CCS volunteers: You can win symphony tickets!

If you’re a CCS volunteer, you’re eligible to win a pair of coveted symphony tickets.

The Elkhart County Symphony has given us two tickets to their Feb. 13 concert. We invite all volunteers to stop in at CCS to enter the drawing by Thurs., Feb. 11. The winner will receive both free tickets.

Register in our new volunteer central, “The Hub,” located in the back of the warehouse, near the dock doors.

You all deserve this, but we only have two tickets. We recently calculated that every day, volunteers do the work of 8 full-time staff. We can’t function without all of you very important persons. Thanks for all you do.

Concert details:
Elkhart County Symphony
in a cabaret orchestral concert
Sat, Feb. 13, p.m, 7:30 p.m. (go at 7 for a museum tour)
RVMH Hall of Fame, off CR 17 south of the toll road
Featured performer: Rich Ridenour, comedic pianist

Help us spread the word to as many CCS volunteers as possible.

hand stamped by soup of success

1/$2 or 6/$10
www.soupofsuccess.com
(574)523-1551

**click a picture to view a larger image**

Cherry Blossom Thank You-Pink

Coffee Birthday

Pine Thinking of You

Cherry All Purpose

Birthday Wish Blossom-Turquoise

Dandelion Thinking of You

Thanks a Latte

Bug Get Well

Owl Birthday

Happiness Birthday--Orange

Inkwell All Purpose

Time Birthday

Getting Ahead

The women in the Soup of Success class are four weeks into the Getting Ahead program in which they have recently been studying theories of change and causes of poverty.

They have analyzed personal changes they’ve made in the past for an understanding of their own strenths and style. They have also studied community and political causes of poverty, concluding that poverty is not only about the choice of people in poverty.

This work has helped the women see the economy and themselves in a new way, challenging old stereotypes and discovering new possibilities for community action.

For more information on the Getting Ahead program and materials, click here.

Official Elkhart Co. Homeless Count

Once a year, the state of Indiana does an official statewide count of people experiencing homelessness.

This count will take place today, January 27, 2010 for one day only.  Volunteers at many helping agencies in the county will be taking a few minutes to interview each person that seeks assistance of any sort.

The purpose of the survey is to:

1.   Provide a clear picture of the extent of homelessness
2.   See what the recent changes/trends are of the homeless
3.   Comply with HUD requirements
4.   Justify requests for funding and resources
5.  Provide outreach in our community

Church Community Services is playing a big part in this official count due to the sheer volume of people coming through our doors each day.  As a thank you for their time and assistance with the survey, each interviewee will receive a bag of personal care items for their time.

Everyday Angels

Last Friday, “D” an 87 year old woman, showed up at our back dock in a small red car that perfectly matched her diminutive 5 foot frame.  Inside that little car was a whopping 285 pounds of food!  Our pantry manager, Mary, excitedly unloaded the generous gift and informed D that her gift was larger than some churches in the area! 

D explained that she had never been to CCS before but followed the agency closely in the media.  Mary happily showed D around the building and answered questions as they walked.  As Mary hugged D goodbye, she realized just how frail D was, and that is when she shared that she was battling stage 4 Cancer along with all of the physical side effects of chemo.  Because of her health, it had taken her 1 ½ months to collect that food.

Even with all that D was dealing with, she still took the time to reach out to others in need in our community.

Indeed, she is an everyday angel.

Help Make a Difference in One Woman’s Life!

You are invited to become a volunteer mentor for a participant in Soup of Success – a program of Church Community Services.  SOS is a life & job skills training program. We offer group and individual support, education and training, career counseling, hands-on business experience, and mentoring. Each participant is striving to make positive changes in her life. 

 We are currently recruiting volunteer mentors to be matched with a new group of SOS participants that started in October.  We have a training available on January 30, 2010. 

Volunteers from the community are critical to the success of our program, and especially in the mentoring program, where we match women in the program one-on-one with women volunteers from the community to walk together through the challenges of growth and development.  

 If you have ever parented a child, held a job, managed a household, gone to school or figured out how to make ends meet, you have all the expertise necessary to be mentor.  Come pass on the encouragement that has helped you along the way, and join a group of women who are making a difference. 

 Training and support is provided.  For more information contact Kathy Peterson (x103) or Abbie Kashmer (x104) at 523-1551. 

If you know of  a woman in the Michiana area who might be interested in mentoring, please let them know about this opportunity.  There will be a second training this summer.  Please help us get the word out.

Facebook

We’re branching out more and more on Facebook! It has taken us awhile to learn how to manage a Business Page, but we’re getting there! The support of our nearly 200 fans on facebook lets us know that Facebook, and other internet resources, are going to be important features in keeping our donors and supporters informed of the happenings here at Church Community Services.

If you’re not already, be sure to become a fan of us on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/churchcommunityservices!

A Very Good Season for CCS

This time of year brings out the best in people.  Feelings of caring and sharing with others abound.  Last week, Tim & Bruce popped in and shared the story of their annual Christmas party.  The 500 guests all brought food or money for CCS in lieu of gifts.  Stan Mast, store manager for the Cobblestone Martin’s store in Elkhart, made them a deal, and the result was an incredible 5+ pallets of much-needed food for our pantry.

Just before Christmas we received a check for $10,000 from the Elkhart County Community Foundation, designated specifically to help people with their utilities. Our board of directors has since nearly matched that amount.

Then yesterday came THE BIG ONE: An anonymous local couple made a generous $100K gift to CCS to be used for emergency financial assistance and food! Follow this link to read about it:

Elkhart secret Santas give CCS a cool $100,000 – The Elkhart Truth – Elkhart, IN

It is a beautiful story. They have demonstrated the answer to “Who is my neighbor?”

Due to the big hearts of these incredible people, and others who have given in their own ways,  many of our Elkhart County neighbors will get much needed assistance. Every gift builds hope.

In the news…

The Elkhart Truth came and took pictures of our pantry on Wednesday, December 9 and were able to capture photos of a delivery of pet food. An anonymous donor provides us with pet food every Wednesday. Additionally, we recently received support from the Grainger Foundation which will help keep our shelves full during this holiday season!

We so appreciate the Elkhart Truth keeping our community informed of the happenings at Church Community Services. Without local support from the Elkhart Truth, the Grainger Foundation, and all the other local businesses, foundations, and individuals, we would be unable to serve our neighbors as we are.

As we draw nearer to Christmas, please keep Church Community Services in your thoughts and prayers. The holidays tend to bring more families through our doors than we are accustomed to. May we be able to serve those in need with enduring, compassionate hearts.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS **COUPONS**

As we get closer to Christmas, we want to encourage this season of giving by offering coupons!

Let us know that you saw the Free Gift coupon and we’ll give you a free gift.

When a shopper lets us know that you were the person who referred them to Soup of Success, and provides your mailing address, we’ll send you a free hand stamped greeting card by the SOS women!  So tell your friends face-to-face, e-mail them, or call them and let them know to come to SOS to buy gift baskets and products and tell them to make sure we know YOU sent them our way!  This year, give the gift that gives back.  Purchase Soup Of Success products!