News You Can Use - June 2012

News You Can Use - Prepared by Steve Tindall

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services      June 2012

Editors: This information is prepared for church newsletter editors, secretaries and pastors. Your help in getting the word out is appreciated and will help LCS achieve its mission of “Sharing God’s blessings by helping others in need.” Comments about timing or content are welcome. Contact Steve Tindall (stindall@lcsde.org). 302 654 8886.

Gimme Shelter

The Gimme Shelter Golf Tournament provided friendly competition for 19 foursomes on May 14, and resulted in a cash contribution to LCS of almost $11,000! Tournament director Larry Friday was pumped up about all the positive comments about the tournament – the course, the company, the club, the rivalries, and the message that LCS is there to extend the hand of help to low income people in the middle of housing emergencies. Winners of the tournament were members of the foursome headed up by Elmo Byer, from Zion Lutheran. Their score?  61!

Utility Bill Rescue

We recently helped a man who lost his job, his unemployment insurance and – almost – his self respect. When he came to us, his back utility bills were the most glaring problem for him and he was facing the possibility of immediate shut-off, and eviction following that. We helped him with his bills, then referred him to Friendship House, where he got bus tickets to apply for a new job, which he got! We also referred him to nearby churches. When he called a month later he thanked us for helping him at a time that he was so low in spirit that he did not know if he would survive. We thank God that he did.

Annual Breakfast Report

This year’s Room at the Table free fundraising breakfast on May 9 at the Dupont Country Club

turned out to be one of the best ever. 275 people joined us for breakfast, a video, impassioned speakers and testimonials. When all was said and done, LCS received contributions, pledges, and commitments for over $200,000 during the next five years. The breakfast is a wonderful fundraiser for LCS because it provides unrestricted operating expenses. Grants generally have lots of strings attached, but our breakfast provides support for salaries and whatever we need most. It’s one of the reasons we are here, year in and year out, “Sharing God’s Blessings by Helping Others in Need.”

Random Acts of Volunteering from Seattle

Sometimes you have a moment that makes you stop and pause. I had one of those moments when a one-day visiting volunteer from Seattle sent me a blog he wrote shortly after his visit.

It started about a month ago when I received an email from a Mr. Davis Patterson. He explained to me that he wanted to start volunteering at various locations he visited as he traveled for his job. I thought it was a unique and interesting idea so I contacted our Assistant Program Director Aaron Ballet and asked if he could accommodate him for one day in our St. Stephens Pantry. Aaron liked the idea as well and was more than happy to do so. A few more exchanges of emails later and Davis was all good to go. I didn't think to much more about it, as it was about a month out and I had many other volunteers and activities going across my desk.

The day came for Davis to arrive, and I had written his arrival on my calender, so I took my camera and decided to head down to the pantry to say "Hi' and see how things were going. Davis turned out, as with almost all of our volunteers, to be a delightful and very energetic individual, eager to do everything he could during his three hours of work in the pantry. We were short handed that morning, so I kinda jumped in and got a bit of a crash course myself. It is one thing to give tours of the pantry, but it is another thing entirely to dig in and do the work!

Eventually it was time for Davis to run out the door, and run out the door he did. But only because he waited till the last minute and was running late for his train! I managed to grab a few photos of him out in front of the church and in the pantry, but he had to rush outside to ask his shuttle to please wait while he went back in to grab his luggage. Then after a few quick good byes, out the door he ran again.

Back to my office and on my with regular duties. A few days later Davis emailed me a blog, that he decided to start, because he said he was inspired after seeing this one. I was absolutely humbled after reading what he wrote while on the train to DC about his experience with us at the St. Stephens Pantry.

I know that we touch the lives of our recipients everyday. But to know that we touch the lives of our volunteers is pretty amazing. And it something that we often do not hear and certainly almost never read about. It is heartwarming to know that folks are having good experiences, albeit different ones, on both sides of the fence.  It is all about love and respect for each other.

So please go read Davis Patterson's blog Random Acts of Volunteering. He choose us as his first location to road test this on, and will be doing more. Be sure to sign up for future posts. I have no doubt he will have good stories to share with us all!

Thank You Davis!!!

LCS VOLS!

Need a summer project for the kids? Looking for something new to flex those volunteer muscles with?

Sport your leadership or creative skills, work from home, and make up your own schedule. This volunteer opportunity has it all...

Become an LCS VOLS Hunger Walk/Run Team Captain today!

We need volunteers to captain teams (3 or more individuals) of walkers or runners for our 21st Annual 5k Hunger Walk/Run to be held on September 15, 2012 in Rockford Park, Wilmington. We are also looking for volunteers to recruit other captains, organize food drives and help to promote the walk/run.

How can my team and I make a difference?

- Raise money from Sponsors
- Collect food via a food drive
- Recruit other walkers/runners for your team

Below is a job description, must do's and fun stuff to help you get started on organizing your team. Sign up to our Google Group today to receive updates on the walk/run and other important news for all volunteers of LCS. (widget on the right hand side of this page.)

LCS is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. All donations from the walk will go directly and immediately to providing emergency food to Delawarean's in need. To learn more about LCS and how we do it, schedule a "Food for Thought" tour at our St. Stephen's Pantry by calling Steve Tindall: (302) 654-8886, ext 105.

Becoming a Team Captain is easy and fun! Here is what you need to do...

Team Captain Job Description:

The primary job of the Walk Run Team Captain is to recruit a team. Next they need to get financial commitments (sponsorships) from individuals in support of the team's participation. Team mates recruited by the captain will then collect from more sponsors. They will ask the key question: "Will you sponsor me in the LCS 5 k Hunger Walk Run for ____ dollars?"  Other duties of the team captain are to create enthusiasm and fun or competitive events that will increase sponsorships and participation. Most important, it is the Team Captains job to have FUN!

Must Do's

1. Name your team (ex: Holy Walkamolies, Team Tenderfoots...) Have fun with your team name!
2. Tell LCS your team name so we can be sure to add it to the list on the registration site by contacting Cher Frampton here.
3. Create a fundraising goal for your team. Minimum requirement is $25 for minors and $50 for adults in sponsorships to qualify for a t-shirt or prizes.  Ask 5 co-workers, 5 members of your church and 5 family members. If you ask each of them for $20, that is $300 before you know it. If you have a team of just 5 members each able to do that, your team just reached $1,500!
4. Make sure each walker/runner registers with LCS for the walk/run. While as team captain you are registering yourself and a team, individuals must still register. Please ask them to include their team name on the registration.
5. Call with any questions! (302) 654-8886, ext 107

Fun Stuff

Create a t-shirt or hat!  Fabric paint, markers, glitter...whatever works. Or if you are the real technical type and enjoy graphic design, try designing a shirt at www.cafepress.com (LCS receives no benefits from cafepress.com This information is being provided to you as just an idea, not an endorsement of cafepress.com.)

Have a food drive! We are taking food that day in addition to sponsorships donations. Call Cher for a food drive kit to help give you fun ideas on how to have one. Or ask your team members to each bring a can for every sponsorship they collect.

Ask your employer for a "buy-in day" such as "Jeans Day" or "Hat Day", anything fun that individuals who wish to participate can pay $5.00 each to get in on.

Share with us your ideas! Let us know about any events you plan so we can help promote them. We are here to help!

We all look forward to seeing you on September 15th!