Annual Report Love INC of the Yampa Valley. Love INC

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2011 Love INC of the Yampa Valley Love INC Love INC mobilizes area churches to meet hundreds of needs. Through the Love INC ministry... Churches are mobilized People are helped Relationships are formed Individuals and families come to see the love of Jesus Christ in action

2 Love INC s Conception Love INC was founded in 1977 as a way to encourage churches to become more engaged with the poor and to inspire a greater number of Christians to put their faith in action. Love INC's founder, Dr. Virgil Gulker, was a social worker and outreach director in Holland, Michigan, in the late 1970s. Deeply committed to helping people trapped in poverty, he was certain God had called others to the same mission. As he talked to church members and pastors, Dr. Gulker came to understand that Christians did indeed want to help the needy, but they had few ideas about how to do so. Many times people did not even recognize that they were gifted in ways that could have a positive impact on someone else's life. 1 It was clear to Dr. Gulker that if churches were to better serve their communities, they needed leadership, organization, training, encouragement, and prayer. He developed the Love INC model to fill these critical roles. Love INC taught churches to assess their capabilities, and it unified local congregations so that, working together, they could more effectively help their neighbors. One man's idea for an integrated church ministry in Holland, Michigan, began to inspire Christians in many different regions. Others duplicated the Love INC model--with its successes--as they sought to meet the needs of hurting individuals and families in their own communities. By the late 1980s, there were 50 Love INC affiliates operating in 14 states. As the Love INC ministry grew, so did the need for national leadership and support. In 1988, Love INC became an operating department of World Vision U.S., an international Christian relief and development organization, where it remained for the next 15 years. Under World Vision, Love INC continued to grow throughout the 1990s, and in 2001 Robert Odom was appointed president of Love INC. In 2003, Love INC separated from World Vision and again became its own national nonprofit organization, headquartered in Minneapolis. Today Love INC has over 148 affiliates in 30 states, representing a network of more than 9,000 churches, 7,000 community agencies, and nearly 300,000 volunteers meeting more than 1 million needs each year. Our affiliate is one of two located in Colorado (the other affiliate is located in Littleton). Our steering committee began in 2000 and formed our 501(c)3 corporation in In January 2003, in our snug little office located at St. Michael s Catholic Church, we began taking phone requests for help. In July of 2006, we moved to our present location at 656 School St. Requests for help are taken over the phone five days per week (Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays: 9am-12noon and 2-5pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays: 2-5pm). This report will give you an idea of the amazing work God is doing in the Yampa Valley through the Body of Christ-the Church. On the national level we have seen amazing changes. In 2011, Robert Odom stepped down from his role as president and most of the paid staff went on to other duties. Love INC National began operating under a new structure. Under this new structure, Love INC National operates a very small, economical office while conducting most of its business via internet and phone. This new structure has saved the Movement hundreds of thousands of dollars and mobilizes church volunteers in the same manner as any local affiliate. Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 "And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10 "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Psalm 82:3

3 2 Love INC Core Values 1. We are Christian. Everything we think, say, and do is in the name of Christ. 2. Prayer is an integral part of who we are. 3. We follow Christ s example of valuing the poor and needy. 4. We value unity of the Body of Christ. 5. We value the transformation in the lives of people and communities. 6. We value churches living out the two great commandments to love God and love their neighbors. 7. We value building Christ-like relationships. 8. We value the connectedness of the Love INC movement. 9. We model excellence. 10. We value continually maturing in our capacity to meet people s needs. Core values. Many organizations have them. You can see them posted on office walls or in brochures of businesses. Core values can be simply defined as an organization s sense of character and integrity. They are the principles that guide the plans and actions of that organization. They give a way to explain who the organization is and what they stand for. No matter what growth or change an organization may go though, their basic identity and set of internal beliefs will stay constant. Love INC has adopted the above set of ten basic core values that are derived from Jesus Christ s life. Each core value has a solid, Biblical foundation that when put into practice can be life transforming. When each of us purposefully meditate on and learn to practice these core values daily in our work and in our private lives, we can begin a spiritual journey to transform our own lives as we honor God so intentionally. The Love INC core values are a set of guiding values that can keep us true to our purpose and remind us why we want to act the way we want to act. They can help us stay true to our calling, guide our relationships, and direct our decision making processes every day. When we act in His name as Christians we are claiming that our actions are subject to His purpose, authority and identity and are a continuation of the words and works of His ministry. If everything we as Christians think, say, and do is to be in the name of Christ, we need to be sure what we are doing is worthy of Him.

4 3

5 4 Partner Churches in 2011: Assembly of God of Craig of Craig Church of Destiny of Craig Craig Christian Church of Craig ELCA Lutheran Church of Grace Faith Lutheran Church of Craig First Congregational United Church of Christ Friendship United Methodist Church of Craig Hayden Congregational United Church of Christ Maybell Community Bible Church New Creation Church of Craig Ridgeview Church of God of Craig Seventh-day Adventist Church of Craig St. Mark s Episcopal Church St. Michael s Catholic Church St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church The Journey at First Baptist Church of Craig Network Churches in 2011: Apostolic Lighthouse Church of Craig Bible Baptist Church of Rangely Central Baptist Church of Hayden Christ Reformed Church of Meeker Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints of Craig Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints of Rangely Dinosaur Baptist Church of Dinosaur Holy Family Catholic Church of Meeker Holy Name Catholic Church of Steamboat Meeker New Creation Church Meeker Ministerial Alliance Meeker United Methodist Church St. James Episcopal Church of Meeker St. Martin of Tours of Oak Creek Yampa Bible Church of Yampa Partner Churches maintain our Love INC by furnishing financial support (either directly or with fundraising within their congregation), they agree with the Apostle s Creed, and they supply volunteers. Volunteers can work at the Love INC Resource Center (in the Clearinghouse Program), be active as Love INC board members, or serve as our church ministry contact to their congregation. Partner churches also refer requests for help to the Love INC Resource Center and try to supply the volunteers that meet physical needs that Love INC has referred to their churches. Many partner churches have developed Gap Ministries to address specifically identified gaps in community services. Love INC of the Yampa Valley is governed by the partner churches who recommend (and often supply) the board members who make our policies and guidelines. Representatives from our partner churches meet annually in March to vote on each year s newly nominated board members. Network Churches are involved in the Love INC ministry in many of the same ways that are partner churches are. Most Network Churches meet some, but not all of the criteria for partnership. Network churches provide vital services to Love INC and Love INC clients. Love Note #1: In 2011 area churches provided over $20, to needy people in our community. Our Emergency Housing Program, which can provide needed shelter to individuals and families from 1 night up to 90 nights, may be a direct factor in this amount dropping for the second year in a row! Love Note #2: In 2011 approximately 330 coats were distributed in several locations. This is much less than in past years due to bad weather and scheduling factors that interfered with our ability to reach the needy with the coats, hats, and gloves they needed. We plan to work harder in 2012 to prevent anyone from being in need of a coat because we couldn t reach them!

6 5 Love INC Network of Services... PERSONAL NEEDS MINISTRIES Craig and Moffat County Network of Churches HOUSEHOLD GOODS MINISTRY HOLIDAY MEAL MINISTRY COAT DISTRIBUTION MINISTRY Rangely Network of Churches CAR CARE CLINIC MINISTRY LOVE INC OF THE YAMPA VALLEY Ministries Clearinghouse Program Emergency Housing Program Emergency Diaper Ministry Supplies for Teachers Project School Supply Clothes for Kids Welcome to Craig FIREWOOD MINISTRY Meeker Network of Churches LAUNDRY AND SHOWER MINISTRY FOOD PANTRY MINISTRIES Hayden, Steamboat, and South Routt County Network of Churches FURNITURE MINISTRY LOVE NOTE #3: In 2011 Love INC provided assistance with emergency/transitional housing to 30 men, women, and children using our Emergency Housing Program. Of those that were in the program, 85% were successful and found affordable housing for themselves when exiting the program. LOVE NOTE #4: In 2011 we received 1,650 requests for help through the Clearinghouse Program. Through other channels, over other requests were served. Of these 2,000+ requests only 22 had to be denied. Sadly, 66 never called back to get the help they requested.

7 6 Love INC The Body of Christ in Action Current Board Members: John Furman, President The Journey at First Baptist Church Pastor Len Browning, Vice Pres. The Journey at First Baptist Church Beverly Lovelady, Treasurer Pastor Karen Gibson, Secretary Friendship United Methodist Church Pastor Karen Gibson, Board Pastor Donna Beason Patricia Bush Seventh-day Adventist Church of Craig Bill Greenwood The Journey at First Baptist Church Teri Mansfield St. Mark s Episcopal Church Robin Knoche St. John s Greek Orthodox Church Paula Reed Craig Christian Church Valerie Stewart 2011 Resource Center Staff Executive Director: Patricia Jones Office Coordinator: Robbie Estus Office Assistant: Jana Rowe Craig Christian Church 2011 Resource Center Phone Volunteers Betty Barnes Hayden Congregational Church, UCC Betty Ann Duzik Ridgeview Church of God Robbie Estus Jeannie Glimidakis St. John s Greek Orthodox Church Ruth Ann Hendershott The Journey at First Baptist Church Mary Ruth Papoulas St. John s Greek Orthodox Church Joy Portenier Jana Rowe Craig Christian Church Amber Snow Church of Destiny 2011 Welcome to Craig Program Staff Project Director: Amber Snow Church of Destiny 2011 Community Coat Drive Program Staff Project Director: Teri Mansfield St. Mark s Episcopal Church LOVE STORY: A man called because he needed some help with rent. He was experiencing some temporary problems and just needed a little help over this rough patch. Love INC was able to connect his need to two of our caring churches, Friendship United Methodist and St. Michael s Catholic Church, and they were able to help with $100. A few months later, he came in and visited us at the Love INC Resource Center. He donated $ to Love INC. He said he wanted this money to go to help another person. He became financially stable and last year was volunteering at St. Michael s Catholic Church.

8 7 Love INC The Body of Christ in Action -Continued Other Resource Center Volunteers in 2011 Sharlene Battaglia Richard Beason Patricia Bush Seventh-day Adventist Church of Craig Dee Byram Beth Byram Ella Byram Joey Byram James Byram Paula Calvert Pastor Tim Douglass Ridgeview Church of God John Furman The Journey at First Baptist Church Bill Greenwood The Journey at First Baptist Church Ida Gordon Erin Fagan The Journey at First Baptist Church Kathy Fagan The Journey at First Baptist Church Remedy Hawke Church of Destiny Michael Hawke Church of Destiny Billie Jacobs St. John s Greek Orthodox Church Rachael Jones Faith Jones Ebbie Jones Teri Mansfield St. Mark s Episcopal Church Bobbie Peed Sandi Robinson Wayne Wright *Volunteers from The Journey at First Baptist Church made plumbing repairs and winterized windows and installed a handrail for us. *Volunteers from St. Michael s Catholic Church and other friends in the community helped us keep our sidewalks clear of snow in the winter. *Volunteers from repaired our steps and painted part of our building this past summer and made some electrical repairs. LOVE NOTE #5: A team from The Journey at First Baptist Church filled and delivered the bulk of the Project School Supply Program backpacks in This past year, 179 school children received brand-new backpacks filled with basic school supplies.

9 LOVE INC OF THE YAMPA VALLEY S 2011 INCOME REPORT 8 God supported Love INC of the Yampa Valley through generous and caring people as follows: 2011 Income Churches $13, Church grants $ 1, % 3% 22% Churches Church grants Church-focused fundraisng $8, Individuals $8, Business/Organization $ 2, United Ways (2) $10, % 3% 15% Church-focused fundraisers Individuals Business United Ways (2) Foundation Grants $10, Other Fundraising $ 1, % 15% Foundations/Grants Other Fundraising Total $56, Financial Aid to Needy Households in the Yampa Valley Although the Love INC strategy used by area churches stresses aid to clients in non-financial ways, it is often determined that financial aid is appropriate. In 2011, Love INC recorded over $20, in direct financial aid given from churches and Love INC to meet unmet needs in our community. Housing Utilitites Auto repair Transportation Medical Home repair Pet needs Legal needs Birth Certificates Misc. needs LOVE NOTE #6: In 2011, 49 school children received two complete sets of new clothes plus shoes and socks through the Clothes for Kids Program. organized the deliveries of the clothing. Most of the students who qualified for this program also received one of the new back packs filled with basic school supplies.

10 9 Church Ministry Overview for 2011 Used-Furniture Ministry-For most of 2011, this much used ministry was coordinated by the Love INC Clearinghouse. Love INC mobilized volunteers from various churches to help provide more than 225+ pieces of donated furniture to at least 47 needy households in Moffat and Routt Counties. Food Pantry Ministry-Calvary Baptist Church organizes our main food pantry ministry. Hayden Congregational United Church of Christ organizes the second-most used pantry. The Dinosaur Baptist Church ministry team organized a third food pantry. In 2011, The Dollar Tree enabled community members to support our local food banks with donations of non-perishable food. New Life Carpet Care, along with may generous individual donors, provided the needed funds to purchase fresh produce and dairy for the many hungry families Number of People Food Aid who required assistance. In 2011, 415 needy men, women, and children received help with food, through the efforts of these dedicated community volunteers. Most families receive a delivery of 1-14 days worth of food (the average was 7 days worth of food per person in 2011) that includes meats, breads, pasta, cereal, canned goods, and as much fresh food as is available. In addition to delivering food, another 473 people were referred to St. Michael's Kitchen for a hot meal. Laundry and Shower Ministry-Located at, this ministry, organized by Janet Wright, provided access to a washer and dryer and shower for people with this need. 0 Personal Needs Ministry-First Congregational United Church of Christ arranges this ministry and it was coordinated by Nina Lawton. The Dollar Tree enabled community members to support the Personal Needs Ministry with donations of cleaning supplies and personal care items. In 2011, 374 men, women and children were given a helping hand through this ministry. Car Care Clinic Ministry-Located at First Baptist Church, this ministry is organized by John Furman and run by small groups at the church. In 2011, vehicles were given a general once-over for seniors, disabled individuals, and single mothers. Oil changes, help with repairs, and gently-used tires were provided to several needy clients. In 2011, the church again partnered with Cook Chevrolet for one of the Car Care Clinics. Hayden Congregational United Church of Christ, hosted Car Care Clinics in Hayden in Diaper Ministry-This new ministry was developed to fill the gap in agency services. The Yampa Valley Pregnancy Center is open only three days each week, so for clients who need help on the days they are closed, the Diaper Ministry was developed in order to provide a mother with an emergency supply of diapers and wipes. This is only a temporary help, to keep the child in diapers until the parent can access the Yampa Valley Pregnancy Center s services. Eight babies were supplied with needed diapers and wipes in Each person is provided w ith an average of 7 days of food

11 Church Ministry Overview for 2011 cont d 10 Clothing for Kids Ministry-Coordinated by, deliveries for this ministry are organized by Janet Wright. In 2011, 49 children, kindergarten 60 through high school received two NEW sets of clothing. A kind grant from the El Pomar Foundation and donations from 2010 local businesses and caring individuals made it possible for each child to also receive a new pair of shoes and socks. (Unfortunately, less children received clothing and shoes in 2011 due to a lack of donors.) volunteers School Clothes and Shoes for Children carefully gift-bagged each set and enclosed a lovely gift card from the donor. Then volunteers from Calvary, The Journey at First Baptist, and other churches were organized to deliver the clothing to each child. Project School Supply-in 2011volunteers from The Journey at First Baptist and community volunteers throughout the Yampa Valley teamed up to help the 179 children who received new backpacks filled with new school supplies. The Dollar Tree, Wal-Mart, and Walgreens of Craig were instrumental in providing donation points in the community. School Supplies for teachers- A new project was developed in 2010 to help equip teachers and enable them to better educate their students by supplying simple classroom needs. In 2011, Love INC and Craig Rotary partnered to provide approximately 300 gift bags filled with goodies to Moffat County educators as well as a few thousand dollars worth of essential daily classroom supplies. Firewood Ministry is a ministry of The Journey at First Baptist Church. The ministry leader is John Furman. Church volunteers cut, split, load, (and sometimes deliver and stack) firewood for families in need in our area. Four families received needed firewood in Household Goods Ministry-Seventh-day Adventist Church of Craig organizes this ministry and it is coordinated by Pat Bush. Donors from our entire community contribute gently-used items that are made available to needy families and individuals. Approximately 162 people were given help with household needs in Thanksgiving Meal Ministry-Organized by Craig Christian Church and Calvary Baptist Church. This year approximately 49 meals were served to the residents of Sunset Meadow I and II and the volunteers helping. Everyone enjoyed a home-cooked, traditional Thanksgiving meal served family-style. One of the best parts about the day was that the volunteers were able to sit down and share the meal and fellowship time with all the wonderful people. Another 44 families received Thanksgiving food boxes (most delivered right to their doorstep by ) so they could prepare a traditional Thanksgiving or meal for their families. Adopting families for Christmas-Church and community volunteers worked together to make the holidays more pleasant for 11 needy families. Food boxes or vouchers were delivered to 6 families and Christmas gifts were provided to 5 other families.

12 Estimated Dollar Value of Goods, Services, and Other Non-financial Assistance Church volunteer service time: 1,290.5 hours /est. value $27, Love INC operations vol. time: 3,571.5 hours / est. value $76, Est. Value of physical goods: $76, Total: $180, Some Acts of Generous Giving in 2011 Gently-used furniture went to 47 households pieces of furniture were delivered, with an estimated value of $10, Personal needs were delivered to 374 men, women and children. The estimated value of this is $1, Household goods were provided to 162 people. The (low) estimated value of this is $2, Food was provided to feed 415 needy people plus more during the holidays. The estimated value of this is $30, new backpacks filled with school supplies were given to needy students in the Yampa Valley. The estimated value of these packs is $4, school clothing packages including a new pairs of shoes were given to needy students in the Yampa Valley. The estimated total value of these packages is $3, During the 2011, 330+ coats, plus hats, gloves, etc., were given out. The estimated value is around $5, Four cords of firewood were recorded as given out during The estimated value is $ Diapers and wipes were provide to eight babies with and estimated value of $ Love INC recorded 133 visits made by church members in 2011-priceless. (This doesn t include visits made while delivering food, personal needs, furniture, household goods, transporting, etc.) 30 individuals were given shelter through the Love INC Emergency Housing Program. Their length of stay varied from 2 nights to 60 nights. Estimated value $13, (not counting volunteer hours). Two automobiles were given to single women in Estimated value $3, Other services such as transportation, personal counseling, budget classes, prayer, car care clinic, donations of professionally processed wild game, oil changes, moving assistance, Welcome to Craig baskets, house cleaning, tires and other auto care needs, Christmas gifts for families, free laundry and showers, and so forth were provided by the volunteers from our area churches to meet unmet needs in our valley. Other than volunteer hours being counted, no financial value has been counted for these listed services in this report. A Love Story A young couple with three very small children needed help with housing and some life skills. Neither adult had a job and they were searching for a place to stay until work was found. Love INC was able to house them 34 nights in the Emergency Housing Program to give the father a chance to locate steady employment. During that time, supplied food until the family s food stamps started, First Congregational, United Church of Christ provided personal needs and cleaning supplies, and St. Mark s Episcopal Church and the Lutheran Church of Grace volunteers provided diapers and wipes. Craig Christian Church mentored the family and transported them around to various agencies and to Celebrate Recovery. They also supplied gasoline when the family was able to borrow a car and even provided the money needed to do laundry. Both adults located jobs and a new apartment to move into. Agencies helped with rent deposits and Love INC used a special El Pomar grant to provide money for an electric deposit. Craig Seventh-day Adventist Church supplied household items and The Journey at First Baptist and Calvary Baptist Church helped with some needed furniture. The young family joined a local church. This struggling couple are still experiencing some pretty tough times, but the churches were able to reach out to the family, and during a very difficult time, provide desperately needed assistance.

13 2011 Clearinghouse Overview Total number of phone requests received: 1,650 Number of requests serviced: 1,627 Number of requests pending: 23 Number of requests/needs referred from churches: 127 Number of requests/needs referred from agencies: 468 Number of requests/needs referred from individuals: 1,118 Total number of outgoing referrals made by Love INC: 3,364 Number of referrals to churches: 1,274 Number of referrals to agencies: 1,879 Number of adults served only through the Clearinghouse: 836 / 2,415 Number of children served only through the Clearinghouse: 517 / 1,620 Number of additional individuals served through Love INC outside of the Clearinghouse (through programs such as school supplies to educators, coat distributions, etc): 1,001++ Number of churches serving: 29 Volunteers mobilized only through Clearinghouse : **1,596+ Volunteer hours only through Clearinghouse service : 2, **Most volunteers help more than one time. If a volunteer helped twice in a week, they are counted as two volunteers. The first number shows individuals helped and they are listed only once no matter how many times they received help. The second number reflects the repeated helps as if each request was made by a different individual. (For example, if a client received help for food and then for rent, they would be listed as two people.) 12 Special Thanks to Helping Agencies, Schools, and More Love INC of the Yampa Valley works with many of the service providers, city and county groups, schools, foundations, etc., in our area to help meet needs of individuals. We want to thank the following agencies for all the hard work they do and for giving us the honor of working with us to meet so many needs throughout the year: The Community Budget Center, the Independent Life Center, the Interfaith Food Bank, Rotary Club of Craig, Salvation Army, the Colorado Workforce Center, Runaway and Homeless Youth Initiative, the Moffat County United Way, The Memorial Hospital, Moffat County, Advocates Crisis Support Services, The Community Health Center (VNA), NW Colorado VNA, United Way 211, Moffat County/Craig Probation Department, the Yampa Valley Pregnancy Center, The El Pomar Foundation, Colorado Department of Corrections, Routt County Schools in Oak Creek, Yampa, and Hayden, Craig Mental Health Center, the Department of Social Services in Craig, Steamboat Springs, Rangely, and Meeker, LIFT-UP, the Craig Police Dept., the Human Resource Councils of Meeker and Craig, VFW, VA, City of Craig, Moffat County School District, Human Service Volunteers, Moffat County Housing Authority (Sunset Meadows I and II), the Craig Chamber of Commerce, Moffat County Jail and the inmates active in the helping programs, Moffat County Victim s Assistance Program, NW Colorado Senior Equipment and Services, Lion s Club, Friends of Man Foundation, NW Colorado Dental Coalition, the Rangely Chamber of Commerce, and many more... Special Thanks to Area Businesses Many of our area businesses support Love INC and our clients with contributions of services, goods, and funds. We thank all of you for helping us meet needs across the valley. We especially want to thank the following businesses who gave a little extra which made a BIG difference in 2011: A&E Tires, Action Drain, A-1 Cleaners, Atmos Energy, Avon (Mona Coty), Axis Steel and Leatherworks, Bank of Colorado, Bank of the West, Bargain Barn, Bear Valley Coop, Braveson Manor, Brother s Custom Processing, Candlewood Suites, Carelli's, Chapman s Automotive, City Market of Craig, Colorado Building Supply, Colorado Inn, Columbine Apartments, Cooks Chevrolet, Cornerstone Realty, Craig Daily Press, Craig Veterinary Hospital, Cramer Flooring, Davis s Napa Auto, Deer Park Inn, Dollar Tree of Craig, Dominos Pizza, Downtown Books, Elk Run Inn, First National Bank of the Rockies (Hayden), Flint Personnel, Golden Cavvy, Gretel s Hair Studio, Hayden Artisan s Market, Hayden Mercantile, Holiday Inn of Craig, Intermountain Appliance, Jackson s Office Supply, Kester Jewelers, KRAI Radio, Loyd s Cleaners, Masterworks Mechanical, Miller s Appliance, Mane Attitude, Mountain Temps in Steamboat, Mountain Valley Bank, Murdock s Ranch and Home Supply, New Life Carpet Care, Safeway of Craig, Scentsy (Jana Rowe), Spirit Pass, T&H Auto, The Laundry, Tranzformations Salon, Trapper Health and Fitness, Tri-state Equipment, Vallarta's Restaurant, Village Inn, Walgreens, Wal-mart of Craig, Westward Motel, Wolf Mountain Pizza, Yampa Valley Electric, Yampa Valley Farm and Feed, and all of our local realtors, apartment, and property managers, and so many more...

14