Since this video was recorded, Peter started a job at Campus Crusade. This was an answer to prayer. The struggles of the unemployed are real. They hurt. We have to continue to come together as a community to love our neighbors and help them in their time of need. Janes 2:14-2:17 has been on our hearts as we see so many of our neighbors work so hard to find employment. Thank you for helping them through Christian HELP.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
I have a dream
In 1963 Martin Luther King stood at the Lincoln Memorial and shared his dream for our nation. He shared a dream of equality and not judging people by the color of their skin, but by their character. I too have a dream. I dream that the community will rise up to support their own. That neighbor will love neighbor and that no child will go hungry. I dream of a day when once again everyone who is looking for a job can find one. I dream of eliminating poverty (and yes, I do know Jesus said the poor will always be among us), and I dream we the people, we the church, we the community will care for our own. I hope this is your dream as well. Imagine each one of us in this room knowing we had a part in such positive change.
The number one cause of poverty and homelessness is unemployment. We can’t wait for the Government to figure out how to solve the problems of poverty. We have to work together to solve them ourselves. Crisis and Disasters often bring us together to solve problems around us. 60 minutes brought attention to a crisis in our community back in March when they showcased the problems of homelessness and hunger amongst children in our community. At Christian HELP we responded to this crisis, by working together with the community to form a task force in Casselberry working with the schools to eradicate hunger and homelessness. Eight months later, we are making a difference every day in the lives of children and their families who are in need. This has been a true collaborative effort between churches, businesses, individuals, non-profits, and the schools. By looking at not just feeding the problem, but working with the families, we can see people move ahead. Helping people is messy and it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to, but helping people is good for everyone involved.
When Ben and Mindy needed help, they reached out to Casselberry Elementary. The school reached out to a church, Aloma Methodist, they helped them to get out of their car and into a hotel. We joined in the fight and helped Ben and Mindy move into their new place. Ben is now working 2 jobs and trying to make ends meet. Their story is not over yet, but it is a great testimony to how working together we can change lives for the better.
When John D'Amelio from CBS Sunday Morning came to Christian HELP he said "This agency is different, and I have been to a lot of agencies." He meant it in a good way. In a time of automated voice mail and take a number mentalities, Christian HELP is truly focused on what matters. Clients, Volunteers, and donors are so important to us. Our team is devoted to making the experience of visiting Christian HELP a good one for anyone who might need our help. Someone said Hope, Encouragement, Love, and Prayer sounds like we just give a hug to the unemployed. In a sense we do, but there is so much more.
What makes us different than other agencies? Is it our book knowledge, degrees and expertise? Is it the combination of our services? Is it our longevity? We are unique because we live our passion to serve God and others daily. We hold people accountable, but we deliver services in a loving way. We are compassionate, yet tough. We are willing to work with anyone who needs our services, but we expect they will help themselves as much as we help them. We give respect and we expect it in return. Our goal is to equip and empower and not to enable.
Jackie our Ministry Development Director summarized our services this way: "We have had 20 years of collecting resources, 20 years of meeting with clients one on one, 20 years of discerning who is looking for hand outs and who is genuinely in need.
With your help, we continue to feed, we continue to educate, we continue to supply job leads; however our expertise is in providing God's love to those who are drowning in our society, not judging but providing tangible tools to use to navigate and survive in this environment." Christian HELP is able to HELP because our desire is to be a light in people's lives when they are walking through the darkness of unemployment, hunger, and despair.
You are Christian HELP. It is your prayers, your talents, your passion, and your commitment that brings hope to the hopeless and makes a way for people to see there are good people out there who really do want to help.
I have a dream that there will be no more men with cardboard signs on the street that say “will work for food”. I have a dream that parents will not have to choose between eating and paying rent. I have dream that no child will have to say “mommy, I am hungry.” I have a dream that more employers will say, “you are hired”. Will you join me in this dream?
Together we can dream of a brighter future. We can dream about creating a strong community. We can dream about a time when tummies are filled and everyone has a place to call home.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
To whom much is given...
Much is required...
A biblical truth that can sometimes be scary if you don't handle responsibility well. The parable of the talents teaches us that obedience results in the reward of even more responsibility. Why am I talking about this? God continues to bless Christian HELP. Through people like you, we have learned that if we are good stewards of what we are blessed with, God gives us more.
If we handle a few clients well, God gives us more. If we handle food well, God blesses. If we handle our finances well, God meets all of our needs. He does this through people. We are so thankful for all of the referrals, the food drives, and the donations we receive.
Did you know that just $15 can keep a family of four fed for a week? Imagine being like Stacy who is a single mom after her husband decided he didn't want to be married anymore and now she has to find a full time job. She works part time at a department store making just over $8.00 and hour and worries that she will lose her home. Because they are not divorced yet, she is not getting child support. We can help with job search and food because someone cared enough to help.
Your donations make a difference in the lives of people who are struggling. Some have never been unemployed before. Some have been struggling for awhile because their career choice no longer exists. Some work 40+ hours for commission and barely bring home enough for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
When we help people find jobs and get back on their feet, we not only feel good about it, but it contributes to a healthy economy for all of us. We are at a time right now where unemployment is standing still, benefits are being cut, and people who have never reached out for help or relied on "the system" are in need.
Please consider making a donation to Christian HELP for our monthly "fruits and Veggies" giving program. This program keeps job seekers and their families fed with healthy items while they are looking for work.
Thank you for all of your prayers and your help.
A biblical truth that can sometimes be scary if you don't handle responsibility well. The parable of the talents teaches us that obedience results in the reward of even more responsibility. Why am I talking about this? God continues to bless Christian HELP. Through people like you, we have learned that if we are good stewards of what we are blessed with, God gives us more.
If we handle a few clients well, God gives us more. If we handle food well, God blesses. If we handle our finances well, God meets all of our needs. He does this through people. We are so thankful for all of the referrals, the food drives, and the donations we receive.
Did you know that just $15 can keep a family of four fed for a week? Imagine being like Stacy who is a single mom after her husband decided he didn't want to be married anymore and now she has to find a full time job. She works part time at a department store making just over $8.00 and hour and worries that she will lose her home. Because they are not divorced yet, she is not getting child support. We can help with job search and food because someone cared enough to help.
Your donations make a difference in the lives of people who are struggling. Some have never been unemployed before. Some have been struggling for awhile because their career choice no longer exists. Some work 40+ hours for commission and barely bring home enough for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
When we help people find jobs and get back on their feet, we not only feel good about it, but it contributes to a healthy economy for all of us. We are at a time right now where unemployment is standing still, benefits are being cut, and people who have never reached out for help or relied on "the system" are in need.
Please consider making a donation to Christian HELP for our monthly "fruits and Veggies" giving program. This program keeps job seekers and their families fed with healthy items while they are looking for work.
Thank you for all of your prayers and your help.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Where do I park?
The past couple of days I have had meetings in the morning. This causes me to come into the office after counseling hours have started. The biggest problem with this is that I have to circle the parking lot to find a space. Our busiest time of the year has not even started yet. I am not one to complain, but our building is too small to do all the services we do, 3 of our staff members office from home, and the conference room is a multi function room. We have to close down our computer lab and classes in December so we have the space for Christmas, and our pantry has no place for people to move. We could do so much more if we had the space to do it in. One volunteer recently equated the food pantry line coming out the door to the bread lines of the great depression. Fortunately, our food resources are much better than they were then.
So I say all of this to say we need more space. Space takes money. Our board has opted not to borrow money for a larger space which means we need to raise the dollars through individual donors and possibly some foundation grants. If you would be interested in helping us to find ways to expand, please e-mail me at sandi@christianhelp.org. Our services make a real difference for job seekers, for the underemployed, and for people in need.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Sandi
So I say all of this to say we need more space. Space takes money. Our board has opted not to borrow money for a larger space which means we need to raise the dollars through individual donors and possibly some foundation grants. If you would be interested in helping us to find ways to expand, please e-mail me at sandi@christianhelp.org. Our services make a real difference for job seekers, for the underemployed, and for people in need.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Sandi
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Moving forward
I remember reading a post on facebook from a client who was unhappy with us. I responded to her privately and asked her how we could fix the situation. It turned out that she had just been having a really bad day and was not prepared for the feedback the counselor had given her. I spent some time working with her on her job search as did some of the other counselors. As she came in several times over her 18month search, we began to call her a friend.
We were so thrilled when the bell rang up front (our symbol of someone landing a job) as she shared that not only was her search over, but she would be making her previous salary. This lady went through some tough times. She nearly lost her home, she lost her mom, and she was just lost. We were so happy to be able to be there for her.
This is something we could not do with out you. It is through the support of our donors including those in our "Fruits and Veggies monthly giving program" that help women like our client, sustain while they job search. Being able to have fruits and vegetables is such a blessing for families in need.
At Christmas in July, we honored some of our Fruits and Veggies monthly givers. After the event, S came up to me and asked how she too could join the club.
It is because of your prayers and support we are able to see clients move forward and give back.
Sandi
We were so thrilled when the bell rang up front (our symbol of someone landing a job) as she shared that not only was her search over, but she would be making her previous salary. This lady went through some tough times. She nearly lost her home, she lost her mom, and she was just lost. We were so happy to be able to be there for her.
This is something we could not do with out you. It is through the support of our donors including those in our "Fruits and Veggies monthly giving program" that help women like our client, sustain while they job search. Being able to have fruits and vegetables is such a blessing for families in need.
At Christmas in July, we honored some of our Fruits and Veggies monthly givers. After the event, S came up to me and asked how she too could join the club.
It is because of your prayers and support we are able to see clients move forward and give back.
Sandi
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Closer than you think
Yesterday I had an opportunity to share about how we are working together with the community of Casselberry to end hunger and homelessness and break the cycle of poverty in the city. As part of a task force of over 30 members we are taking action to meet the immediate and long term needs of the families of Cassleberry Elementary and the surrounding area.
I was speaking to a group of Rotarians and they had some great questioned for me. At one point Beth Davalos of Families in Transition said that many families would rather live in a hotel than move in with friends. I took this opportunity to make it personal. Over the past year I have known families who have had their homes foreclosed on (one was renting and the homeowner did not pay the mortgage), lost their jobs or had hours cut and had to move quickly. We even had family friends move in with us for 4 months.
I can tell you these families are not lazy, for the most part they didn't make bad choices, they were just going along in their lives and became victims of a rather brutal economy.
Over 1 million people in Florida are unemployed. We have the 3rd highest unemployment in the NATION. People want to work. They want full time jobs with benefits that will keep them from losing their homes, their health, and in some cases their families.
Christian HELP is committed to really helping people move forward. We want to provide a safe environment for our clients to share their stories, shed their tears, and get the resources they need.
Thank you for your support. We still need you to help us HELP them.
Sandi
I was speaking to a group of Rotarians and they had some great questioned for me. At one point Beth Davalos of Families in Transition said that many families would rather live in a hotel than move in with friends. I took this opportunity to make it personal. Over the past year I have known families who have had their homes foreclosed on (one was renting and the homeowner did not pay the mortgage), lost their jobs or had hours cut and had to move quickly. We even had family friends move in with us for 4 months.
I can tell you these families are not lazy, for the most part they didn't make bad choices, they were just going along in their lives and became victims of a rather brutal economy.
Over 1 million people in Florida are unemployed. We have the 3rd highest unemployment in the NATION. People want to work. They want full time jobs with benefits that will keep them from losing their homes, their health, and in some cases their families.
Christian HELP is committed to really helping people move forward. We want to provide a safe environment for our clients to share their stories, shed their tears, and get the resources they need.
Thank you for your support. We still need you to help us HELP them.
Sandi
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Providing Hope and Encouragement, Love, and Prayer
When John D'Amelio from CBS Sunday Morning came to Christian HELP he said "This agency is different, and I have been to a lot of agencies." He meant it in a good way. In a time of automated voice mail and take a number mentalities, Christian HELP is truly focused on what matters. Clients, Volunteers, and donors are so important to us. Our team is devoted to making the experience of visiting Christian HELP a good one for anyone who might need our help. Someone said Hope, Encouragement, Love, and Prayer sounds like we just give a hug to the unemployed. In a sense we do, but there is so much more.
What makes us different than other agencies? Is it our book knowledge, degrees and expertise? Is it the combination of our services? Is it our longevity? I believe, we are unique because we live our passion to serve God and others daily. We hold people accountable, but we deliver services in a loving way. We are compassionate, yet tough. We are willing to work with anyone who needs our services, but we expect they will help themselves as much as we help them. We give respect and we expect it in return.
God has blessed us with resources to help job seekers. He brings us volunteers. He uses regular people to accomplish his mission. We are so thankful to be able to lean on Him.
Sometimes people ask if you have to be Christian to come to Christian HELP. The answer is no. We do offer everyone prayer, but we do not force anyone to pray. Our job is to love our neighbors and to help them move forward.
Jackie our Ministry Development Director summarized our services this way:
"We have had 20 years of collecting resources, 20 years of meeting with clients one on one, 20 years of discerning who is looking for hand outs and who is genuinely in need…we move people forward by sowing the seed of the gospel, by EDUCATING those who come to our doors of what resources are in this city and how to go about applying for them AND THEN tracking what tools they have been given and when they return what they have done with these tools.
We continue to feed, we continue to educate, we continue to supply job leads; however our expertise is in providing God’s love to those who are drowning in our society, not judging but providing tangible tools to use to navigate and survive in this environment."
Christian HELP is able to HELP because our desire is to be a light in people's lives when they are walking through the darkness of unemployment, hunger, and despair.
Christian HELP starts with you. To learn more about how to be more involved, come to one of our monthly luncheons and see what we are talking about. The next one is June 6th. For more information, contact jackie@christianhelp.org.
In His Service,
Sandi Vidal
Executive Director
What makes us different than other agencies? Is it our book knowledge, degrees and expertise? Is it the combination of our services? Is it our longevity? I believe, we are unique because we live our passion to serve God and others daily. We hold people accountable, but we deliver services in a loving way. We are compassionate, yet tough. We are willing to work with anyone who needs our services, but we expect they will help themselves as much as we help them. We give respect and we expect it in return.
God has blessed us with resources to help job seekers. He brings us volunteers. He uses regular people to accomplish his mission. We are so thankful to be able to lean on Him.
Sometimes people ask if you have to be Christian to come to Christian HELP. The answer is no. We do offer everyone prayer, but we do not force anyone to pray. Our job is to love our neighbors and to help them move forward.
Jackie our Ministry Development Director summarized our services this way:
"We have had 20 years of collecting resources, 20 years of meeting with clients one on one, 20 years of discerning who is looking for hand outs and who is genuinely in need…we move people forward by sowing the seed of the gospel, by EDUCATING those who come to our doors of what resources are in this city and how to go about applying for them AND THEN tracking what tools they have been given and when they return what they have done with these tools.
We continue to feed, we continue to educate, we continue to supply job leads; however our expertise is in providing God’s love to those who are drowning in our society, not judging but providing tangible tools to use to navigate and survive in this environment."
Christian HELP is able to HELP because our desire is to be a light in people's lives when they are walking through the darkness of unemployment, hunger, and despair.
Christian HELP starts with you. To learn more about how to be more involved, come to one of our monthly luncheons and see what we are talking about. The next one is June 6th. For more information, contact jackie@christianhelp.org.
In His Service,
Sandi Vidal
Executive Director
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