Busy Times Ahead

I can’t believe that it has been so long since I have added a new post to our blog. We have been busy, but not as busy as it is going to be now until the end of the year. We started signing people up for the Christmas give away, which will be happening on Dec. 20th if you would like to join us and volunteer to help. It is a  most rewarding, but also exhausting day. God does work some miracles during that shopping time. If you can’t join us please keep us in prayer as we help make Christmas a special day for over two hundred families. I will again try to get on here -  maybe doing better will be one of my New Year’s resolutions. God bless all of you and have a great weekend. Know you are remembered in our prayers – Sr. Therese and Staff

By His Hands Ministries Visits

About six weeks ago, a couple who none of us knew, stopped in unannounced and spent time with myself and the staff present that day to talk about doing a coat and blanket drive. Today we said goodbye to some very dear people who left Kermit with a piece of our hearts. Thirteen members of  By His Hands Ministries came last Sunday and left this morning -  the drive provided coats, blankets, food and fellowship with over 200 families when you count the staff who got items without signing up. It was so awesome, since they let the people register and asked on the registration if they would like to have prayer and a group member prayed with them. Warmth in the Kermit area will come not only from the coats and blankets, but from their love of God which they shared.  Both Christian Help and By His Hands Ministry where blessed and touched by this endeavor. And I believe it truly is God’s work, because of the way it came to be and the fact that they already look forward to what they can do to be back next year. God bless all who gave and those who spent the past three days with us. You have our love and prayers.

The Staff and Sr. Therese

Times are hard and they affecting more and more people. We feed between 100 – 125 families a month, with food from the pantry. Six months ago a food pantry opened up in Martin County, KY which is feeding the people we use to pay out-of-pocket to feed. The Mingo County, WV folks get food from the USDA commodities food bank and that is provided to Christian Help free. We were notified that for the month of August we would not get any USDA commodity foods. With the help of our great friends Donna and Fred Rieser we got food from their food pantry and they delivered it to us on a Saturday. It meant that Christian help paid to feed the Mingo County residents this month, but the cost of the delivery was provided by the Rieser Family. And the good news is, by the grace of God and the donation of friends  we are able to continue to feed our folks. We were even given fresh fruits and vegetables which is something we never get. Let us continue to pray for one another during these hard times.

God bless you and your families,

Sr. Therese and Staff

Sorry It has been so long.

As of our August 18th Board Meeting, I have been made Executive Director of Christian Help Inc. of Mingo County. Our budget is stretched so, I am doing all of the Program Director duties that was my previous responsibilities plus all the work that Barry Hudock was responsible for when he was employed here. It has made for a very overwhelming last few months. Several weeks ago I told my staff that they would like me again once the audits, grant applications and files were combined and I had a better sense of what was needed to be done and then had those tasks completed. You will have to ask Daphne Armstrong, Kathy Spurlock and Mina Hammond if things are any better because they are the other staff that is here during the day with me. Bernice Swisher, Bertha James and Sandy Marcum make up the Transportation team, I think they probably don’t know it, but they should be glad they were out on the road during the daytime. You could also ask all our faithful volunteers, they would tell you things are great because they are so good to give of themselves and their time. I ask for your prayers as I continue to grow into this role. I will try to get more notes out on the Blog, for I have been very negligent. Mina has prompted me several times because she loves to check to see what is new, I hope she enjoys this note when she reads it. Mina has some good ideas, but I will save them for next time. Many great things are happening here, even though our financial abilities are very limited right now. God bless all of you for all you do to help us touch the lives of the poor and serve they in the spirit of Jesus Christ.   Sr. Therese and Staff

Donation Arrives

On Friday three skids of donations arrived from Americans Helping Americans. Our good neighbors, ABLE Families staff, did all the work of unloading and we at Christian Help are grateful. We got a wall of baby diapers, vitamins and laundry detergent. The only sad part is the delivery company didn’t notify us of the delivery until Friday morning and none of the Christian Help staff or volunteers were here to lend a hand. God bless Sr. Pat Murray and all the staff at ABLE Families for their time and efforts. God is so good to us and is reflected through the donations we continue to receive. Know that we as a staff pray for our donors daily. Let us continue to pray for one another. Sister Therese

Barry’s Official Last Day

Yesterday was the last official last day for Barry at Christian Help. We hope the family arrived safely and that their new home will soon  feel like home. We wish them the best and thanks again for all you did to help Christian Help during your time with us.

Transition at Christian Help of Mingo County

Dear friends,

On April 28, 2011, I submitted my resignation as Executive Director of Christian Help of Mingo County to the agency’s board of directors, to be effective June 14.  For the present, the board has named Sr. Therese Carew (our Program Director since September 2009) tobe the interim Executive Director of Christian Help, effective June 15.

In nearly two years here, my family and I have found Mingo County to be a wonderful place to live in many ways. The people are generous, neighborly, warm, and good. We have thoroughly enjoyed living among them and getting to know many of them as real friends. In some ways, this is the perfect place to live and raise kids. The people and their culture have taught us many things that we want to take with us.

I am not leaving because of dissatisfaction with my job or with either agency.  Christian Help is a wonderful place that’s doing vitally important work. I came with a desire to serve people living in poverty and (as ABLE Families’ mission statement puts it) “confront the systemic causes” of that poverty here in central Appalachia. I have learned a lot about that poverty and its causes, and my job has been very rewarding. One of those causes – but not the only one – is lack of access to quality education. It’s a very real problem with very real consequences to daily life here.

As director of Christian Help and ABLE Families, that has presented an invigorating challenge. But as a parent raising six young kids here, it’s frustrating. My wife and I decided that for the sake of our kids, it would be best to look elsewhere for the longterm. I have accepted a position as Associate Publisher at Liturgical Press, a Catholic book publisher based in Collegeville, Minnesota.

I want to thank everyone for their ongoing support of Christian Help, even after our founding director, Sr. Brendan Conlon, retired and I stepped into her shoes. They were big shoes to fill!  Christian Help’s mission remains challenging and important. Your support is vital and appreciated.

We’ll update you as soon as the board has made more long-term decisions about the agency’s leadership.  Having worked with Sr. Therese since we both arrived here together in September 2009, I know it is, in the meantime, in good hands. 

God bless you!

Barry

“Always Christmas at Christian Help”

Our long-time friend and volunteer Gail Ruble was here working this week  –  believe it or not, she’s hard at work preparing donated toys for next December’s  Christmas distribution!  That major annual program demands many hours of work throughout the year to make sure everything is ready come December. 

As staff member Delphia commented, “It’s always Christmas at Christian Help.”

Thank you, Gail, and all our beloved volunteers, as well as all our friends whose donations and gifts keep it all happening.

“And the winner is…” — Great Fundraising Challenge results!

It was close, but:  Christian Help is the winner of the Great Fundraising Challenge!  Thanks in large part to many long-time supporters who suggested to friends and family that they get to know what we do and offer a gift of support, we received more donations from first-time donors than our “competitor” in this challenge (and sister agency), ABLE Families. 

That means we’re the recipient of a gift of $4,000 from one generous donor,  and another gift of $4,000 from another generous donor.  Our grateful thanks to both supporters! 

It also means the ABLE Families staff will be working at our place for a day.  We’ll enjoy having them around!

Thanks also to the new donors who made our ‘win’ possible, as well as the long-time supporters who pointed us out to them!

Alert and Update: the Great Friendraising Challenge

Remember the Great Fundraising Challenge?  There’s $8,000 waiting to go to either Christian Help or our sister agency ABLE Families, depending on which agency can garner more new donors by May 15. 

Where do things stand with 3 days to go?  Christian Help is ahead — by one!  We have received donations from 18 new donors since the Challenge began; ABLE Families has received 17.  And with that news on the ABLE Families blog today, I suspect ABLE Families supporters will mobilize a bit.

Care to help us make sure we get that $8,000, to help the people we serve?  If you’ve never donated to Christian Help, now would be a great time to do it!  If you have, it would be a great time to get a friend or family member to do it.

Since we’re coming down to the wire, I’d encourage you or them to make the donation online, which can be done simply and securely here. 

Thanks for considering it!