The first week of July 2014 we were closed to remodel and install pallet racks in our back room. As you may recall from our last Newsletter, this was needed because we had been gifted with a forklift. We mention this to make the point that we were only open three weeks in July, yet God used the Care Mission to provide food and/or clothing assistance to 686 households, 670 food only / 16 food and clothing. Those households consisted of 2,169 individuals, including free school clothes to 45 children. Enough food was distributed to prepare approx. 32,500 meals. The total number of households and individuals served and the amount of food distributed are all new record high amounts. We are on pace to exceed each of those amounts for August.
God is faithful to provide. We thank each of you who have allowed God to use you by supporting our efforts here. We give our Lord all the glory and to you our sincere gratitude.
September is HUNGER ACTION MONTH
There’s good reason September is Hunger Action Month. For most food pantries across our nation June, July and August combine for the most demanding period of assistance. As our opening paragraph indicates this is certainly true for us. In addition November, December and January, the second most demanding period is just around the corner. So we find ourselves battle worn, but knowing we cannot yet rest. We must restock our shelves, re-energize our efforts and revive ourselves spiritually. Not only are June, July and August our most demanding period for assistance, but it is also the time period where most food panties receive their least amount of financial support. Again, this is certainly true for us and this year it is especially so. In July we received the lowest amount of financial support since 2008, which meant we started out August already in the hole. To date August has proven to be no better than July.
Still our trust is in the Lord, we are certain He will provide. Following are some suggestions for opportunities to allow the Lord to work through you to support the Care Mission:
- September First is Labor Day. Are you blessed to have a job? Make a donation to show your gratitude.
- September Fourth is Hunger Action Day. Challenge your co-workers to “brown bag” their lunch and donate their lunch money for that day or better yet for the week.
- September Seventh is Grandparents Day. Make a donation in memory / in honor of your grandparents.
- September Eighth kicks off Coupon Savings Week. Do you use coupons when grocery shopping? This week donate the money you saved or donate the extra items you got with the coupons.
- September 14th starts “Buck Bucket Week”. For the young folks a buck is a dollar. Bring a bucket and challenge your church family, Sunday school class, classmates or co-workers to donate a buck for every person in their household.
- September 20th is Kendra’s Birthday. Care Mission Director Kendra Phillips turns 54. Donate $5.40, $54.00, $540.00 or even $5,400.00 (Praise God) in her honor.
- September 27th is Hope’s Birthday. Our Board Chairman Hope Spears turns 37. Donate $3.70, $37.00, $370.00 or even $3,700.00 (Praise God). Or perhaps you know someone who’s having a birthday or anniversary this month and would like to honor them with a donation in their name.
These are just a few suggestions, maybe you can think of other unique ways to gather support for the Care Mission. If not in September, there’s always October. And remember, you can’t out give God.
Our friends at Bi-Lo just wrapped up their Summer Hunger Relief Campaign. We will benefit from all the proceeds collected at their Lafayette, Mission Ridge, Rossville and Fort Oglethorpe (across from Kmart) stores. We are so thankful for their support and the support of their customers. We do not yet know the total amount collected, we’ll let you know when we do.
Our friends at the Lafayette Branch of First Volunteer Bank are collecting non-perishable foods and monetary donations. The food drive will conclude September 26th with a community cook-out as a thank you to our community for your support. While any non-perishable food item is appreciated, the following items are on our wish list; flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, mayo, mustard and ketchup.
Please keep in your prayers:
- Joy Allen-Wilkie, who left the mission to resume her teaching career.
- Our Board and Directors as we continue to move forward with the vision God has given us and that we have the wisdom and discernment to understand God’s will.
- All those who enter our doors.
- All those who are a blessing to the Care Mission.
- Our friends at Kids 4 Christ.
- Pastor Tom Long, Pastor Chris Spears, Tom Cross and James Walker all dealing with health issues.
- And most importantly thank God for His blessings.
Food for thought…
Our dumpster is over six feet tall. It has plastic lids held shut by a bar clamp. It has two side doors to throw the garbage in, which we keep locked when not in use. Early one morning I noticed a hand working its way out from under the lid. As I stood there watching through the glass of our front door, another hand popped out. The lid finally came free and a foot, then a leg emerged. Eventually a man made it out of our dumpster with a bunch of rotten bananas in hand. I assume he had pried the lid open, gotten inside and then the lid fell back shut. Undeterred he forced his way back out. He seemed quite pleased with himself as he almost skipped his way down the railroad tracks to his camp site. As I watched all this unfold I stood only a few feet from a pallet full of good bananas which we would be giving to anyone who wanted them…free. So this guy had gone to great difficulty to get rotten bananas out of our dumpster when in just a few hours he could have walked through our door and gotten all the good bananas he wanted for free.
As I pondered this the Holy Spirit reminded me that I had done the same. So many times in my life I have fought and struggled to do things my way, even diving into a worldly spiritual dumpster and then proudly gaining my rotten fruit. I didn’t need God, right? But all the while God had good fruit for me if only I would have honored Him with my life.
God desires that we have good fruit that honors and gives Him glory. Our good fruit gives testimony that we are His. When we settle for rotten fruit we settle for what this world gives.
Maybe you’ve never found yourself digging through the garbage of this world, but I have. Therefore, I must daily seek out His direction so my path will find the good fruit He has prepared for me.
Thanks for your support. Be Blessed.
Deon and Kendra Phillips