News You Can Use

For Your Church Newsletter    - Prepared by Steve Tindall

From Lutheran Community Services            May 2014

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 Golf Tournament – May 16, 2014

If you’re a golfer, join in the fun at the annual Gimme Shelter Golf Tournament. This year’s tournament is at Wilmington’s Porky Oliver Golf Club on Friday May 16 with an 8:00 a.m. shotgun start. Larry Friday is the tournament director. Contact him about sponsorships and registrations -- (302) 438-1290 or fridayla@msn.com. Registration forms are available on line at www.lcsde.org. All of the money raised by the tournament goes to support LCS’s homelessness prevention program, which helps hundreds of people each year who are threatened with eviction. Clients with a housing crisis contact LCS for grants or zero interest loans for back rent, mortgage, a security deposit or back utilities. LCS believes that preventing homeless, by reaching out to families in crisis before they are homeless, is much superior to trying to help after they become homeless. Each year LCS helps over 1000 people this way.  In addition to financial assistance, LCS also refers clients to financial literacy counseling and they must meet with Clarifi prior to their appointment at LCS.

Housing Clients Referred to Clarifi

Clarifi, a non-profit community resource devoted to Lifelong Financial Literacy, is LCS’s vender of choice for financial education, though it also works with other providers of financial literacy like the Delaware Money School. Clarifi has its roots in helping people who are struggling with debt so that they can take control of their personal financial wellbeing, no matter their economic status. Clarifi helps our clients develop a plan, so that when they come to us seeking assistance the amount necessary has already been worked out.

An example of how Clarifi works, according to one of our staff: “This morning, I met w/Donna who needs assistance with her mobile home mortgage.   Her husband died unexpectedly in February and the household has suddenly been shifted from 2 incomes to 1.  Donna works full time but is really struggling to make ends meet.  She is also struggling with her grief and about her financial future.  Last night, Donna had an appointment at Clarifi.  She said she found Clarifi to be amazingly helpful.  She especially valued the open and honest approach of her counselor who worked with her to prioritize her bills and develop strategies to reduce them.”