Church Community Services News

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!

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

The Board of Directors of Church Community Services (CCS), the local joint outreach effort of some 50 churches in Elkhart County, has appointed Theodore (Ted) Z. Stanley as Director of Development for the 40-year old organization.

Stanley has had a career as a fundraising professional executive that has spanned more than 35 years. He began his career with the Glenmary Home Missioners’ Development Office, a Roman Catholic home mission group headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This was followed with 15 years of service with Church World Service, the overseas relief and development agency of some 35 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican communions. This began with his appointment as Ohio CWS/CROP Regional Director, working out of Columbus, Ohio. He then was asked to come to the Elkahrt National Office of CWS, where he was instrumental in adding Direct Mail and Planned Giving Programs to the traditional support bases of special events (i.e. the CROP Hunger Walks), along with denominational and governmental support for the work of Church World Service. Most recently he has been president of his own fundraising company, Stanley Associates.

In his new position, Stanley will be manager of the Capital Campaign recently launched by Church Community Services to add much needed space for the agency’s food pantry, crisis assistance, and Soup of Success, a women’s empowerment Job and Life Skills Training Program.

He can be reached at 574.361.9910 or at the agency’s number: 574.295.3673.

With Soup of Success soup mixes, cookie mixes, and dips being sold in thirty-seven different locations across the United States (not to mention our gift basket, fundraiser, and individual sales!), it can be difficult to keep our shelves stocked. The women in the Soup of Success program are involved in all aspects of this gourmet foods business, including production of the mixes - but meeting the demand wouldn’t be possible without volunteer groups!

We have been blessed by some wonderful groups of volunteers in the last month that have given their time and energy to Church Community Services and Soup of Success: Bethany Christian High School students, Key Bank employees, and Fabric Services employees. In giving of their time, each of these volunteer groups helped to support the women in the Soup of Success program as well as the larger mission of Church Community Services and Soup of Success. Volunteers are truly the backbone of our agency, and we are overjoyed to have Bethany Christian High School, Key Bank, and Fabric Services be part of the Soup of Success family!

Bethany Christian High School students (above, L-R: Leanne Hochstetler, Erin Helmuth, Katie Hoekstra, Weston Troyer, Jen Sharkey, Matt Weaver) make Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Mixes during the school’s annual day of service.

Key Bank employees (above, assembling Positively Potato Soup Mix) spent a day at Soup of Success and ended up with astounding production totals!

(Above, Key Bank employees sort beans.)

They assembled 887 bags of soup, 229 soup spice packets, and 298 dips; wrapped 167 dips; tied recipe cards on 473 bags of soup; labeled 777 mixes; and cleaned 250 lbs. of beans.

Wow! A big Thank You to Key Bank!

Fabric Services employees (above, assembling Positively Potato Soup Mix) also gave generously and assembled 394 bags of soup, 460 soup spice packets, 1,133 dips and tied recipe cards on 224 bags of soup. The group of volunteers from Fabric Services was also part of a larger company legacy: a priority to give back to the community. Fabric Services makes products for the RV industry; as RV production has slowed down, so has business for Fabric Services. Instead of laying off employees though, Fabric Services decided to give back to the community. They have started paying employees to volunteer at places such as Church Community Services and Soup of Success. The compassion and generosity shown by Fabric Services is truly wonderful!

Reporter Ed Ernstes (above) from WSBT came to Soup of Success to catch the Fabric Services story and learn how Fabric Services is giving back to the community - find out more by reading or watching WSBT news!

To learn how your group can give back to the community, email us at Soupofsuccess@aol.com or call us at 574-523-1551.

Interested in an escorted bike ride throughout Elkhart County? A blessing of your bike and yourself? Music, fellowship, food and door prizes?

Interested in a fashion show and dessert bar?

Interested in supporting families and individuals in need throughout Elkhart County?

Interested in helping to feed the hungry and provide assistance to people in crisis?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then come to the benefits happening this weekend!

On Saturday, May 17, 2008, Creekside Church of the Brethren is hosting their second annual Blessing of the Bikes and Riders and escorted ride through Elkhart County. Registration is from 9:00am - 11:00am, the blessing of bikes and riders is at 11:05am, and the ride departs by 11:30am. Music, fellowship, food, and door prizes are following the ride, and there is a $15 requested donation per rider - and all proceeds are donated to Church Community Services! Creekside Church of the Brethren is located at 60455 CR 113, Elkhart, IN, 46517; for more information, contact blessingofthebikes@creeksideconnected.com or visit bikes.creeksideconnnected.com. This weekend will hopefully be a beautiful one - so come out and support Church Community Services at the Blessing of the Bikes!

~~ UPDATE ~~ 

Creekside’s Blessing of the Bikes brought in $450 for CCS!

Another fundraiser benefiting Church Community Services is happening on Sunday - ‘Dude Looks Like a Lady’. The latest fashions for women will be modeled… on men! This fashion show fundraiser is at 6:00pm on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at Jamestown United Methodist Church (59218 CR 3 South, Elkhart, IN, 46517). Tickets are $20 and there is a dessert bar reception immediately following the show. For ticket information, call 574-293-3905. ‘Dude Looks Like a Lady’ promises to provide an evening of fun with all proceeds going to Church Community Services!

Support Church Community Services this weekend at Blessing of the Bikes and Dude Looks Like a Lady!