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We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. Recycling these items diverts them from landfills and provides needed revenue for programs. Home Sweet Home Ministries demonstrates Christ's love through innovative approaches that instill hope, restore lives, and build community. Our vision is to be a ministry of refuge and renewal powered by Jesus Christ. NACSW welcomes individuals and organizations interested in integrating Christian faith and professional social work practice. Let me share with you three things we did to move us toward more a effective model of food ministry.
When we tell them we need them and want them to utilize their God-given talents and abilities, they positively light up! Our Co-op Advisory Board shares responsibility with us in charting the future direction and scope of the co-op. We take their guidance on things like membership requirements, food products to stock, classes to offer, etc.
Home Sweet Home Ministries Revamping Food Co-op With $75K Grant
“We are grateful for the opportunity to extend our mission to serve low-income individuals and families struggling with chronic food security issues through the expansion of the Bread For Life Food Co-op. We look forward to providing more space, better visibility, and easier access for co-op members," Burgess said. First, we started to listen intently.We listened for six months before taking any action. To do this, we enlisted the help of local college students and started asking our pantry customers questions. We asked about their experience with us, about their use of other food pantries in the community, and about their thoughts on the food co-op model. An overwhelming majority of the people we spoke with expressed excitement about the prospect of contributing to their own well-being and food security and were intrigued by the co-op concept.
It is easy to find volunteers excited to be a part of the Thanksgiving meal distribution. Volunteers drove more than 45 routes to deliver 263 meals. Mike Ohler was one of those volunteers helping with getting meals out the door and then cleaning up afterward. He has been volunteering with the organization for more than a decade and said that he would try to stop by pretty much any time he came to downtown. Debbie Reese, director of client services at Home Sweet Home Ministries, talks about the organization's origins and reasons for its Thanksgiving meal delivery and community meal. In October 2009, I came to stay at the Home Sweet Home Ministries for 10 weeks.
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Do you have a story to share about poverty alleviation in your community? If so, please consider joining me and other NACSW members who have launched the Poverty Alleviation member interest group. We can use your help in sharing ideas and inspiration with the rest of the NACSW membership. For additional information about the Poverty Alleviation member interest group, contact Rick Chamiec-Case.
We also became aware of the feelings of shame, embarrassment, and discomfort our pantry recipients were experiencing. Once we took the time to honestly look and listen, we heard statements like, “I can’t believe I have to come to a food pantry,” and we saw the downcast faces of the recipients. The free food we were offering often came at the cost of program recipients sacrificing personal dignity. HSHM was founded by Billy Shelper on Thanksgiving Dayin 1917, said Debbi Reese, director of client services. Today the organization runs a shelter, food pantry and outreach program. Home Sweet Home's Ministries also has a addiction rehab center it is called the Threshold Program.
How Home Sweet Home Ministries feeds hundreds on Thanksgiving
That is part of what makes the Thanksgiving meals special, because they have enough for everyone. We could not do what we do without the financial support of our faith, community and corporate partners...as well as the 100's of individual donors who account for the large majority of donations we recieve. Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions.
After over two years of planning and implementation, HSHM successfully converted our pantry to a co-op about 18 months ago. We call our co-op “Bread For Life,” and through this ministry the co-op members gain access to real food and real community. There's no subscription fee to listen or read our stories. Everyone can access this essential public service thanks to community support.
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Food service workers started in early September to cook turkeys that would be preserved until Thanksgiving, said Carol Schrenk, food services manager. In total, they cooked more than 70 turkeys, made eight gallons of gravy, prepared more than 25 pans of sides and sliced 60 pies. On Thursday, staff and volunteers were delivering more than 260 meals and then getting ready for a community meal at the shelter. They maintain a strong dedication to making sure everyone gets a Thanksgiving meal, Reese said. Emergency shelter is provided for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness. Case management, work service, educational offerings, meal services, and counseling are available.
When we give tours, our co-op members chime in with enthusiastic comments about their experiences. Our members tell their friends and family about the co-op and encourage them to join, too. We’ve even begun to gather data using structured surveys to measure the change in our members’ sense of hope in their lives, and anticipate that these data will support our anecdotal observations thus far.
Raycraft mailed churches and schools about The Salvation Army's "dire need of nonperishable items." A food drive competition at Twin City schools runs through Dec. 8. With shelves going bare, Raycraft said the agency has had to downsize what is included in the food boxes. Washington St., had passed out as many food boxes by April this year as it did all of 2007, Raycraft said. But we still need your voice to help others learn more about who we are and where we are going as an organization and a community. “I just hope that everyone gets a Thanksgiving meal, that’s what we care about,” Reese said. Monthly deep cleaning of the shelterMonthly maintenance(i.e. light bulb replacement, fire extinguisher checks,ect.)Light handy work.
We review compensation data across the organization to identify disparities by race. Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan. Church relationships; frequent interface with local churches towards deeper engagement with Home Sweet Home Ministries.
It has been a tumultuous journey from pantry to co-op, but without a doubt worth every bump and challenge along the way. I’d like to share with you one painful realization we came to and three steps that moved us forward into a new and healthier model of charity. The downturn of the economy has forced more people to seek help feeding their families but it also has reduced the number of donations the two agencies receive. The Salvation Army has had so many requests for food boxes, officials decided not to distribute Thanksgiving baskets this year in hopes they will have enough food to fill requests for Christmas baskets.
I had been in a domestic violence relationship, and needed a temporary place to stay while I got back on my feet. While residing there I found myself a second job, and with the help from my caseworker and other staff member I was able to get a place of my own. Being homeless taught me so much, I met some wonderful people in the shelter. Individuals without a valid photo ID will not be able to obtain a clearance card from the Bloomington Police Department, and therefore will not be able for residential emergency shelter services. Adhering to these procedures ensures that Home Sweet Home is a safe environment for everyone.
Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. "In the third quarter of 2007, we served 15,630 meals and distributed 127 food boxes," she said. "In the third quarter of 2008, we served 18,142 meals and distributed 271 food boxes."
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