TRAVERSE CITY -- When Deb Wilson and her family lost their belongings in a house fire, she looked for a little love.
She turned to Love INC (In the Name of Christ) of Grand Traverse. Wilson didn't expect much, maybe just information on how to start putting their lives back together. But the help she received is what the ministry terms a "bundle of love." The organization, supported by about 20 area churches, used its connections to come up with offers of beds and a custom-built table big enough to fit the large family.
"I was kind of really surprised because I know the economy is bad, and I know there's not a lot of donations out there," Wilson said.
In the past, Love INC functioned primarily as a check-writing ministry. When things got bad, people could call the agency for some emergency funds to pay a bill or meet a dire need.
"We are going to continue to do that, but we want to go a little bit further and a little bit deeper into the individual," said Donna Wilson Probes, who became executive director this year.
Now, when callers phone in with a request, they are asked a more extensive list of questions about the situation. A trained volunteer talks through the problem and confers with a Love INC staff member. They run through the available ministries offered by churches to come up with a solution that goes "beyond the crisis," Wilson Probes said.
The local affiliate of Love INC was established in 1988. It receives an average of 350 calls per month and operates with an annual budget of about $95,000. The new approach began in October. Since then, Wilson Probes said some people who call looking for "a quick fix" have not called back. She thinks the change could mean "a temporary reduction in the number of phone calls." Still, the ministry continues "to err on the side of generosity," she said.
Board president Pat Batta said the ministry's mission was not fulfilled by its previous "Band-Aid" approach to crisis solving.
"The purpose of Love INC is to establish relationships with people," Batta said. "There will probably never be a time where we don't fill some crisis needs. We just don't want that to be the be all and end all of our ministries."
Love INC also wants to act as a clearinghouse for local churches to eliminate double dipping and system abuse by maintaining records. It plans to put together a list of "gap ministries" that need to be filled and distribute it to churches. The idea is to identify common needs people have, such as firewood, and then find a church to create a program to meet that need. Love INC will draw on the available resources to assist its clients.
"We want to be the glue that brings all of this together," Wilson Probes said.
Churches can help the effort by alerting Love INC to ministries and resources they offer. Love INC is also looking for volunteers. For more information, call Wilson Probes at 941-5683 or e-mail info@loveincgt.org.
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