Press Article

Printed in the Idaho Press Tribune, 12/21/09

1. What is your mission?

Our mission is to mobilize the Church to transform lives and communities in the name of Christ.

2. Are there any unique services your organization offers that can’t be found elsewhere?

Love INC specializes in developing “Gap” ministries to fill the needs in the community that are not being fully met. We offer a wide range of products and services that are free to clients who participate in our telephone intake process. Products include coats, clothes, furniture and appliances, firewood, bedding, household supplies and much more. Services are home repairs, yard work, tutoring and so on. This is only possible through our grassroots base of generous volunteers who donate their time, talents and product to those in need. To avoid duplication in our outreaches, we network with churches, non-profits, agencies and businesses and try to identify gaps in services, and also develop partnerships with these other helping entities, sharing our resources where appropriate.

Our core New Hope Relational Program offers a unique approach to resolving financial difficulties. Its accountability, built-in incentives and proven structure with one-on-one budget counseling plus group classes has a high success rate in terms of lasting change in people’s lives. We believe that building relationships is key to seeing transformation in individuals, families and generations.

3. How many people do you help annually, and do those number change around the holidays?

As of the end of November, we have helped 6,100 families, 15,000 individuals and met 24,500 needs. There are noticeable spikes, for example during back to school season, and also from November onwards when people are requesting coats, warm clothing and firewood. However, the needs do not go away after the holidays and Love INC is a constant presence through caring Christian volunteers to help people all year round.

4. Is there a greater need this year compared to previous years?

I think it would be safe to say that more people have been affected by the downturn in the economy than in previous years, and particularly hard-hit are those who are losing what used to be secure jobs. This being said, we have not been short of provisions for people who call in as our giving base is over 5,000 people, many of whom are even more motivated to volunteer since they have time on their hands while looking for work. The mobilized, united church has the potential to be a powerful force for good in the community.

5. Are you seeing different groups of people in need, and/or more children or families in need this year?

More middle income families are calling in as a spouse loses their employment. We direct them to our New Hope Relational Program to help them stretch their dollars and learn to budget their limited income. Marriages need our support through these critical times and we come around them with life skills classes such as parenting, marriage enrichment, cooking and nutrition, in addition to budgeting skills. We have seen a rise in the 4th quarter in the number of families, especially those with children, who are asking for help through the cold winter months. To expand our efforts to meet these needs, we have continued to hire additional staff over the years. The need never goes away, but we become better equipped to help as more volunteers join the ranks and we are able to do more.

6. How many comprise your staff?

Love INC has an Executive Director and nine other paid staff who work 26-40 hours per week.

7. What role do volunteers play in your organization?

Volunteers are key to the operation of the Love INC ministry. There are over 5,000 people in our database, two-thirds of whom are active in some way, and a core group of close to 600 volunteers whose interests and skills have been identified and who are placed in a regular, defined role, serving 2-4 hours per week.

8. How do you use donations that are given to the organization?

We have a team of sorters who process the incoming donations, redirecting them to either a client-related “gap” ministry or our resale shop depending on the current needs and inventory in each area. Those items that we cannot use directly are passed to another helping entity, such as Hands of Hope, the ARC, Lighthouse Rescue Mission and the community shelters. Knitted and crocheted items are made specifically for preemie babies at the hospital, seniors in retirement homes, chemo patients at MSTI and young mothers at Lifeline Pregnancy Center. Backpacks are also filled with supplies for foster children and elementary students. When we have an excess of perishable food we pass it on to the shelters and excess coats, hats and gloves go to schools or shelters.

9. How can the community get involved or support the group?

Volunteers from Christian churches can attend a one-hour orientation to find out more about serving with Love INC. Other ways to help are prayer, financial and product donations. Financial gifts can be sent to: Love INC of Treasure Valley, P.O. Box 3404, Nampa, ID 83653. Call (208) 466-7810 ext. 8 to find out how to donate product or go to the web site: www.loveinctv.org. We also have a resale shop called The Grace Place, open from Wednesday thru Friday (10am-5pm) and Saturday (10am-2pm). Each purchase at The Grace Place pays significant returns. The customer buys quality items for low prices and the proceeds go right back into ministry. The clothing section of The Grace Place is available to shoppers and also clients who can redeem a voucher for multiple items of clothing.

10. Christmas gift focus

The Executive Director of Love INC has published a beautiful and personal 366-page devotional with photographs on every page, the proceeds of which benefit the Love INC ministry. “Selah: Pause and Consider” can be purchased at the following locations: The Grace Place, North Star Christian Books, Café de Coco, For Heaven’s Sake, The Shed Downtown, all Hastings locations, Borders (Townsquare Mall), Reilly’s Church Supply, Interior Elements and Vineyard Christian Fellowship Book Cellar. It can also be purchased online at: www.selahdevotional.org.

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