Miles of Smiles

Nick Hanging with LCS

Miles of Smiles, that's what I call him -- Nick DeVoe. Why that particular nick name? Well let's just say it fits! He is always smiling and big!

Everyone fell in love with Nick on day one and he established himself as a regular in the St. Stephen's pantry quickly. 

I think it is awesome when we have young people come to us to stay busy when they are between jobs and or school. Keeps them busy, helps with job skills, looks good to future employers and they get to help others in need while they are helping themselves.

On Wednesday August 29th we asked Nick if he wouldn't mind speaking to us about his experience as a volunteer at LCS at our Free Feel Good event being held for our Helping Others Circle. If you would like to know more about our Helping Others Circle and how to get involved, you can contact our Executive Director Jean Warren or our Development Director Steve Tindall for more information.

Since Nick did such a good job, I thought the best thing to do would be just to share his words....

"They saw the potential in me that
I was not recognizing myself in a long time
and inspired me to keep trying."

My name is Nicholas Edgar DeVoe and I am proud to tell people I am a volunteer for the St. Stephen’s Food Pantry. Through my time here working for Lutheran Community Services  I’ve had the opportunity to meet some pretty cool individuals. Not only that but I’ve been able to reinforce and cement my retail skill set and that has given me the confidence to handle any retail job. I’m usually a quiet more reserved person, especially in a work place environment, but I’ve been able to express myself, my thoughts and opinions and grow as a leader here at LCS.

Nick in the pantry with LVC Volunteer Laurie Elseroad

Before I was an LCS volunteer I was sitting on my butt twiddling my thumbs. My mother can testify to that! I was trying to get a job and get back in school but I was having trouble with both.

Earlier this year I started a month long weekly program through the Department of Labor Division of Vocational Rehabilitation where I was hooked up with an organization named “Training for Results.” This wonderful organization was responsible for placing out-of-work individuals like myself into new jobs. They saw the potential in me that I was not recognizing myself in a long time and inspired me to keep trying.

Nick poses with LCS Board President Janice Reissig

They led me to LCS and I found myself in the St. Stephen’s pantry which gave me something to dedicate myself to. Three days a week for the past  month and half I’ve been seeing the impact of my contributions. 

Already, I can see I am doing a lot better! I have a goal to get back into school this spring and I have started to get call backs from the places I have been applying, which is always refreshing. I know now this is a path to success and would benefit anybody who lends a bit of their time.

So to Tonya, Linda, Cher and Aaron, and everybody here that has welcomed me I say “Thank You.” Thank you for this opportunity and thank you for doing God’s Work! LCS for LIFE!!

Volunteer Job Openings - August/September

Want to help? Here are a few volunteer job openings we are currently in desperate need of.

Food Drive Coordinators (Unlimited Openings)

Thanksgiving and Christmas are not the only times of the year food drives are needed. People are in need of food year round. But many do not think about this volunteering opportunity during the summer. LCS can provide you with step by step instructions on ideas of how to hold a food drive, or you can get creative and come up with ideas of your own.  Ask your church, schools, employers, boy scouts/girl scouts, community center, book club, family and friends to get involved. 

Food Drives are also an excellent way for high school students to earn their volunteer hours. They learn all about team work, time management, marketing, community and so much more. Every hour they put into planning, meeting and executing their food drive counts as volunteer hours. This has proven to be a very successful volunteer activity for both the students and LCS!

If you would be interested in coordinating a food drive, large or small, contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Cher Frampton at (302) 654-8886, ext 107 or cframpton@lcsde.org

Team Captains for Hunger Walk Run (Unlimited Openings)

Yes! What would a post be right now without reminding you that we still need more Captains to organize walk/run teams for our 21st Annual Hunger Walk/Run being held on September 15th at Rockford Park in Wilmington. You can find out more information on our website at www.lcsde.org. You can even pre-register on-line! It's really easy!! Contact Heather Teig at hteig@lcsde.org or call (302) 654-8886 with questions. Don't forget that we are holding a food drive that day too, so bring your canned goods! 

Of course we are always in need for other volunteers across the entire organization. But these are the current acute needs that we have right this moment.  Even if these positions are not something you can do, but you know someone you think might be able to do them, pass this blog post along. We would be ever so grateful!

Blessings,

Cher Frampton

Volunteer Coordinator

News You Can Use

News You Can Use - Prepared by Steve Tindall

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services                  September 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.

21stAnnual Hunger Walk Run September 15!

On Saturday September 15, LCS will hold its 21st Annual Hunger Walk Run in Wilmington’s Rockford Park. 100% of the funds raised go to buy food that LCS distributes to low income people at 12 separate locations. We had a 19% increase in food clients last year, so the Walk Run as a fundraiser is more important than ever. The main event is the 5K Walk Run, but for those not up to the distance, we have a 1-mile, shaded, in the park walk and a wheelchair course. Then for youth, there is a competitive 5k run. These options are outlined on the registration form, which is attached.

This year we are putting a major emphasis on ON-LINE REGISTRATION.  Just go to our website and you’ll see the Walk Run button on our home page (www.lcsde.org). Pre-registration on-line is accurate, time saving, and easy-to-do. We hope as many people as possible take advantage of it. If you have questions about on-line registration and/or payment on-line, contact Heather at LCS at 654 8886 x100. A couple of other notes… If you would like to volunteer to help out at the Walk Run, contact LCS Volunteer Coordinator Cher Frampton at 654 8886 x107.  Keep in mind that the Walk Run is a food drive too, and that all food gifts will be immediately taken to our pantries.

Helping DisAbled People

For several years, LCS has been helping disabled folks by providing valuable work/people skills and as a result some successfully transition back into the workforce. This is a program that we quietly work on with a limited number of clients but it gets a lot of attention. Recently we got a letter from one of the companies that refers disabled volunteers to us – Training for Results – about how pleased they were with the relationship:

“We have placed numerous volunteers in a variety of community based settings, and I must say that the program implemented by Cher at LCS is by far the best. When volunteers are placed with LCS they immediately feel they are donating their time to a first-rate organization.” - Tanya Powell , Training for Results

Saying Goodbye to Anne Graupner - Celebrating a Year of Service

“And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). That is what Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC) had asked of Anne Graupner to do for one year here at LCS, far from her home in Germany, and I cannot think of anyone who has exemplified that more than Anne.

Goodbyes are always hard. But we have much to celebrate as it was a successful year for Anne and for LCS as we had the privilege of working with such a kind and loving person. We certainly hope she will take away with her as much as we have gained from her presence with us.

I managed to sit her down for an interview and photos, despite a bit of protest, she was a good sport in the end!  And while we will be getting a new volunteer from LVC at the end of August, to take over for Anne, she cannot be replaced. That person will simply be filling in the legacy that others have left behind even before Anne. None of our volunteers can ever be replaced. They are all so special us.

How are you feeling about leaving next week?

“I have a lot of mixed feelings. Some excitement, some sadness.”

What was your reaction when you found out you were coming to Delaware?
“I didn’t know where it was. I had to look it up on the internet.  My LVC’r roommate had a shirt that said –Dela-where?  And that described how I felt’. I liked the idea that it was on the east coast, close to the ocean and close to a lot of things. I did get to see Philadelphia, New York and Washington DC.”

What was life like when you first started to work at LCS?
“Culture shock! Especially during orientation. I had to work on improving my English, that was a real issue at first. Then figuring other things out. My room mates, the work...everything. I was really tired mentally.

Sandy and Aaron and everyone gave me so much support. There is such good communication in this office. The staff meetings are unlike bigger organization I have been involved in before. We are able to keep up with each other and what the current projects are. Despite a small staff there is a lot going on here and those meetings are often the only time we get to connect as a group. It still has a grass roots feeling despite all of the big projects.”

What has the work at LCS meant to you and have you found it fulfilling?
“It has meant a lot. It is the first time I have worked in direct services. Also has meant so much because of the people I work with, both the staff and all of the wonderful volunteers. I have really been impressed with how many volunteers LCS has and everything that they do. It has been shocking to see how many people are in need. It is frustrating to see."

Do you sense a lot of gratitude from the clients?
“It changes. Every client is different. Some hugs, some say thank you. But I was just happy when I saw that truck pull up and new I was providing assistance. I never expected anything from them.”

What would you change if you could? About LCS? About LVC About the USA?
“Cannot think of anything to change about LCS or LVC. But maybe tell people - Nothing big, but if everyone did something small, baby steps, give their time they could make big changes.”

Has the work at LCS changed your view of the world?
“I was not aware there where so many people in need of food and housing assistance.”

Are there similar programs to ours in your country?
“We have a good program, but not a lot of people are as much in need. More are covered by the government, so not as much of a need as here.”

What are you going to miss the most about your time here in Delaware and what are you taking back with you?
“Friends that I found here in Delaware. How much I liked working at LCS and lots of good experiences."

What are your plans when you get home?
"Looking for a job. I applied for several. I am going to take some time to readjust myself back to life in Germany."

Would you do it again? 
"YES!"

Cool Anne, so would we!
Thanks for a great year...we are going to miss you!!

Poster Hangers Needed

 07/25/12 Update: Posters Are Out!!
Thank you to everyone who helped to get them out into the community!

There is nothing like coming back from a relaxing vacation to get you motivated at work. Translated this means; "I just returned from vacation and I am in a panic! I cannot find half of my folders that I know I left right here! I am also looking at this massive in-box of emails, schedules, stories I have to write and projects I must get to work on with unforgiving time lines and am developing a slight twitch in my left eye!"  Try saying that three times really fast. The aftermath of "holiday" is littered about my desk and now I must pay.

Fair enough, I am but our humble servant. I try to remind myself of this often, as does my mother.

People ask me all the time, "What do you need help with?" So here is what we have on the "help us please" menu right now...

We need help putting these 12"x16" posters out into the community for our upcoming Hunger Walk Run being held on September 15. Grocery stores, churches, store fronts, restaurants, community centers, anywhere there is foot traffic. Ideally, I would love to see folks take on about five posters each, but if you can only take on two, great! If you want to take on more, please call me!! If you have a friend willing to help out too, even better. Since they are not that big, they should not be a difficult sell to get hung up into windows.

So if you are one of those individuals who have been wanting to help out, or looking for something else to do with LCS....here is your chance. This is an easy but very important mission. If this is the job for you, please contact me at cframpton@lcsde.org to make arrangements to pick up your supply of posters from our Rodney Street office.

I look forward to hearing from you!
Cher Frampton
Volunteer Coordinator
(302) 654-8886, ext 107

News You Can Use

News You Can Use - Prepared by Steve Tindall

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services                       August 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.

Raccoons!

Staffers at the LCS FAITH Center went above and beyond for a client that was having trouble with raccoons this month. It’s not the typical kind of help we provide, but given the circumstances, it seemed like the right thing to do. Here’s what happened. An elderly lady from the Southbridge neighborhood called and said construction near her house had driven a family of raccoons into her attic and she couldn’t get them out. “I’m afraid they’ll fall through on my bed!” she said. She had called a lot of agencies in vain trying to find someone to help her. Finally, the city referred her to the LCS FAITH Center. Through many phone calls, FAITH Center staff helped her find a reliable firm to remove the raccoons and worked with the construction firm to assure that they wouldn’t be back. Our client was very pleased and slept well!

Youthful Volunteers at Work  

Over 50 young volunteers from the Del Tech Upward Bound Math & Science Program helped LCS program staff assemble 500 “healthy food boxes” as part of our nutrition initiative that provides specially selected foods to help low income people fight diet-related diseases. The boxes contain a variety of foods low in salt and carbohydrate, and high in protein and fiber. The diseases we are targeting include diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity and more. The kids pitched in with more enthusiasm than you can imagine and the job was done in no time.

Partnerships Help LCS Help More

Three new partnerships have resulted in new ways to assist our low income neighbors. First, we entered an arrangement with Clarifi, a firm which will provide financial counseling for our housing clients. Next, we have a new agreement with Ingleside Senior Center and Wilmington’s Licensing and Inspections Department whereby homeless seniors and seniors in unhealthy living environments may be referred to LCS. Finally, we have an agreement with the Westminster Presbyterian Furniture Outreach Program. Under this arrangement, many LCS housing clients will be eligible to receive dishes, linens and furniture for their new apartments.

News You Can Use

News You Can Use - Prepared by Steve Tindall

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services                            July 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.

Join Us Online!

LCS has a new Google Group! What is a Google Group? A Google Group is a type of LISTSERV where you sign up with your email and we send out messages to the group. Our new Volunteer Coordinator designed this program to keep you informed about volunteer activities, events, news and needs of LCS. The group is a one way communication system, meaning that only LCS can post messages to the group and no one can reply to the messages. This means that you will not receive any unwanted emails to your inbox. You can sign-up at the new volunteer blog at www.lcsvolunteersde.blogspot.com. or go to http://groups.google.com/group/lcsdeorg.

Sign Up for the Walk Run Online

Our revamped website (www.lcsde.org) has an interactive form for signing up for the Hunger Walk Run. We believe this is going to make it much easier to tabulate participants and results. You can sign up on line, pay on line, or sponsor someone on line. We look forward to seeing you at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, September 15 in Rockford Park.

LCS Staffer Shines

A woman we helped recently called our executive director to compliment Assistant Program Director Aaron Ballett for the way her case was handed. She was seeking security deposit help because as a victim of domestic violence she needed to get out of an unhealthy environment and into a safe place. With Aaron’s help we were able to grant her $600 toward the $1200 deposit on a new apartment. She said Aaron was a big help, answered all her questions, returned every phone call and was pleasant throughout the whole experience.

ELCA Social Ministry Award

LCS presented its annual Social Ministry Award to JoEllen Freida – a six year board member, secretary, and all-around volunteer – at the ELCA DE-MD Synod Celebrate Ministry Dinner.