Over 10,000 Served!

No, we aren’t talking about McDonalds, we are talking about the number of people that have come through our doors for assistance so far this year.  The actual number as of today is 10, 022 to be exact.  That number represents individuals (most of which have additional family members at home) that have come in for help in making ends meet.   Some came for food, others for financial assistance with prescriptions, utilities or rent. 

Over 150 people each month are first time visitors.  These are people that have been working.  People that have never used a pantry before.  People that never thought they would have to ask for help.

We were a little shocked by this number so early in the year, so we looked at our stats for 2007.  Food Pantry usage alone is up 13% over this time last year.  All of our financial assistance combined is up 11%.  With all of the layoffs occurring right now, we fear that this scary trend is sure to continue rising during the final five months of 2008. 

We are fortunate to be able to provide assistance to this many people in Elkhart County.  Assistance that would not be possible without you.  Thank you for helping us reach out and help others in our community.  Your food and financial support is more critical now than ever, so that we can keep food on our pantry shelves.

Why Am I Here at SOS?

Hi.  I’m one of the women in the class at SOS right now.  Why am I here?  Well, when I first started, I thought I was here to help others, and to learn new skills.  Honestly, after I have been here for a while, it’s much more than that.  It’s bringing someone special out that is inside of me.  I am here to put my life together.

Since I’ve been here, I’ve thought a lot about change.  What is change?  Change is moving from something old to something new.  It could be a place, thing, people, jobs, or just inside yourself.  In this case, I am talking about myself.

When you start having ideas to change, it is easy.  Then when you begin doing the action steps…well…it becomes very hard.  Your life is like a bunch of shoelaces all knotted up, and you don’t know where to begin or stop.   But I have discovered that God’s plan is awesome.  He puts people and things in my path to make change easier. 

Here is a scripture from Jeremiah (29:11-14) in which I hear God encouraging me:  “‘For I know that thoughts that I think toward you’, says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you’, says the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back from your captivity.’”

-SG

It Takes Courage

This week in the Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World workbooks, our women took a thorough and unflinching look at all of their personal resources.  Each woman individually assessed her own status in the areas of financial, physical, emotional, mental, social support, relationship, spiritual, hidden rules of class, language, integrity, and motivation resources.   We understand poverty, and conversely prosperity, to be about the extent to which we have resources in all of these areas–not just finances.  And we can see how they are all intertwined–our strengths can be used to build up areas of weakness, just as crisis in one area can be a debilitating burden on the resources we are using.  There were teary eyes as women came to terms with their own situations–realized strengths they didn’t know they had, clearly saw areas that needed work, felt the intense desire for the safety and security that comes from having more resources in all these areas.  Now they are onward…planning their personal paths to prosperity one step at a time.

!Explore Soup of Success!

We were blessed to have yet another volunteer group helping out at Soup of Success for two days last week!  The !Explore program is a theological program for high school youth through AMBS, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, which is located in Elkhart.  Through this program, they explore theological questions, develop their gifts in leadership, and do service in the community.  We were thrilled that they decided to connect with the Elkhart community this year to do their service projects, and that Soup of Success was one of the agencies where they volunteered their time!  While at Soup of Success, they helped put together soup, cookie, and dip mixes and got to learn more about Church Community Services, our Client-Choice Food Pantry, and about the needs in this community. 

Below, Kent (!Explore Event Pastor) and Joseph (AMBS Campus Host) sort beans in preparation for making Ruth’s Five Bean Soup!

!Explore participants (below) putting together dip mixes.  This group assembled and tied 162 Double Chocolate Kiss of Mint cookies, wrapped 216 Santa Fe dips, assembled and tied 341 All-American Chicken & Stars soups, and assembled 274 All-American Chicken & Stars spice packets in just two afternoons!  Thanks for your help, !Explore, and we hope to see you back next year!

Stranded Social Monks?

I received a phone call at CCS Wed. afternoon that lead to an unusual encounter.  We get many calls for help but this one was from a pair of social monks who are hitch hiking around the country for 40 days and 40 nights to document how ordinary people go the second mile in helping others.  I was skeptical at first, but after extended conversation and checking out their web site, http://www.socialmonk.com I decided to meet them and help them on the next leg of their journey.  These two young men, friends for seven years, wearing monks habits, felt called by Jesus’ ministry and teaching to make this exploratory journey.  A third young man with a video camera is documenting this journey and their many encounters with a wide range of people.  One of their discoveries–how often help came from the most unexpected sources and people.  Their appearance as “monks” has led some to offer them confessions they never expected to hear.  They are finding that people are basically good and want to help.  When their documentary is completed it will be on youtube which can be accessed through their web site.
-Dean

Introducing SOS Women

Here’s what several of the women in the current class at SOS had to say when asked, “What are you most proud of in being at SOS?”

“What I am most proud of having at Soup of Success is Money Management class, because that class has helped me manage my income and has helped me save money out of every check and pay my bills on time.  I also spend less money than I make.” -LW

“I am proud to be chosen and be part of Soup of Success.  The different skills and life training I’ve had here cannot be paid for with any amount.  Tears of joy and tears of sorrow fall down from each others’ eyes.  Soup of Success is my life now and leads me to be a super woman.” -RC

“Going through Money Management has made it so I look at my finances and bills very differently.  I’m also getting in touch with my inner self…a task all in itself!”   – AR

“What I am most proud of in coming to Soup of Success is that the staff here are very involved with the participants.  They care for where we may go in the future.  Learning about myself is awesome and fun.  The only thing is sometimes the truth hurts when you face it.” -SG

“I am so proud to be a part of SOS.  It really blows my mind that 3 little letters can mean so much and have so much packed into it!” – FA

“I have learned so much that I never knew about before.  Things  that help me everyday and will help me out in the real world.   It feels so good to be able to feel me changing week by week.”  – WS

“I am proud that I have made it to this point of the program regardless of my barriers.  I am proud of making new friends and learning beneficial life lessons from the best and friendliest staff in town.  Last but not least, I am glad to have shed some pounds from walking to and from work every day, from the other side of town.”  – DR

“I am proud of finding my strength and wisdom.  It helped to stop and look inside of myself.  With a little more help, I hope to find happiness too.”  -DM

June Volunteer Groups

In the month of June, 155 individuals provided 436 hours of volunteer time assisting with soup production!  Groups included Fabric Services, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Waypoint Community Church, Southside Fellowship Church, Prairie Street Mennonite Church, Church of the Living Word, River Oaks Community Church, First UMC of Goshen, Current & former employees of the Department of Family Services, Wednesday’s Table – 1st Presbyterian Church & the Catholic Heart Youth Work Camp.

Thank you to members of “Wednesday’s Table” small group from 1st Presbyterian Church in Elkhart for coming and helping us make soup mixes!

Youth from all over the country gather each summer for the Catholic Heart Work Camp.  Each year, SOS is blessed to get one of the teams for 4 days during camp.  This year, the youth were invaluable help with SOS soup & dip production,  yard work, and moving “extra” stuff from the current building to the new CCS warehouse.   It’s great to be able to spend some extended time with this group each year and get to know themo n a more personal level.