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
Showing posts with label Jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jobs. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
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
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
Thursday, April 7, 2011
CFEC/Christian HELP on CBS Sunday Morning
Christian HELP/CFEC was recently used as the backdrop for this CBS Sunday morning story on unemployment over 50.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/03/sunday/main20050117.shtml
•The national unemployment rate is currently 8.8%, the lowest it has been since March 2009; however, Florida still lingers behind
•Florida, currently, holds the 3rd worst unemployment rate in the country at 11.5%
•In the past month, approximately 23,000 jobs were added in the customer service and hospitality industry
•Recent job reports reveal the average unemployment time period increased in March to 39 weeks
•Laid off workers under the age of 34 have a 36% chance of finding a new job within a year; in their 50’s, it’s only 24%, and past 62, just 18%.
•Christian HELP holds job fairs in Orlando every two months. During the most recent job fair, over 2,000 job seekers showed up in search of employment
•Despite improving job data, older unemployed workers are having more trouble finding work, as companies favor less-experienced, cheaper candidates. Tracy Smith looks into what it takes to find a job for an unemployed baby boomer
•Statistically, persons 50 and older are less likely to be laid off…
•In joint study from Boston College and Rutgers, researchers discovered that a growing number of people over 50 are involuntarily working part time jobs or just quit looking for jobs.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/03/sunday/main20050117.shtml
•The national unemployment rate is currently 8.8%, the lowest it has been since March 2009; however, Florida still lingers behind
•Florida, currently, holds the 3rd worst unemployment rate in the country at 11.5%
•In the past month, approximately 23,000 jobs were added in the customer service and hospitality industry
•Recent job reports reveal the average unemployment time period increased in March to 39 weeks
•Laid off workers under the age of 34 have a 36% chance of finding a new job within a year; in their 50’s, it’s only 24%, and past 62, just 18%.
•Christian HELP holds job fairs in Orlando every two months. During the most recent job fair, over 2,000 job seekers showed up in search of employment
•Despite improving job data, older unemployed workers are having more trouble finding work, as companies favor less-experienced, cheaper candidates. Tracy Smith looks into what it takes to find a job for an unemployed baby boomer
•Statistically, persons 50 and older are less likely to be laid off…
•In joint study from Boston College and Rutgers, researchers discovered that a growing number of people over 50 are involuntarily working part time jobs or just quit looking for jobs.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
When the need becomes public
Last Sunday 60 minutes showed the nation that homelessness is local to Central Florida. It is not just the man on the street with the scruffy beard. The man portrayed has a family to feed and needs a roof over his head.
If you did not see it http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358670n.
It was estimated 25% of children are living in poverty. The middle class is shrinking. How do we make it stop? What can we do to fix it? How did this happen?
In 2008 we saw the beginning of the "great recession". At Christian HELP we were shouting from the rooftops as families moved into their cars as their houses and rental properties were foreclosed on. People lost everything when they lost their jobs. Some even took their own lives.
We have been working very hard to tackle the root cause of the problem- unemployment. We are teaching people how to be more competitive and how to network. Our classes go beyond the basics to teach the secrets of navigating online applications and how to interview. Our employment seminars are well attended and help to re-charge and re-energize the weary.
We are a small fish in a big pond. The need is tremendous and the resources are not. We continue to press on and do more. We inform, we advocate, and we do all we can to keep people from falling through the cracks.
We need people like you to invest in the long term solutions. In 19 years, Christian HELP has connected over 78,000 people with jobs and given away over 6.8 million pounds of food.
We have been recognized since 1999 as the most effective permanent placement agency in Central Florida. The White House and Manhattan Institute have recognized our efforts.
How can you help?
Send us your job leads
Do food drives
Re-tweet and re-post from our facebook and twitter pages
Become and ambassador and an advocate for the unemployed
Volunteer
With your finances- dollars are matched in March and April. Donate online at http://christianhelp.org/donate.htm
and most importantly with your prayers.
The media hype will eventually go away, but people will always need jobs.
Thank you for HELPing us HELP the community.
If you did not see it http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358670n.
It was estimated 25% of children are living in poverty. The middle class is shrinking. How do we make it stop? What can we do to fix it? How did this happen?
In 2008 we saw the beginning of the "great recession". At Christian HELP we were shouting from the rooftops as families moved into their cars as their houses and rental properties were foreclosed on. People lost everything when they lost their jobs. Some even took their own lives.
We have been working very hard to tackle the root cause of the problem- unemployment. We are teaching people how to be more competitive and how to network. Our classes go beyond the basics to teach the secrets of navigating online applications and how to interview. Our employment seminars are well attended and help to re-charge and re-energize the weary.
We are a small fish in a big pond. The need is tremendous and the resources are not. We continue to press on and do more. We inform, we advocate, and we do all we can to keep people from falling through the cracks.
We need people like you to invest in the long term solutions. In 19 years, Christian HELP has connected over 78,000 people with jobs and given away over 6.8 million pounds of food.
We have been recognized since 1999 as the most effective permanent placement agency in Central Florida. The White House and Manhattan Institute have recognized our efforts.
How can you help?
Send us your job leads
Do food drives
Re-tweet and re-post from our facebook and twitter pages
Become and ambassador and an advocate for the unemployed
Volunteer
With your finances- dollars are matched in March and April. Donate online at http://christianhelp.org/donate.htm
and most importantly with your prayers.
The media hype will eventually go away, but people will always need jobs.
Thank you for HELPing us HELP the community.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Our cup runneth over
Usually when you talk about your cup running over it is with blessings. Christian HELP is certainly blessed beyond measure. God never ceases to amaze us. This year seems just a little different. We are really starting to feel the crunch. The crunch of wearing many hats, working too many hours, not having an ounce of space to put another person. We feel the tug of our hearts as we moved to an appointment based system just to keep a little control of the flow of people coming in. We hurt when we don't have room for all the volunteers we really want and need to move to the next level.
What is God telling us? This year I keep telling people He is moving our cheese. He is pushing us out of our comfort zone and preparing us for new things. It is exciting and scary all at once.
We are looking at building or moving. We want to expand our services and classes. We are forming new partnerships... but at the same time, we are at capacity. I serve at another non-profit where the new mantra is to maintain and sustain instead of to expand and grow. For us the demand is too high to maintain.
Not only do people need jobs, they need food, they need finances, and they need hope. No matter how busy we get, we always stop to pray and remember who is in control. God has a plan. We may not see the big picture yet, but He does. We always need to make sure we keep our cup filled with His blessings by following His commandments and obeying His will.
Yesterday I listened to John Rivers of 4 Rivers Smokehouse talking about seeking, listening and obeying. We may feel the crunch, but we will still trust and obey.
Sandi
What is God telling us? This year I keep telling people He is moving our cheese. He is pushing us out of our comfort zone and preparing us for new things. It is exciting and scary all at once.
We are looking at building or moving. We want to expand our services and classes. We are forming new partnerships... but at the same time, we are at capacity. I serve at another non-profit where the new mantra is to maintain and sustain instead of to expand and grow. For us the demand is too high to maintain.
Not only do people need jobs, they need food, they need finances, and they need hope. No matter how busy we get, we always stop to pray and remember who is in control. God has a plan. We may not see the big picture yet, but He does. We always need to make sure we keep our cup filled with His blessings by following His commandments and obeying His will.
Yesterday I listened to John Rivers of 4 Rivers Smokehouse talking about seeking, listening and obeying. We may feel the crunch, but we will still trust and obey.
Sandi
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Can you HELP at Christmas?
Imagine a little 8 year old girl, waiting for Christmas to come with youthful anticipation, waking up on Christmas morning not only to see there are no gifts under the tree, but there is no tree.
Imagine a single dad doing all he can to provide for his family having to make do with a Christmas dinner of Ramen noodles.
Imagine a wife who has lost her husband after 20 years of marriage because he “doesn’t love her anymore”, trying to wrestle with her own issues and provide a nice Christmas for her children when she hasn’t had a job in several years.
Christian HELP has been providing Christmas to families in need for 15 years through the generous support of the community. This year the need is even bigger than ever. Unemployment is up, salaries are down, and underemployment is at an all time high. People are suffering. Some don’t even want to think about Christmas because it puts a knot in their stomach knowing that they cannot provide for their families. They dread the sadness in their children’s eyes when the kids say “Mommy it is ok, we can do without.”
Each Christmas we work with businesses, churches, and individuals to provide Christmas for needy families in the Central Florida area. This year we have a new challenge as one of our large sponsors will not be able to participate with us. This makes it even more challenging to provide for all of the need. The families we see are experiencing unemployment or under-employment as a result of the economy. We are working with them at Christian HELP to provide skills training, resume assistance, and coaching in order to help them obtain employment.
We are asking you to consider placing a Dove Tree in your location or Collection box for a toy drive for our HELP GIVE Christmas event. The Dove tree comes with Dove cards labeled from newborn to age 17. Each card has 3 gift suggestions people can select from and return the unwrapped gifts to your location. Volunteer drivers will come and pick up the gifts to be distributed at Christian HELP. Generally the tree goes up the week of Thanksgiving until the week before distribution.
Volunteers are welcome to come and participate in the Distribution process in December. Please consider helping us to help our community. We can make a difference, one family at a time.
About us:
Christian HELP is a non profit devoted to preventing homelessness by helping the unemployed find jobs while providing for them materially and spiritually. Last year, we were able to help over 6,000 people find jobs, we gave away over half a million pounds of food, helped 644 families to have Christmas, and spent $56,000 keeping people in their homes and the lights on.
Additionally, if you would like to get involved in other ways, please visit our website at www.Christianhelp.org or come and see us at one of our Monthly luncheons.
We appreciate your generosity.
Imagine a single dad doing all he can to provide for his family having to make do with a Christmas dinner of Ramen noodles.
Imagine a wife who has lost her husband after 20 years of marriage because he “doesn’t love her anymore”, trying to wrestle with her own issues and provide a nice Christmas for her children when she hasn’t had a job in several years.
Christian HELP has been providing Christmas to families in need for 15 years through the generous support of the community. This year the need is even bigger than ever. Unemployment is up, salaries are down, and underemployment is at an all time high. People are suffering. Some don’t even want to think about Christmas because it puts a knot in their stomach knowing that they cannot provide for their families. They dread the sadness in their children’s eyes when the kids say “Mommy it is ok, we can do without.”
Each Christmas we work with businesses, churches, and individuals to provide Christmas for needy families in the Central Florida area. This year we have a new challenge as one of our large sponsors will not be able to participate with us. This makes it even more challenging to provide for all of the need. The families we see are experiencing unemployment or under-employment as a result of the economy. We are working with them at Christian HELP to provide skills training, resume assistance, and coaching in order to help them obtain employment.
We are asking you to consider placing a Dove Tree in your location or Collection box for a toy drive for our HELP GIVE Christmas event. The Dove tree comes with Dove cards labeled from newborn to age 17. Each card has 3 gift suggestions people can select from and return the unwrapped gifts to your location. Volunteer drivers will come and pick up the gifts to be distributed at Christian HELP. Generally the tree goes up the week of Thanksgiving until the week before distribution.
Volunteers are welcome to come and participate in the Distribution process in December. Please consider helping us to help our community. We can make a difference, one family at a time.
About us:
Christian HELP is a non profit devoted to preventing homelessness by helping the unemployed find jobs while providing for them materially and spiritually. Last year, we were able to help over 6,000 people find jobs, we gave away over half a million pounds of food, helped 644 families to have Christmas, and spent $56,000 keeping people in their homes and the lights on.
Additionally, if you would like to get involved in other ways, please visit our website at www.Christianhelp.org or come and see us at one of our Monthly luncheons.
We appreciate your generosity.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Successes
Sometimes we spend so much time thinking about all the people we work with who are still struggling to find a job, keep food on the table, and try to make ends meet that we forget to stop and celebrate the successes.
This week three people I have been working with and praying with landed jobs. One as a bank manager, one in non-profit, and one in marketing. It was so wonderful to celebrate with them as the offers came in.
Our jobs at Christian HELP can be challenging and some days it seems like we can't do enough for people. God always let's us know that He can.
Many tears flow here with sadness, but some days we get to have the happy tears as well.
Please continue to pray for us and help us to chip away at joblessness in Central Florida. Thank you!
Sandi
This week three people I have been working with and praying with landed jobs. One as a bank manager, one in non-profit, and one in marketing. It was so wonderful to celebrate with them as the offers came in.
Our jobs at Christian HELP can be challenging and some days it seems like we can't do enough for people. God always let's us know that He can.
Many tears flow here with sadness, but some days we get to have the happy tears as well.
Please continue to pray for us and help us to chip away at joblessness in Central Florida. Thank you!
Sandi
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Upcoming Events at Christian HELP
Each month from January to September Christian HELP holds a lunch and tour so you can "Come and See" what God is doing at Christian HELP. The next tour will be June 7th and we would love to have you attend. The lunch starts at noon and ends around 1:00 PM. You can RSVP to jackie@christianhelp.org.
We have the 14th Annual Job fair this week on May 19th Featuring over 70 employers, educational opportunities, and job seeker resources. This is a great way to meet employers face to face. Details and registration are online at http://cfec.org.
On May 26th at 3:00 PM at the Christian HELP office, we will have our online search tips class with Michael Johnson as the trainer. The class helps job seekers to prepare for job search online.
The next day on May 27th we have our 4th Re-Charge and Re-Energize your job search seminar sponsored by WESH Channel 2. This seminar will help job seekers with interviewing, job search survival, and image. Job seeker resources will be available. Register online at http://cfec.org.
In July we will have our 3rd Annual Christmas in July event featuring musical entertainment, Melony McKaye from Z88.3 Radio, a Silent Auction, and a Dessert social. All are welcome to attend. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Christian HELP community Christmas Program.
Check our website often for other upcoming events and tell your friends!
We have the 14th Annual Job fair this week on May 19th Featuring over 70 employers, educational opportunities, and job seeker resources. This is a great way to meet employers face to face. Details and registration are online at http://cfec.org.
On May 26th at 3:00 PM at the Christian HELP office, we will have our online search tips class with Michael Johnson as the trainer. The class helps job seekers to prepare for job search online.
The next day on May 27th we have our 4th Re-Charge and Re-Energize your job search seminar sponsored by WESH Channel 2. This seminar will help job seekers with interviewing, job search survival, and image. Job seeker resources will be available. Register online at http://cfec.org.
In July we will have our 3rd Annual Christmas in July event featuring musical entertainment, Melony McKaye from Z88.3 Radio, a Silent Auction, and a Dessert social. All are welcome to attend. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Christian HELP community Christmas Program.
Check our website often for other upcoming events and tell your friends!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Be a lifeline for someone in need...
In our last e-mail newsletter we shared with readers some of the success stories we have experienced recently at Christian HELP, we are so blessed when clients come in and share how our services and our team have helped to connect them with a job, keep food on their tables and provide them with hope.
Behind each success story is another soul who is still a work in progress struggling to make ends meet, wondering if they will make it to their next meal. There are stories of depression and despair, hurt and rejection as they apply for job after job only to hear that they have not been chosen or maybe not even hearing back at all.
Every day we see people like Cora who lost her professional job because she refused to be unethical and was told "there is no place for you here anymore", and Amy a single mom whose husband left her after 20 years of marriage, and she was laid off from her job. We see people like Jennifer who has one more night in her extended stay hotel before she ends up on the street with her 11 year old daughter if they can't find a shelter bed, after she lost her job and could no longer afford the rent.
It is hard to believe that I am officially celebrating my 3rd anniversary with Christian HELP this month. So much has changed with our economy and we have had to change with it. We are continuously working to improve our services to provide our clients with all of the tools we can to help them move forward. We have solidified partnerships with other agencies and resources in an effort to compliment our services. We have engaged the Human Resources community to provide hands-on interaction with our clients to share their knowledge and tips with job seekers. It is such a blessing when a job seeker tells us we helped them to get the job!
In this economy our services are needed now more than ever. It is people like you who provide the majority of the funding for our services. We cannot do what we do without God's blessing and your help.
Just as a reminder, in April your funds will be matched by the Alan S. Feinstein Foundation, Charity Challenge, and a few generous donors. Your donation of $30 will become $60 and will feed a family of 4 for a month, Your donation of $100 will become $200 and will keep the lights on for a family, Your donation of $1000 will help place 20 clients in jobs. Your donation is a a lifeline for a job seeker in need. We cannot thank you enough for helping us to continue to do what we do.
God is in Control and He is active at Christian HELP. We are so glad to have you as part of our "family here". I personally feel so blessed for all of the prayers and support we have received. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me anytime.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us financially, prayerfully, and with your words of encouragement. We appreciate you.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Behind each success story is another soul who is still a work in progress struggling to make ends meet, wondering if they will make it to their next meal. There are stories of depression and despair, hurt and rejection as they apply for job after job only to hear that they have not been chosen or maybe not even hearing back at all.
Every day we see people like Cora who lost her professional job because she refused to be unethical and was told "there is no place for you here anymore", and Amy a single mom whose husband left her after 20 years of marriage, and she was laid off from her job. We see people like Jennifer who has one more night in her extended stay hotel before she ends up on the street with her 11 year old daughter if they can't find a shelter bed, after she lost her job and could no longer afford the rent.
It is hard to believe that I am officially celebrating my 3rd anniversary with Christian HELP this month. So much has changed with our economy and we have had to change with it. We are continuously working to improve our services to provide our clients with all of the tools we can to help them move forward. We have solidified partnerships with other agencies and resources in an effort to compliment our services. We have engaged the Human Resources community to provide hands-on interaction with our clients to share their knowledge and tips with job seekers. It is such a blessing when a job seeker tells us we helped them to get the job!
In this economy our services are needed now more than ever. It is people like you who provide the majority of the funding for our services. We cannot do what we do without God's blessing and your help.
Just as a reminder, in April your funds will be matched by the Alan S. Feinstein Foundation, Charity Challenge, and a few generous donors. Your donation of $30 will become $60 and will feed a family of 4 for a month, Your donation of $100 will become $200 and will keep the lights on for a family, Your donation of $1000 will help place 20 clients in jobs. Your donation is a a lifeline for a job seeker in need. We cannot thank you enough for helping us to continue to do what we do.
God is in Control and He is active at Christian HELP. We are so glad to have you as part of our "family here". I personally feel so blessed for all of the prayers and support we have received. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me anytime.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us financially, prayerfully, and with your words of encouragement. We appreciate you.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Mayor's Job Fair
Today was the first job fair of the year for Christian HELP and the Central Florida Employment Council. Over 60 companies were represented and many job openings were available. Thousands of people came out in hopes of finding a job. I stopped and spoke to one gentleman who was very professionally dressed and I told him that we did have links to all of the employers on our website and he could also apply for jobs online when he got home. He simply said to me "I don't have a home." Wow...
This man was not someone who looked homeless. He was clean, he was professional, and he was very humble and nice. Kristy Owens, our Operations Director had a chance to speak with him and hopefully we can find him a place to stay. At least he still has his truck.
Another lady came, desparate for a job. The shelter she is in gave her notice that if she cannot find a job, she will not be able to stay. She has 2 kids.
Last year over 6,000 people found jobs at our job fairs. It is my prayer that we will help connect more this year. These are our friends and neighbors. They need our help. If you know about jobs, please share them with us so we can share them with others.
This man was not someone who looked homeless. He was clean, he was professional, and he was very humble and nice. Kristy Owens, our Operations Director had a chance to speak with him and hopefully we can find him a place to stay. At least he still has his truck.
Another lady came, desparate for a job. The shelter she is in gave her notice that if she cannot find a job, she will not be able to stay. She has 2 kids.
Last year over 6,000 people found jobs at our job fairs. It is my prayer that we will help connect more this year. These are our friends and neighbors. They need our help. If you know about jobs, please share them with us so we can share them with others.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday @ Christian HELP
We had a staff meeting on Monday and as we talked around the table it was easy to be discouraged that there is not an abundance of jobs out there for our clients. People are getting jobs, but with employment now at 10.8% it is harder to find a job and the process takes longer.
Jackie, our Development Director asked for stories of what we are doing and helped us to see the positives in our day to day interactions with clients.
Kristy, our Operations Director highlighted some of the clients we saw in just one day- here are the excerpts:
Tuesday was a very busy day at CH. We had approx 72 clients walk in the door. Of those 67 were fed. (The number is much higher when you include all the family members)
Northland referred a mom and her son here for food—as the boy sat in the chair waiting while the mom was interviewed he said he was hungry. They were sent to the food pantry.
A woman who lost her job last week and whose husband is disabled were going to have their water shut off. The bill was paid and she was given job leads.*
Another client received help in paying for the state exam so that she could take the test to become a medical assistant.*
An elderly man who receives social security is living in his car with no air conditioning, was given food and the names of 2 shelters. He has a heart condition.
Another gentleman, who was in a terrible accident and has had 15 surgeries in 4 yrs, received food because his disability check just won’t cover everything. He has 3 kids—2 are joining the Army and the other is a full-time college student. He works when he can.
Most received prayer—all received a listening ear.
It’s a great deal more than job leads.
* Financial assistance is given as the Holy Spirit leads and benevolence funds are available.
These stories are just a sample of the types of people we see every day.
We can't do this alone. If you are not currently supporting Christian HELP, we ask you to pray about your part and let God lead you. Just $60.00 a month can put food on the table for a family of 4. Christian HELP not only feeds the body, but also the soul.
Thank you for your prayers.
Jackie, our Development Director asked for stories of what we are doing and helped us to see the positives in our day to day interactions with clients.
Kristy, our Operations Director highlighted some of the clients we saw in just one day- here are the excerpts:
Tuesday was a very busy day at CH. We had approx 72 clients walk in the door. Of those 67 were fed. (The number is much higher when you include all the family members)
Northland referred a mom and her son here for food—as the boy sat in the chair waiting while the mom was interviewed he said he was hungry. They were sent to the food pantry.
A woman who lost her job last week and whose husband is disabled were going to have their water shut off. The bill was paid and she was given job leads.*
Another client received help in paying for the state exam so that she could take the test to become a medical assistant.*
An elderly man who receives social security is living in his car with no air conditioning, was given food and the names of 2 shelters. He has a heart condition.
Another gentleman, who was in a terrible accident and has had 15 surgeries in 4 yrs, received food because his disability check just won’t cover everything. He has 3 kids—2 are joining the Army and the other is a full-time college student. He works when he can.
Most received prayer—all received a listening ear.
It’s a great deal more than job leads.
* Financial assistance is given as the Holy Spirit leads and benevolence funds are available.
These stories are just a sample of the types of people we see every day.
We can't do this alone. If you are not currently supporting Christian HELP, we ask you to pray about your part and let God lead you. Just $60.00 a month can put food on the table for a family of 4. Christian HELP not only feeds the body, but also the soul.
Thank you for your prayers.
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