Love INC to Celebrate it's First Year Anniversary!
After many months of prayer and labor by a small core group of dedicated volunteers from a variety of church backgrounds, with Paul Fahnestock of First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs as its lead facilitator, on September 7th of 2010, Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) of South Lee and North Collier Communities Clearinghouse opened its doors! To highlight its first year, Love INC will have a celebration on Monday, September 12th, at 6:30pm in the McClure Hall at First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs located at 9751 Bonita Beach Road SE.
Love INC’s History & Mission
While the local Love INC affiliate is celebrating its one year anniversary, Love INC is actually a national organization founded in 1977 and now has more than 150 affiliates across the nation and one in Kenya. The mission of Love INC is “to mobilize the local church to transform lives and communities in the Name of Christ.” Love INC seeks to accomplish its mission by operating a phone-in Clearinghouse connecting those with verified needs – the hungry, the poor, the elderly, the physically challenged, and others – to the church ministries, church volunteers, and/or community agencies best equipped to meet those needs.
By the Numbers
Since opening its doors on September 7th, 2010, this ministry partner to the needy and disadvantaged has verified and met the needs of more than 60 families through its 15 covenant partner churches, 59 volunteers, and 35 local community agencies. Also, through its partnership with Bonita Springs Assistance, Café of Life, and Harry Chapin Food Bank in their summer feeding programs, Love INC assisted in distributing food to another 775 families!
A ‘Love Story’
Yet, while numbers can be impressive, more impressive are the individual ‘love stories’ that occur as a result of the work of Love INC. One such ‘love story’ is the client who, due to an at-risk pregnancy, required bi-weekly rides to her physician. After locating a church partner closest to the client, Love INC inquired if the church had a volunteer who would like to be a help to this pregnant client and her fiancé by providing rides to her doctor. Without any hesitation, a volunteer stepped forward and gladly accepted this unique opportunity of service to this couple. Now, as a result of this one volunteer’s willingness to respond to a need, this couple not only has a beautiful baby but they felt led to begin talking to the church staff about getting married! This is what Love INC is all about – “mobilizing the local church to transform lives…in the Name of Christ!”
Looking Ahead
We hope you will consider how you feel led to work with Love INC – we would value your prayers, your time as a volunteer, and/or your donations. If you would like to learn more, beginning in September, we will have Love INC Orientations the last Tuesday of every month at 2:00pm and at 6:00pm. Please call Ron at the Love INC office, 239-405-8595, or email Ron – rwatford [at] loveincswfl [dot] org – with your interest to learn more. If you have a need, please feel free to call (239-405-8595) Love INC on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday between the hours of 9:00am and 12 noon. Remember to RSVP today (…or by the end of August) with the Love INC office with your plans to attend the celebration on September 12th!
