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