Supporters Like You

We are all Interconnected. We are… Community.

As many followers of ECS know, Community is one of our 4 core values. The Holy Spirit has a way of working through Communities, through our interconnected nature, silently accomplishing things that go beyond the sum of our individual parts. This is one of those stories.

After 2 years at Temple University and 4 years with the U.S. Air Force, Larry Dahl was ready to settle down. When he met his future wife Marianne through mutual friends it was love at first sight. Thankfully, the feelings were mutual. Marianne, a highly accomplished young woman with a blooming career in Occupational Therapy agreed to marry Larry in a small wedding at the former Church of the Resurrection in Mayfair. The year was 1978.

By the mid-80s the Dahls had one son, Kurt, and were in the process of adopting a second. “Once I had two children, I knew it would be important for me to be able to provide them the same beginning that I had,” Larry shared. They set out to find a church in Central Bucks County that was welcoming to small children. “We began attending Good Shepherd Episcopal Church of Hilltown in the late 80s. Our adopted son, Philip, joined us in 1988 when he was 3 years old. Philip was well known in the congregation for roaring out ‘and God be with you!’ to Reverend Frank Toia’s utter delight.” The Dahls had found their spiritual home.

Larry and Marianne relished their years at Good Shepherd under Reverend Toia’s pastoral care. Both joined the vestry. Larry was acolyte master and taught Sunday School to teens. Marianne taught Sunday School to the congregation’s youngest children. Reverend Toia was much loved by the community, bringing warmth and great fellowship to the congregation. He was also well known for expanding the parish’s horizons, creating genuine ties between people of all backgrounds. “Frank was a big advocate for women in key parish roles as priests and deacons. He brought diversity into the church. He would host Jewish guests, Muslim guests… It was a good place for us,” Larry reflected.

One day, Reverend Toia invited Virginia (Ginger) Goodrich to speak. She was serving as a member of Bishop Bartlett’s staff at the time and is a parishioner of St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh. Larry recalls her presenting on the topic of tithing and how ECS was a charity close to her heart. “When she came in, her story was so powerful,” Larry said, welled up with emotion. “We had so much that had gone well for us—so much had gone right in our lives. We thought …we can’t ignore poverty anymore. We need to respond.”

“Ginger only came and spoke that one time, but when you’re spreading the good word, it works in a flash!” Larry interjected with a smile.

Eventually, Reverend Toia retired, the Dahl’s children grew, and Larry and Marianne moved over to St. Matthew’s Parish in Maple Glenn, yet the Dahl’s engagement with ECS and the lessons they learned from Ginger that day remained. In addition to their charitable contributions, Marianne offered her services as an Occupational Therapist to ECS staff and participants. When she started teaching at Philadelphia University (now TJU) she infused her ECS experiences into her work. Marianne was a fierce advocate for creating pathways for minorities to enroll in therapeutic training programs. She launched a hugely successful Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) training program, popular with adult-students seeking sustainable, rewarding careers.

Reverend Frank Toia served as Rector of Good Shepherd from 1979 to 1999. Once retired he devoted more time to his ministry with the diocesan companion relationship with Guatemala and visited there many times. This was a defining experience of his life. He passed away in June of 2019.

After a brave 4-year battle with cancer, Marianne passed away on Good Friday, April 2, 2021. She was 71 years old. Survived by her loving husband, Larry and their two sons, Marianne’s legacy is one of service to others, deeply informed by her faith and spiritual practice.

While time marches on and peoples’ circumstances change, the Holy Spirit continues to move through those who remain. Larry Dahl, Linda Toia (the late Reverend’s wife), and Ginger Goodrich all remain engaged with ECS to this day—each supporting the cause to improve the lives of those struggling with poverty in our region. Each interconnected. Each part of our ECS Community.

It was Christmas Day, 1949 when Jean Tinney, a sixth-grader from Collingdale, Delaware County, walked several blocks over to her friend Betty’s house to deliver her a small gift for the holiday. Betty was a classmate of Jean’s living in a home with an older foster care provider, a woman she called grandmother. This was Betty’s fourth or fifth foster home in her young life. Jean was disheartened when she found Betty, on this special day, not celebrating at all, but scrubbing the bathroom floor. “It’s what I have to do,” Betty told her. “It isn’t right,” Jean exclaimed to her parents when she returned home. That spring, Betty’s “grandmother” passed away at which point Betty was sent to stay at the Burd School, an orphanage for girls on Baltimore Avenue.

The Burd School for Girls was one of several small human service agencies of Episcopalian lineage in Philadelphia that would eventually be folded into the ECS family, which explains Jean’s connection to ECS to this day.

As the weeks went by, Jean—who was an only child—petitioned to her parents to let Betty come live with them. “I must have been very convincing,” she said, “because my parents went through the process of contacting [the Burd School] to become foster parents.” In the summer of 1950 Betty came to stay with the Tinney’s for good.

Jean thought back on growing up with Betty. “She had a hard time adjusting and adapting due to her experiences before she came to live with us that had informed her life. It was no fault of anyone’s,” she explained. Betty’s birth mother would not agree to anyone formally adopting Betty. But Jean’s mother was committed, nonetheless. No matter the challenges—and Betty could be difficult at times—the Tinney family devoted themselves to Betty and considered her one of their own.

Betty continued to receive support from the orphanage until she reached adulthood. Jean recalls a kindly woman named Ms. Knapp, a social worker with the agency, who would visit Betty from time to time. Ms. Knapp made an impression on the young Jean, both for her wins and her misses. “Ms. Knapp tried so hard to be a friend to Betty, and all the foster children, but one Christmas she brought her a used 78 record of the Andrews Sisters. It just wasn’t an appropriate gift for a 12-year-old child,” Jean shared with a smile.

When asked what motivates Jean’s charitable work she said, “We need to appreciate more, the people who are receiving our assistance.” There is an expectation that people in poverty ought to be grateful for anything they receive. But Jean feels differently about that. Having witnessed firsthand her foster sister’s experiences Jean believes we need to continually challenge ourselves to be more thoughtful about how we serve those in need.

As an adult Jean married, raised children, and eventually settled in Solebury, Bucks County where she has been a parishioner of Trinity Church for the past 20 years. Jean reengaged with ECS when she served as Chair of the Outreach Committee at Trinity. Over the years she put on baby-showers for St. Barnabas participants and provided move-in supplies for families leaving shelter. Jean and Betty remained close throughout their lives. After a brief marriage, Betty remained single. She passed away in 1996. Thankfully, Betty’s spirit lives on through the charitable service and support that Jean provides ECS, and several other beloved service organizations.

“We came to know about ECS through our involvement with St. Thomas Church, Whitemarsh. As we joined the parish, we were invited to become involved in a host of outreach activities, all centered around children and families. Older parishioners modeled the behavior of forming partnerships with local institutions. There has always been the satisfaction of being in community both with our friends at St. Thomas and with the people we serve through outreach—at Summer Camp or Harvest Fest, or the Be an Angel Party.”

Steve continues, “for me, the most rewarding thing is always the opportunity for hands-on volunteering combined with financial support. One of the things I admire about ECS is its forward thinking, its interest in always looking for new and better ways to help. I think the financial stability of ECS is a very important component of its success. As a donor, I am reassured by the healthy endowment that basically funds all the overhead. We know that our gifts are well and wisely spent.”

Elizabeth shares, “supporting ECS gives us the opportunity to live out the commandment to ‘love our neighbors’; we recognize the value of ECS’ programs in the context of our faith. Right now, the food insecurity suffered by so many is what concerns me the most. How can we provide support during this time of COVID-19? Over the years, I have had the greatest satisfaction watching our children interacting with the guest children who come to the summer camp, or Harvest Fest or the Christmas event. I have seen the city children explore nature when they come to our campus at St. Thomas while the St. Thomas’ youth begin to understand lives very different from their own.”

“Financially, it’s a great investment, and helping underserved communities is very much aligned with our family values,” Matt said.

Some twenty years ago, the Espes were introduced to ECS through service opportunities at the then emergency shelter St. Barnabas Mission. Their children got involved while attending Episcopal Academy.

Fast-forward to today, the Espes give their time, treasure, and talents in myriad ways. Matt is a member of ECS’ Board of Trustees and chairs the Advancement Committee. Lori, a health and wellness expert, provides coaching workshops to our team. As a unit, they donate generously because they believe deeply in the coaching methodology to break the cycle of poverty.

“One of our priorities as a family is making a positive impact for children and future generations” he said.

On Sundays at St. David’s, Radnor, the Espes find a sense of community in fellow parishioners. “Helping lift neighbors up is something we spend a lot of time talking about. And supporting ECS,…it’s very consistent with our faith, being able to put into practice these teachings,” Lori added. Through their involvement, the Espes are familiar faces on-site at ECS and in Zoom sessions. And their acquaintance brings connection.

“The staff is engaged and passionate, … they’re the real stars, helping people see their own talents and potentials,” said Matt. “It’s contagious and energizes this important work.”

Of that partnership and collaboration fostered between staff, board, and program participants, Matt said, “That’s how you maintain viability … even after 150 years. If you’re going to continue being effective and relevant, that’s how you do it.”