Resolutions

It is hard to believe that 2013 is just a couple of days away. This year is coming to a close and it is time for the list of resolutions to come out. For Christian HELP this year, our resolution is simple, it is the same as every year, follow God. He is wiser than we are, and He has a plan.

Your prayers, volunteer hours, and financial support are the cornerstone of Christian HELP.  It is because of you, God's work is able to be done and His plan is followed.

The exciting thing is we are seeing His plan unfold in big ways. January marks the start of our Central Florida Jobs initiative http://cfji.org classes. This program has been a labor of love and is coming together really wonderfully. The program is designed to empower job seekers with the skills they need to become excellent employees. There is so much great content! The end result should be job seekers getting jobs!

We have drawn the dream for our building plan and are ready to raise funds for this project. An increase in space would allow us to do more mission. Help more people, do more coaching and counseling, feed more families, and bring more people the good news of Christ. We love loving on people and they have been showing us the love too! This Christmas we received so many letters of thanks and gifts from people who had used our services. We are so grateful.

We are exploring business ideas which is scary and exciting all at once. Our vision is to create transitional jobs, a job training program, and a revenue stream which will enable us to reach even more people in relevant ways to help them to truly move forward to care for their families on their own.

We hope that you will be part of this wonderful ministry in 2013 and beyond.  If you have not had the opportunity to come out and take a tour, we have one on January 7th and another on February 4th from noon-1. Email Jackie to RSVP and get all the details.

Thank you for all of your support-

Sandi

Knowing who to help

This weekend I had the privilege of judging a debate competition for high school students.  They have a variety of different forums to debate or do public speaking.  I have to say each time I go, I just gain more respect for the students who spend so much time in preparation for the event and demonstrate such professionalism.

During the events we have some down time where we hang out in the judges lounge.  I was reading the book Same Kind of Different as me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.  It is a wonderful story of a couple who became involved with a Union Rescue Mission in Texas and really got to know the people in the program.  The people at my table started a discussion on how you never know if the people asking for help really need it, how people might use your money to buy alcohol or cigarettes, and how some people just live off the system.

I agree, there are some abusers out there.  We see people who sign up for more than one Christmas program or visit more than one pantry.  This is not the majority of the people we see, though. We see many people who have lost their jobs or are working below their ability.  They are trying hard to get back on their feet. Many do not want to ask for help.  This year I had a lady call to say she did not need Christmas after all because a family member was going to help out.  She wanted to make sure someone who really needed the help would not miss out.

We work with people individually to help them set goals.  We follow up with them to make sure they are reaching the milestones we are asking them to reach.  Some people have a more difficult time than others reaching them.  We are patient, but we do outline our expectations. 

The goal of Christian HELP is to help people find jobs.  We provide a safe place for people to share their fears and concerns as well as a way to meet their physical and spiritual needs. We provide help to everyone without judging them.  Who knows if one of us will be the inspiration or the facilitator to helping them turn their life around.

When you donate to Christian HELP, we are committed to using your dollars wisely.  You are making a difference in the lives of people experiencing unemployment or underemployment and we value your contribution to making the world a better place. 

As we look to the final month of the year, we ask you to prayerfully consider supporting Christian HELP financially.  Just $50 sponsors a family for Christmas, $100 will; sponsor a student to go through our Jobs Initiative, $20 sponsors a student for boot camp, and $15 will feed a family of 4 for a week.

You can donate online at http://christianhelp.org/donate.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support.

Sandi

Strategic Year-End Giving: Why? Where? How?

Strategic Year-End Giving: Why? Where? How?
By David Souders



It’s the Sunday before Thanksgiving 2012 and I’ve been asked to pen some words for
Christian HELP’s monthly e-newsletter. The topic – Year-End Giving. Why ask me? As
a financial advisor with Ronald Blue & Co., I have the privilege of encouraging my
clients in philanthropy. I spend much of my time on the donor’s side of the table as they
wrestle with making giving decisions. At the same time, I am also a board member of
Christian HELP. Simply put, I love this ministry, and I believe the Lord has placed me
here to provide more than just a financial contribution, but I trust my thoughts on giving
should be helpful, regardless of where you give. Let’s focus on three critical giving
questions: Why? Where? How?

Why? – Why should we give? I am not going to preach at you…at least not in this article.
Instead, I will presume you are reading this because you’ve already experienced the joy
that comes with being generous. You probably already know that giving is a practical
way of acknowledging God’s provision, is a tangible way of meeting the needs of others,
and helps us find freedom in our finances when we are able to hold our treasures with an
open hand.

Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we
give.” Reading into this a bit, I would add that we can change someone’s life by what we
give. Time for a brief ministry plug: This people impact is why my wife and I have made
Christian HELP a part of our giving and where we volunteer our time. We have seen the
faces and know the names of real people who have experienced real help through the
ministry of Christian HELP. It’s not just a ministry name without meaning. However, this
is just a part of where we give, which leads us to the next question…


Where? – Oftentimes this is the most complicated of the three questions. Your time and
resources are in limited supply; however, it seems there are an unlimited number of
opportunities for where we can give. Where do you start? I would encourage you to be
strategic and prayerful in your giving decisions. Begin by developing criteria for where
you give, rather than reacting to emotional appeals or relying on past giving history.
I was sitting in Starbucks a few months ago and overheard two men lamenting that every
time they sent in a donation to a ministry or their alma mater, they were bombarded with
telephone calls or “thank you” letters that were essentially masked requests for a followup
gift. In their words, this kind of “sucked the joy” out of their giving. Since this is a
common concern of mine and many of my clients, I diplomatically asked if I could join
their discussion and trade insights. We concluded that donors value personal, authentic
relationships with the ministries they support. Hands-on involvement is desired, if
applicable, and fruit/results that are consistent with the vision of the ministry and align
with the donor’s areas of interest are critical to engaging the donor’s heart. They are not
interested in more mailings, inefficient duplication of ministry efforts, or aggressive
pursuit of follow-up gifts. They want to see a ministry which is innovative, growing, and
accountable for results.

What criteria are important to you in evaluating a ministry? Seek God’s counsel and
make a list. Once you have determined where He would have you invest in His kingdom,
you are ready for the next question.

How? – Finally, a practical application question with many great solutions. Space limits
this discussion to gifts of financial resources. (Besides, this is supposed to be an article
about year-end giving, right?) The default response for most givers to the “how”
question is cash, but another source worth your consideration is giving non-cash
appreciated assets.

Let us assume you have some stock you bought for a low price and now is worth much
more than you paid for it. Sell that stock and you would owe capital gains tax on the
increase. In 2012, that tax rate can be as high as 15% with potentially higher rates in
2013. By giving the stock directly to a qualified charity, neither you nor the charity has to
pay taxes on the gain and you can likely claim a tax deduction for the gift while
maintaining your current cash reserves. The charity can sell the stock for fair market
value and use the proceeds for ministry purposes. It is a “win-win” for both you as the
donor and the recipient charity. This is not just a year-end strategy; it can be done
anytime and with many kinds of non-cash assets, including real estate. (Yes, some people
actually have real estate that is worth more than they originally paid!)
If you have someone assisting you with managing your investments or providing tax
advice, ask them to help you identify if you have appreciated assets suitable for this
charitable gifting strategy. Alternatively, you can contact Jackie Normand at Christian
HELP, and she can put you in touch with someone who can answer your questions.
As noted earlier, I am writing this with Thanksgiving on my mind. Before setting pen to
paper, I read from 2 Corinthians 9 when Paul exhorted the church of Corinth in their
generosity with these words, “This service you perform is not only supplying the needs of
the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (NIV)
As you engage in the Lord’s work by giving of your resources and time – whether to your
church, ministries, or Christian HELP in particular – know that lives are being changed.
Please be encouraged that those being served by these ministries give their thanks to God
because of you. On behalf of those who are invested in the ministry of Christian HELP, I
assure you we join in that thanksgiving whole-heartedly.

Christian HELP is participating in #Giving Tuesday

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and now a way to give back to the community. A great gift for the person who has everything is to donate to a charity in their name. Christian HELP's Christmas program gives you an opportunity to provide Christmas for an entire family going through unemployment or underemployment for just $50. Your gift will provide toys and a Holiday meal. If you give this as a gift, the person you donate in the name of will receive a card letting them know about the gift, and then a thank you from the family they made a difference for. http://christianhelp.org/donate.htm. Thank you!

Central Florida

Christian HELP unveils new jobs initiative on October 25, 2012 at ITT Tech, Lake Mary

After months of research and preparation, the Christian HELP Foundation/Central Florida Employment Council (CFEC) formally announced plans to bolster the services they extend to job seekers.  The Central Florida Jobs Initiative (CFJI) has been created to connect area employers with job-ready and qualified candidates. 

 

During a 90-minute information and networking session conducted at ITT Tech’s Lake Mary campus, representatives from local corporate and community organizations were provided insight into the program’s background, structure, and desired deliverable.  A keystone component of the initiative is a six-module training course that, among other topics, addresses effective job-seeking strategies.  However, intrinsic in the training design is also the habitual implementation of performance excellence, throughout the job search and subsequent to the job offer.  This simple, yet pivotal concept is at the core of each module and speaks to the initiative’s mission of “equipping and empowering job seekers to become excellent employees”.   

Facilitated by Christian HELP Executive Director Sandi Vidal, the event was interactive and included a networking exercise that closely simulates an activity incorporated into the program’s training curriculum.  At the conclusion, the five-member CFJI employment team had an opportunity to speak one-on-one with the nearly 70 registered guests in attendance.  

The program is scheduled to launch in January 2013.  For more information about opportunities for you or your organization to support the initiative, please contact us at (407) 796-3650.

Harvest of Hope 2012

This is my speech from our Harvest of Hope event on October 3:

I am going to ask you for a moment to close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you are sitting in your bosses’ office (if you are a company owner, your accountant’s office) and he or she says to you, I am so sorry, but business isn’t good, we need to close our doors.  Let your thoughts go to your family, how will you care for them?  Do you have enough money in the bank to pay your bills?  For how long?  Can you live off of $275 a week, if you qualify?  What will you sacrifice first?  Second, third?  Do you have family you can go to?  Will they help?

You can open your eyes now.  This is the conversation our counselors have with clients daily.  People like you and me.

A year ago I  shared a dream; a dream of communities coming together to support their own.  I believe since that time we have seen progress. There are many people who have stepped up to say "I am here, send me".  This year the dream continues as we strive to do more; to build on 20 years of experience, connections, and partnerships.

The theme for this year, and every year, is Think big, don't limit God. As we plan and think about the next 20 years, or even the next year, our prayer has been for God to send the right people into our path.  Again and again, we see it happen.

Finding jobs, reducing hunger, and providing hope is what Christian HELP strives to do every day.  The team of volunteers and small staff we have is dedicated to excellence. Our goal is to model the commandment of God to Love your neighbor as yourself. 

Learning more, doing more, giving more, and loving more, gives us great joy. We always say we "get to work for Christian HELP" and it is a privilege. When I tell you I love my job, I mean it with my whole heart.

Hunger, homelessness, and joblessness are still realities in our community. There are shortfalls in services, skills gaps for jobs, and financial holes that need to be filled. It is only when we work together, that we can begin to see an end to the suffering of our friends and neighbors in need.

In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says "Truly, I tell you, whatever you have done for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done for me."  Whether it is providing a meal, a roof over someone's head, or the tools they need for success, we have a calling to help our fellow man.

Think big, don't limit God. What is His plan for you today? Many of you here today have invested in this ministry for years, some for months, some are wondering who Christian HELP is. God brought each of you here today for a reason.

As we look at Christian HELP over the next 20 years, and what God has called us to do, we can rejoice in His direction. This year we are launching new programs including the Central Florida Jobs Initiative. This program is designed to equip job seekers with the tools they need to become excellent employees by focusing on changing the attitudes, habits, and behaviors that keep them from being successful.

God sent several people into our path to get this program off the ground.  It has been a labor of love and a TRUE collaborative effort to understand the needs of employers and job seekers, design a curriculum, find space to hold classes, sign on agency referral partners, work with employers to hire graduates, and make this a first rate program. From researching best programs and practices nationwide to making this a reality, this has been a team effort. We need more people and sponsors to join our team.

We dream of adding a social entrepreneurial program as well, and God has provided us with several talented people to work on making this a reality. We can still use more help. The goal of this program is to start a business providing both transitional employment for our job seekers, and revenue back into Christian HELP for long term sustainability.

One of the biggest challenges we have right now is space. We have our VISTA volunteers and 3 of our employees working off site. We can no longer hold our boot camps at Christian HELP because there is not enough room for everyone to park. We have chairs lined up outside the food pantry that remind us of the bread lines during the depression. As one client said it so well, "it is humbling to come to a point where you have to wait in line with a ticket for food, so your children will have something to eat. "

You can walk away today and say, what Christian HELP is doing is good, glad I had the opportunity to hear about it. You can walk away and say, all that is nice, but it is not my problem, or you can come alongside us, and say “I want to make a difference”.  Christian HELP is made up of you and people like you, willing to invest in the lives of others.

Think big, don't limit God. God has all the right people and resources to change lives.

We see limits, God sees possibility. We see heartbreak God sees potential, we see hopelessness, God sees promise.

How has God called you to help? Investing in Christian HELP is an investment in your community. Whether it is time, talent, or treasure (or a combination of all 3), you can make a difference for someone today. 

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Isaiah 6:8

 

All day long the phone at Christian HELP rings and the door opens with person after person who is in need of hope, in need of encouragement, and many times we are their last resort.

I had the opportunity to do some employment counseling last week with a couple of ladies who were job searching.  One lady, Brenda*, had moved down from Ohio.  She had a job offer, but they were requiring she get a Florida Driver's license and she did not have the money to get it.  Living with friends, she felt like she was a burden.  Her kids needed her to get back on her feet and soon.  As one of the providers, she felt she could not provide. 

With limited resources, she was not able to print her resume.  I was able to help with that and gave her several job leads in case the one requiring the driver's license did not work out. 

I was able to call her the next day to let her know we could help with the license.  I was so excited to hear that she had an interview from one of the job leads I had given her.  We had prayed for God to open doors!  She came in to get the check dressed so profeesionally.  It made my heart sing.  We are waiting now to hear if she got the job.

She had come in feeling sad and alone.  She left with hope and a smile.  With food to feed her kids, she had one less worry.  With the dollars for the license, one less obstacle was in her way.

Often times I reflect back on the day that God called me to this job.  I had been listening to a sermon on the radio that morning on Isaiah 6:8 when God asked who should I send and Isaiah said back to Him, "Here am I, send me."  I raised my hand to God that morning and said, I want to do more for Christian HELP.  "Here am I God, send me."  Little did I know He had been waiting for me to raise my hand, and send me He did.

Is God calling you to help this ministry?  Are you looking for a good cause to support where you can know you are having an impact?  Whether it is volunteering or supporting financially, we are looking for people to say "Here am I, send me." Christian HELP is a community ministry supported by people like you.  If you can become part of the Christian HELP family, just raise your hand, and let us know! I can be reached at sandi@christianhelp.org.

To donate, you can hit the donate button on this blog, or send checks to 450 Seminola Blvd, Casselberry, FL 32707.

We are so grateful for you and your impact in making this a better place!

Sandi Vidal

Executive Director



"A Good Job"

I recently read the book "The Coming Jobs War", by Jim Clifton, CEO of the Gallup Organization.  After a worldwide poll, it was discovered the one thing people want above all others is A GOOD JOB.  That was a wake up call even for me, and I live and breathe jobs. 

People want to have meaning, they want to find their place in this big world. They want to have a part in contributing to the bigger picture. For many people jobs are more than just a sense of security, they are their identity.  As I think about my job at Christian HELP, I have to admit that it is a significant part of my life above and beyond the paycheck.  Many times when I want to volunteer or do other things people cannot separate me from my job.

When you get involved with Christian HELP as a volunteer or financial investor, you are helping people to achieve the goal of finding a good job.  Our boot camp starts tonight with a full house of particpants. This is an excitiing program, brought to us by Inez Rodriguez who has given her time and talents to Christian HELP in a big way by allowing us to not only use her materials, but by volunteering to teach, coach, and mentor clients for 6 weeks at a time.  I love not only her commitment, but seeing the results. Many long term job seekers are finding themselves in a good job after completing the program. 

We are in the process of starting a new program geared towards people who are underemployed, or have difficulty holding a job or finding a job.  This 6 class program will give not only job skills, but work on retention as well. It has been a labor of love and research and it is amazing to see it come together.  We need your help to make it a reality.  The initial costs have been underwritten by the Walmart State Giving Foundation, but we will need more funds to be able to administer the program. If you are interested in changing lives and can help with this, please let us know. Sponsorships for students will be $150 and cover all of their materials. You can also "share the cost". 

Fighting hunger and homelessness is a big task and can seemm overwhelming, but as we help peopel get back on their feet, we will see this problem start to diminish. 

Thank you for all you do! You are Christian HELP.

Sandi

Remaining strong through tough times

Imagine the rollercoaster ride of being a single mom and experiencing a layoff, getting a new job and then getting laid off again.  Finally after months of searching you get a job, and it turns out not to be the right job, but wait; another offer comes… and once again, you find yourself jobless.  This is what happened to Lisa Lee.

 Lisa was features in Christian HELP’s video for our Harvest of Hope event in November of last year. You can view the video at http://tinyurl.com/ChristianHELP. Lisa is a professional procurement manager. She is vibrant and energetic.  When she was referred to me by Mark Goldstein from the Christian Chamber, I could not help , but instantly take a liking to her.  Lisa was doing all the right things, she was networking, her resume was good, and she presented herself well, but underneath her strong exterior, Lisa was scared.

She was scared her unemployment would run out. She was scared she could not provide adequately for her daughter who was starting to apply to colleges, she was scared about where her next meal would come from. She was scared no one would understand what she was going through.

Coming to Christian HELP for food and assistance can be such a humbling experience.  So many people never imagine it will be them standing in line outside the food pantry waiting for their name to be called. The amazing thing is God provides for every single person who comes through the door, and He does it through you and others like you.  God took Lisa through this journey and she has now landed a job in a company with growth potential.  Her daughter was accepted to college and will start in August. Times have been tough, but Lisa has remained strong. 

 

Thank you for making a difference in Lisa’s life and the hundreds of others who walk through the doors of Christian HELP every week.

 

 Sandi

 

PS. Save the date- May 29, 2012 and log on to www.100carsforgood.com to help Christian HELP win a new van.

Finding jobs, REDUCING HUNGER, providing hope

A week ago I got a new kitten from a friend who runs another local non-profit.  She knew I was looking to adopt a new kitten and she let me know she has 3 who were ready to find new homes.  We selected a little tabby we affectionately call "Katniss" after the main character in the hunger games.  Unlike our other 2 cats, Katniss has turned out to be quite scrappy.  She is into everything and is a ball of energy.  What strikes me the most about her (other than how cute she is) is that she eats every meal like she may not get another one.  Now, I know my friend fed the kittens, but for this one, when the food is out of site she seems to think it wont come back.

Now why am I talking about my kitten?  I am mentioning this because earlier today, Harry, one of our counselors went to the pantry and grabbed a few packages of cheese and crackers.  He said he keeps them in his office for clients and shares them with people who are hungry.  There are people who have a tough time sitting and sharing their story with us because they are so hungry, they can't focus.  Imagine for a moment not knowing where your next meal was coming from.  We have so many people who come in, who don't have to imagine.  They just don't know.

Thankfully, God provides food to Christian HELP for us to share with those in need so they don't have to worry about their next meal.  I have seen people recently at events who have eaten more than I would have expected or squirreled away some food for later.  When one gentleman came up to me after an event and asked me how he could get food from our pantry, it made me stop to realize that people you never imagine are hurting.

No child should have to go hungry is one of our promises we try to keep.  Through the efforts of Christian HELP and the Casselberry Community task force, we are making a dent.  This is not because of our work, but because of the support we receive from community partners and people like you.  I am so thankful to know where my next meal is coming from.  Aren't you?

Katniss at 5 weeks

Thank you for all you do!

Sandi Vidal

Executive Director

Think Big, Don't Limit God

Those words are on my "war" wall as a daily reminder that while some of the projects Christian HELP is looking at taking on are bigger than we are, they are not bigger than God. I am amazed daily as our prayer of asking God to send the right people into our paths is answered over and over again.

As we research potential programs, initiatives, and ways to better connect people with their next job, we are astounded at how the information is coming together so neatly.

Why are we amazed? God already knows the outcome and He is guiding the way.

I can't help but be excited about how God is working through Christian HELP. My personal faith has grown so much over these past 5 years of working at Christian HELP. Over and over again, we see God answer prayer. Not always as fast as we want or the way we want Him to, but He never lets us down.

We encourage your involvement in His work here at Christian HELP. This month we have matching funds available for all donations made. When you donate $1 it becomes 2, $100 becomes $200 and $1000 is $2000. We are able to meet the needs of so many more families with your partnership.

If you have never donated to Christian HELP, I would ask you to consider donating today. If God has put it on your heart, please reach out. You make the difference.

You can donate online at http://christianhelp.org/donate.htm or by mail to 450 Seminola Blvd, Casselberry, FL 32707.

Thank you for being a blessing.

In His service,

Sandi

Christian HELP Rejoices in God’s Presence at 20th Birthday Celebration

From the beginning of time, God has always showed up in powerful ways in the lives of His beloved creation. We are precious to Him. Always have been and always will be.

When God’s Son, Jesus, was born into the world and became man, God drew even closer to humanity. Jesus expressed His deep, deep love when He declared: “I have called you friends.” (John 15:15). Imagine that! Friendship with God’s own Son for everyone who will reach out to the Savior who forgives our sins and provides eternity in heaven for every single believer. Now that’s a gift, my friends…

Over the past 20 years, Christian HELP has taken up special residence in the hearts of Central Floridians, time and again showing up in the lives of thousands by providing help, encouragement, God’s powerful love, and prayer for those who are walking though the difficult journey of trying circumstances. As these men and women suffer, often finding themselves without adequate housing, employment, food, or even a ray of hope, Christian HELP steps in and compassionately reaches out like Jesus did, meeting each individual right where they are through careful listening, wise counsel, attentive prayer, and multi-faceted practical help. It’s Christian HELP that really helps.

When we take time to look more closely at the story of Jesus in the New Testament, we see for ourselves God’s Son in action. In these pages, Jesus unfailingly feeds the hungry, heals all manner of sickness, and consistently provides direction and forgiveness to those who yearn for His touch. We even see Jesus showing up in times of celebration, like when He attended a wedding and miraculously transformed water into wine.

Christian HELP models its own outreach initiatives in similar fashion. When people who need a job don’t have enough food to eat, Christian HELP loses no time opening up its Food Pantry to pour out a blessing. When men and women experience the depression that accompanies difficult life circumstances, wise counselors and prayer warriors step up to the plate to help and listen. And when jobs are needed, career counseling, job fairs, a computer room, and resume assistance become readily available to all. In more ways than one, Christian HELP brings help, hope, and even miracle to countless many, as day in and day out, lives are transformed - one person at a time.

And so, 20 busy years have swiftly gone by, with Christian HELP now celebrating its highly anticipated and lovingly prepared 20th birthday. There is little doubt that Jesus was present to guide the organization’s founders, Dick and Madge Wilson, during those important first days. As it was from the beginning, Jesus continues to lead Christian HELP’s current leadership team, along with a faithful army of volunteers, many loving supporters, and the grateful men and women who have received help within these loving walls.

God most certainly showed up 20 years ago when Christian HELP was born. It is a sure thing He will continue to be present in the days and years to come, as Christian Help dedicates itself to bringing hope, encouragement, the love of God, and prayer to Central Florida’s people in need.

God’s presence is, without a doubt, Christian HELP’s most cherished 20th birthday present. He is here and so are we, as together, we celebrate 20 wonderful years. Happy Birthday Christian HELP!

By Chris Schneider
Volunteer

Building Better Futures

This past weekend we held our first focus group, as we start to plan the launch of our capital campaign. At Christian HELP we are always seeking God's will for our next step. We are learning to think big, really big... that being said, we are in the process of drawing the dream.

I have been in several different groups where we did the pie in the sky what if money was no object exercise to brainstorm about what direction the company or organization should go. In this case, we are looking at how can we meet more needs, produce more results, and not just help people get jobs, but actually create them.

What if we had a state of the art training center? What if we had room for groups to come in and give back in a big way, what if we could teach people how to succeed with hands on apprenticeship programs, what if...

What if we had a quiet place where someone could bow their head in prayer and bring all their burdens to God...

Please pray with us for God's favor and direction as we embarq on this new season for Christian HELP. We are 20 years young and ready to meet the challenge.

In His Service,

Sandi Vidal
Executive Director

Christian HELP’s Food Pantry – Reaching Out in a Place of Love and Miracles

One of the most vivid accounts of Jesus’ love and compassion for people comes to life in the Bible story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, (John 6 and Mark 6). Even as a child, I took great delight in picturing that huge crowd assembled on a distant green hill, soaking up the rays of a sunny day, while listening to the loving voice of Jesus. On that particular day, time must have swiftly raced by as the people took in valuable spiritual nourishment for their parched souls. The problem was, no one had apparently bothered to keep track of how physically hungry everyone would become as the day progressed. Jesus, on the other hand, had a very special plan in mind that would ultimately save the day. He knew exactly what his grace and love would soon impart to each man and woman, and every boy and girl. A miracle was in the making…

Can you picture Jesus in high gear as he got to work on that bright and expectant afternoon? Calmly, (he was never panicked), his disciples were instructed to make the people sit down as they rounded up one ordinary boy’s donated lunch of two fish and five loaves. In an instant, the boy’s lunch was transformed into a meal that served the entire crowd of 5,000. That scrumptious picnic feast handily filled every belly, with abundant leftovers to spare. The Bible tells us simply, “They all ate and were satisfied.” (Mark 6:42). Jesus’ actions demonstrated then, as now, that his heart “had compassion on them.” (Matthew 20:34).

Christian HELP’s Food Pantry reaches out to the hungry of Central Florida with a similar heart of compassion. In a world that continues to reel from a troubled economy, Christian Help regularly meets the physical needs of hundreds of families as these individuals go about the big job of seeking employment. With gentle respect for all, people consistently come and receive well balanced food items that are distributed carefully and with love, including bread, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese, lunchmeat, and dessert. “We show our clients the face of God,” says Food Pantry manager, Mark Blanton, quietly. “We give them all a smile,” he explains, sharing also how incredibly important a smile can be for people beaten down by the multiple pressures of modern life.

The Food Pantry got its start some 20 years ago under the watchful and dedicated eye of Christian HELP co-founder, Madge Wilson. Today her guiding influence is still felt as those who serve in the pantry continue to carry on with high energy, fairness, equity, and stewardship – the very qualities which meant so much to Madge.

Donated food items make the food pantry a center of bustling activity and outreach. All of the food is made possible by generous provisions from community partners such as Walmart, Target, Bob Evans, Pizza Hut, Winn Dixie, and Publix. It’s not a boy’s lunch, of course, but it works in much the same miraculous way, bringing food that tends to multiply as it is given to sustain so many.

There is a poignant side note about Christian HELP’s food distribution team. It seems that as the small army carries out their Herculean mission each day, the team grows ever more united in ministry. They are, quite simply, a modern day version of Jesus’ disciples in motion. Some of the team members are long time volunteers like Gwen, Eva, Miss Annie May, John and Ron. Others are young people doing volunteer community service for school credit, and loving every minute of it. Still others are working off community service hours as they gain powerful lessons in respecting others while also being treated with respect themselves. Through it all, it’s hard to determine who gets more blessed – those who work to give, or those who come to blessedly receive.

Yes, Christian HELP’s Food Pantry is a place of uncommon blessing. Oh, it might not be located upon that same ancient hillside of long ago where Jesus fed the 5,000. But it is still a place of unusual and ongoing miracle. It is that place where quiet spiritual and physical nourishment lovingly reach men and women, and boys and girls each and every day, right here in Central Florida.

By Chris Schneider

Engraved On the Palms of His Hands

One of the most encouraging verses in all the Bible is found in Isaiah 49:15 and 16 where God reassures us that we are all constantly on his mind. “I will not forget you!” he emphasizes. “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Can you just picture the God of the universe with his palms covered, yes saturated with images of his children? Every one of us is right there for him to see and remember at all times. It’s quite a portrait of our God.

At Christian HELP, every person who walks through the door is also highly valued, not forgotten, and treated with genuine care and respect. Men and women discover quickly that they have stepped into a place where the love of God will touch their lives profoundly. They’re in the right place.

Early this week, I had the chance to come face to face with some of these special men and women when they dropped by to seek help with their resumes. Each person got a loving handshake - that universal gesture which communicates instant acceptance and respect. It’s the perfect way to start “resume time.”

As the day got underway, I met Mickey, (name has been changed) an older man with a background in the legal profession and financial planning. His professional world had crumbled, but his faith remained strong, despite poverty and onetime homelessness. Not long ago, he found himself reaching out to a local church and was blessed by a friend there who took him in and became a brother in Christ. Mickey told me that at one point, he lived briefly in an empty, foreclosed house with no water or power, and was grateful to have had a roof over his head to escape the cold. I didn’t detect bitterness as he spoke, only anxious hope for the future. It was a privilege to help him with his resume, and an even greater joy to witness his eyes as new hope began to spread over his countenance.

Next was Susie, (name has been changed) a small woman with a shy yet feisty demeanor who also needed help with her resume. The economy had been hard on this little lady, and she now suffered from dental problems and no job. As we discussed her past employment history, she told me part of her life story and it was a thrill to see her light up when she described how much fun she used to have making ice cream cakes at a local ice cream franchise. “It’s not hard to make one,” she explained knowingly. “It just takes time.” Listening to her and helping her piece together a fresh strategy for her resume was like enjoying a scoop of delicious ice cream! My prayer is that Susie will soon be serving people in the restaurant of her dreams.

Christian HELP is all about providing meaningful help to everyone who walks through the door. It’s about listening well to each person and providing hope, encouragement, love, and prayer – the precious fundamentals of the Christian life.

And so we have a picture to embrace… God engraves our lives on the palms of his hands. He makes a point to constantly remember his people because we are all precious in his sight.

It is also a picture of what Christian HELP is all about.


By Chris Schneider

A soldier's story

During the Christian HELP Christmas Program, an email confirmation came in from a soldier who wanted to adopt two families for Christmas. At first we were a little skeptical, because the soldier was on active duty in Europe. How could this work? How would he get the gifts and food to the families or our office? So we emailed the soldier and asked these questions. He said he would order everything online and have it delivered to Christian HELP, and asked if we could wrap them. We said yes! This was unbelievable!

In the days that followed, packages started to come in for his two adopted families. We put everything away and sent email confirmations to the soldier, to let him know what had been delivered. It was an exciting process. Packages were coming in randomly, so we had to record and insure the right gifts went to the right family. The soldier had been given the telephone numbers of his adopted families and called them, but insisted on remaining anonymous. The first family he called was an Egyptian refugee, who spoke Arabic as did the soldier!

It was getting close to the dates, that the families would come to the office to pick up their Christmas adoption and we were still missing one gift, dance clothing for a little girl. A few of us were getting nervous and just prayed that the Lord would make it come in on time. About one half hour later the last gift came in! We cheered; were so happy and were now able to call the two families to come pick up!

When the families came in, they were overwhelmed and the tears just flowed. The questioned asked was, “is this all for us?” speaking almost in a dream state of unbelief. We said yes. The families were humble and so very thankful to have been blessed in such a big way. We took a photo of each family and emailed it to the Solider. We asked how did you hear about Christian HELP’s Christmas program? He said through his sister in Florida.

As usual, God came through at all the right times and you helped in a huge way by making it possible to have all that was necessary on our end. Thanks for helping with the other 602 families who got Christmas in 2011.