LOVE INC LINK
Transcription
LOVE INC LINK
LOVE INC LINK Love INC of Central Lane County WE HAD A BIRTHDAY! Spring 2015 ORIENTATION AND TRAINING PLEASE contact us if you are interested in joining our team of amazing servants. HIGHLY NEEDED: Licensed Car Repair Movers Folks to give rides Call 541-653-8537 for more information and to sign up. REQUIRED FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS STATISTICS for 308 Clients’ Households in our First Year Appliance repair 7 Car Repair 39 Can I start out this letter as I did the last? Glory to God in the Highest is what I want to scream out yet again. SO much has happened since the December letter that I don’t know where to start. We began the new year with a BIG change in the office staff. By God’s grace and through the generosity of HIS people we were able to hire two more on staff. Both Sandy and Melanie wer e dedicated Clearinghouse volunteers who felt that God had Love INC staff: Heidi Bolz , Executive Director more for them to do at Love INC. Sandy works 22 hours Melanie Gee, Volunteer Coordinator Sandy Baer, Client Care Coordinator per week and Melanie works 15. Their addition to staff has made such a big difference! On top of that, on April 22nd we celebrated our first birthday...one year of having our call center phone lines open. We try to keep good records and statistics, but sometimes the calls are coming in so quickly and the needs and requests are so varied that we are unable to keep track of everything happening. What we KNOW is that we opened 308 client files in those first 12 months. With most homes having more than two people in it, that means we have been able to show Christ’s love through prayers and practical assistance to 600-700 people! That doesn’t count the caseworkers from whom we have received many clients seeing Jesus’ hands and feet in action. PLEASE check out the third page of this newsletter to see a summary of ALL that God has done through HIS people in the past year. It is awesome to look back. If God weren’t orchestrating all of this, it would be overwhelming to look forward! Would you please pray as you read this newsletter, asking God if He might have planned “good works” for you to do through Love INC? Just since our birthday we have had two days with 7 new clients apiece. We broke our record of the number of intakes twice in a week. This could become a trend. We have found amazing favor with the social service/help agencies in town. It is my desire for clients and caseworkers alike to see Christians loving as Jesus loved. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. We are hoping that it will help you understand exactly why we are so excited about this past year. God is transforming the lives of our clients and volunteers alike. Might He be calling you to Love INC? Our staff and volunteers are having an affect on His reputation in Central Lane County. In Christ’s Name and Service, Heidi Bolz, Executive Director Giving their Time, Talents and Treasures Financial Referral 85 Food/Staples 9 Furniture 28 Home Repair 10 Household Items 7 Move and/or Pack 33 Transportation 30 Other 94 We are being blessed by the time, talents, and treasures of many men and women from at least 14 churches. Christians in our community are reflecting God’s image, following Christ’s example of loving ALL people and making certain not to forget the poor. THANK YOU! Could you please help us show gratitude to the businesses below? We are grateful for their partnership with us. 6th Street Grill helped us with our second “Food 4 Funds” event. $300 was gifted to us, helping us provide gas cards to some of our volunteers giving rides to medical appointments and such. Top Flite Automotive in J unction City and Monroe Auto Repair in Eugene ar e helping our clients with auto repair needs. Interested in finding a Christian mechanic for your car? More Mechanics are needed! Teen Challenge Thrift Store (555 River Road) is giving some of our clients a chance to “shop” with a Love INC volunteer. They have also been so helpful as we have worked to get our clients onto a mattress for a night of good sleep. Can you bless the store with donations? Individual Donors have been calling us as they have fur nitur e, mattr esses and linens they no longer need. God continues to provide the clients for us to bless at JUST the right time since storage space is something we do not have. American Mattress “worked” with us to help us provide rebuilt mattresses for clients in deep need. Has God brought to your mind a treasure you have? Maybe something you no longer need or use? LOVE INC LINK MINISTRY SUPPORT Would you consider giving a donation or making a pledge to be a monthly donor? Our website can direct you to setting up online giving to become a “Foundation Partner” or help us receive donations from Fred Meyer or Smile Amazon. Checks can be put on auto pay by your bank or can be mailed directly to: Love INC PO Box 23452 Eugene, OR 97402 Page 2 Client & Caseworker Comments Thank you for helping our family with firewood and the extra food you delivered to us. We really appreciate the help you have offered to our family. My husband just had his surgery and will be off work for a couple of months. The help you provided us is amazing and we really love praying with you. You are a true blessing to us! Thank you. ~ A , client When you first came to help me pack up my house I was afraid that you were going to “hit me over the head” with talk about religion. You didn’t do that. You just lived it. ~ D, client (Then she started asking our volunteer questions about Jesus!) The clients that I work with have that been receiving your services have all expressed their gratitude for the help that you have been able to provide them. Whenever I make a referral to your organization I stress that the services that you are able to offer are all volunteer based and that your availability to provide certain things is dependent on the time and energy of your parishioners. The help that some of my clients have received, especially in reference to car repairs have allowed them to pursue employment opportunities that would otherwise be denied to them, literally allowing then to remain in their housing. ~ E, caseworker Volunteer Viewpoints: Other ways to support Love INC: Small Community Groups -consider helping us bless a family transitioning from homelessness with food staples or collecting some of the items on our needs list -consider helping Love INC with a move once a quarter Garage Sale Season -if you are having a garage sale, check our needs list or give us a call to see if a Love INC client could be blessed by whatever doesn’t sell. Remember, we have very little storage space, but God does an amazing work of matching client needs with donor generosity quickly. We are on the move. Our team of movers, dubbed the “Super Movers” by the office staff, have done an awesome job since we opened a year ago. In the first quarter of 2015 alone they have moved 13 households. The moving team of 15 faithful volunteers with Bill Russell as the fearless leader have logged 107 hours. They are not only moving household goods but they are also moving our clients’ hearts toward God through prayers and by showing Christ’s love. Some clients have called or written notes of thanks for the tremendous help they have been given. Bill, a volunteer and Board member says “Thanks ever-so-much to all of those volunteers who are so graciously willing to help!” Dave and Mike at Top Flite Automotive did a repair for a man, not a Love INC client. On the bike ride back to pick up his vehicle, the customer had a flat tire so Dave went to pick him up. The man noticed Air1 playing on the radio and asked if they were Christians. As they talked, Love INC came into the conversation. After the customer had paid his bill, he asked Dave to hold out his hand, trying to give him a $100 bill. Dave said he couldn’t accept it. The man said, “OK. Hang onto it for the next Love INC client’s cost for parts.” Sweet gift! Thanks, Lord ! One volunteer said, “It’s hard to hurt when you help someone less fortunate than you are. I find myself helping people without even thinking about it, something I never would have done before. Prayer Matters Pray for increasing numbers of volunteers as our calls and client load increase. This is a VERY REAL and DEEP need. Praise for those serving now. Pray for an increasing number of Partner Churches. Praise God for those we have. Pray for us to find and encourage the ways that clients can contribute and participate in the help they are receiving. Pray for our volunteers to clearly see the opportunities being presented to show Christ’s love as they help with rides, meals, moves, and packing, etc. Pray for more Foundation Partners, committing to monthly pledges for continued support for staff and increasing office expenses. Praise God for opportunities to present to caseworkers and staff of many agencies. Pray for the building of relationships and for Christ to be seen in us. Because Prayer Matters loveincclc.org PO Box 23452 Eugene, OR 97402 News of NEEDS Licensed Car Repairs Licensed Plumber Moving Team members Small electric kitchen appliances Silverware Pots & pans Towels Toilet Paper Toothpaste Laundry & dish soap Bright street cones for moving team “Like” us on Facebook! Love INC of Central Lane Check out our website! www.loveincclc.org loveincclc@gmail.com 541-653-8537 LOVE INC LINK Page 3 AT A GLANCE: the First Year of Love INC of Central Lane County FINANCES: ~Church and Individual Supporter have allowed us to pay every bill on time and purchase supplies and equipment needed to start ministry! ~Online Giving was set up as we established “Foundation Partners” to form a solid base of monthly commitments of any amount. ~We were able to move to a new location tripling our square footage and making it easier to talk to clients. ~Through a fund that was formed from a special donation 12 of our clients now have a mattress and get better sleep. ~Two “Food for Funds” restaurant fundraisers began providing finances for gas cards for some of our volunteers giving rides to clients. ~Two checks came from Fred Meyer Rewards card holders who have selected Love INC as their choice for a Fred Meyer non-profit donation. ~One check was received from Smile Amazon from online shoppers selecting Love INC to receive a percentage of their purchase amount. CONNECTIONS: ~Clients who have been touched through prayers and care feel relationship and call simply for prayers now! ~Churches are referring clients to Love INC. ~Referrals have come to us from Catholic Community Services, Direction Services, Dept. of Human Services, Eugene Mission (sent us our first client), First Place Family Center, Head Start, Red Cross, Saint Vincent DePaul, Senior & Disabled Services, Shelter Care, Whitebird Clinic. ~The National Love INC office sent two representatives who were excited to see what God has done here. VOLUNTEERS: ~Eight Volunteer Training/Orientations have been held resulting in 110 volunteers. ~Volunteers used gifts and abilities in the office and “in the field” with our clients. Other than the list on pg 1 of this newsletter, they have helped with housecleaning, mowing, shopping, packing, cremation referrals, companionship, dog walking, wood, fallen trees, baby items...to name a few. PARTNER CHURCHES Camp Creek Church Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10 Christ’s Center, Junction City Church of God Seventh Day Church of the Harvest BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steve Bilynskyj Board Chair Eugene Vineyard Church Steve Buss Vice Chair Fairfield Nazarene Church Aaron Stansbury Secretary Verne Whittaker III Treasurer Emerald Bible Fellowship First Baptist Church of Eugene Garden Way Church Grace Community Fellowship Hosanna Christian Fellowship Living Hope Church Valley Covenant Church loveincclc.org PO Box 23452 Eugene, OR 97402 Roger Bascue Bill Russell Tom VanMeter Heidi Bolz loveincclc@gmail.com Executive Director 541-653-8537