joshua Leif of Temple Shalom.
“People showed up at the plant and just gave money,” Zarate said. “The local rabbi (Leif) asked and gave money. Some of the foundations gave money. The money came in all different ways.
“All that money has been pulled and set up into a case management fund for just the employees of the plant.”
18 employees have been helped through this fund with a potential of over 100 by year’s end, according to Zarate.
She added that the community has been engaged in helping this company rebuild from the start because of what it does for them and their already vulnerable employees.
“They very much want to serve people who are struggling and want a second chance,” Zarate said of Ziegenfelder’s.
“They hire folks right out of prison. This community just loves them and there was a great outpouring.”
Zarate said Catholic Charities and Ziegenfelder’s will continue to work on their partnership for as long as the employees need anything from financial assistance to social service.
To learn how to give, visit Catholic Charities’s website.