Outreach Project Purpose:
The LOVE Thy Neighbor program is a Local Outreach Volunteer Effort, focused on helping address needs of the Ann Arbor homeless and hungry.
Where possible, we will work with existing community and service organizations to bring the fellowship and strength of First United Methodist Church's (FUMC’s) energy and resources to help address critical needs. Some possibilities include promoting and enabling volunteer participation, fund raising, and participating in cooperative programs at organizations such as the Delonis Center for Homeless and Food Gathers.
Where unmet needs exist, we will seek and implement creative, practical ways to fill the gaps. A first step has been to provide a weekly lunch on Saturdays, which has filled an important gap.
Guiding Principles:
* Partner and cooperate: Find out what’s being done. Don’t duplicate. Leverage existing programs. Seek joint programs with other churches (UMC and other)
* Focus on unmet needs: Understand and communicate needs. Develop action plans to address highest priorities.
* Broad support base: Gain leadership approval. Seek broad congregational support and participation.
* Establish financial base: Develop and implement sound financial plan, with defined requirements and realistic funding approach.
* Make it real: Start small and focused. Seek broad participation and make it happen. Celebrate the successes.
* Ongoing effort: operate with the understanding that this will be an ongoing series of projects, not a one time effort
First Two Years Operational Report: (Report date April 2010)
The L.O.V.E. thy Neighbor project has operated 104 consecutive weeks since its beginning in March 2008. During 2009 FUMC members and others from the community have contributed over 5720 hours of volunteer effort to provide food for 10,000 lunches. Through our Agency status with Food Gatherers, as a non-profit, we have also been able to distribute 17,655 pounds of free food (one year's distribution) valued at $26,500 to our homeless and hungry brothers and sisters in Christ. To supplement this free food, the LOVE project purchased about $5,000 (one year's cost) in ready to eat canned and dehydrated meals which provides food for the remainder of the weekend (LOVE provides lunch on Saturday, no local lunch program currently exists for Sunday).
Over the last two years there has been close to a 60% increase in the cost of components that make up our lunches. Through the generosity of FUMC members we have been able to keep up with these increases. In fact, LOVE has been able to distribute canned and dehydrated meals for 46 out of the 64 weeks in 2009 and early 2010. With an annual budget projection of $17,500 LOVE has been able to improve the lives of about 1500 individuals.
During the last two years there has been a notable increase in the number of women and youth attending the Saturday morning St. Andrew Breakfast program. More and more people are finding themselves homeless or having to choose between paying their bills or feeding their families. Polite and sincere appreciation is expressed by many who have nothing more to give than a “thank you”.
L.O.V.E.’s mission to help those in need continues to be successful and growing as a local outreach. In 2010 FUMC joined the many churches in the Ann Arbor area who provide a Rotating Warming Shelter for homeless. This program is critical to helping those who are forced to sleep outside all winter long. Every year there are homeless that die from exposure during the hard Michigan winter. To offer shelter for some in need is another way we can volunteer our time to do what Christ wants us to do for others.
How do you participate in the L.O.V.E. Effort?
Simply send an email to Chris Nelson at Christine_nelson@mac.com or call (734) 429-0875 to get added to the weekly request for volunteers. There are two opportunities each week to volunteer your time. Friday nights from 6:30pm-8:30pm sandwiches are made and lunches assembled in the FUMC social hall. Then on Saturday mornings from 6:45am-8:45am the distribution of lunches and canned food takes place at St. Andrews Episcopal church.
“I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me…Truly, I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25: 35–40)
