thank you for our first divine dignity fundraiserDivine Dignity, our first fundraising event, was held on Thursday September 16 at The Reception House. The evening was an enormous success and was truly enjoyed by everyone who attended. We were blessed with beautiful weather, delicious food, 145 guests, and a wonderful program of shared stories and testimonials. An enormous Thank You to The Hadler Companies and George Hadler for donating to cover the cost of the evening. We appreciate all the event and table sponsors who made the evening a success. We raised the funds needed to grow and expand with more hygiene help centers and hygiene closets. The venue was the perfect setting for our guests to enjoy fellowship while enjoying the delicious food provided by Schmidt's. The flower arrangements, donated by Justin Kingry and Mike Starr of Fourth Home, were beautiful. The music provided by Knisley added more enjoyment to the evening. Gift bags donated by Chris Bumpass were at each table as a Thank You for our table sponsors. And our joyful thanks to UALC and The Mission Committee for their continued support. We have "hearts of gratitude" to everyone who attended, donated, and has supported God's Hygiene Help Center. We are serving 400 to 500 people and families each month. The need is huge and being able to open new hygiene help centers and hygiene closets will help more people in need in our communities. Terry Starr, Executive Director To view more photos and thank you Home We want to thank Robin Lorms who did an outstanding job as our MC. Huge appreciation to Shine Robison and her quartet for providing modern classical music during the cocktail hour and dinner for the 145 attendees. One of the highlights of the evening was when our Columbus Police officers went to the podium, they received a long standing ovation from everyone in the room! We loved the personal sharing from the community center managers: Manney Clarke, Douglas Center; Roger Harper, Far East Side Center; and Sir Gregory Powell, William H. Adams Center. "Those school backpacks changed our community. From a 7 year old, I got me a backpack. Yes, I am going to do well in school. The 2nd backpack is for my sister." GHHC has been a blessing to the Columbus Recreation and Parks and the Far East community. This AWESOME program GHHC has ability to offer free hygiene supply to a family that can’t afford to wash clothes can now wash clothes and better yet to provide body wash and deodorant for a bath or shower builds self esteem and confidence. Thank you for the vision in creating GODS HYGIENE HELP CENTER!!! Roger Harper Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 UALC SANDWICHES AND CHIPSOn Sunday, September 26 Upper Arlington Lutheran Church held a congregational meeting with complimentary lunch. There were about 40-50 ham and turkey sandwiches and potato chips left over. What to do with them? Nichole Bellair, UALC new special events coordinator, asked if perhaps God's Hygiene Help Center could use them. Cheryl Hall tried calling Tammy Jewell but could not reach her. So Cheryl called Diane Hendrickson next who was returning on a bus trip to Lake George, New York. Diane said yes, she would ask Tammy and contacted Officer Alesia Zacher. Officer Zacher said Yes! she knew people in the Linden community who would so appreciate having a sandwich. Monday morning Diane and Officer Alesia drove to UALC to pick up the sandwiches and chips. Then began a new "educational experience" for Diane as a ride along with a police officer checking on people in the South Linden community. We first saw Don, a homeless panhandler at the corner of 11th Ave. and I-71. Officer called him over and offered him a sandwich and chips but also told him, "Get off my corner. This is Linden. I have spent years cleaning up the corner." We next drove past the NNEMAP Food Pantry which Diane had posted on God's Hygiene Facebook page. We offered those workers a sandwich. Then we drove through alleys along the railroad tracks where the homeless live and hang out. Officer said, It was too early. So we drove to where the homeless are served and a number of men walked up to get a sandwich. The Officer shared that a number of people may be hesitant to take food from a police officer, but will accept the handout from a lady from Upper Arlington Lutheran Church. Diane always asked if she could take a photo. If the person declined, it may be because he has an outstanding warrant. We drove to see Miss Lola, 94 years old and lives alone. But her neighbor came out and said they took her to the hospital. We stopped anyone walking on the street or sitting on their porch. "How are you doing? Would you like a free ham sandwich and some chips. This lady from Upper Arlington Lutheran Church is giving them out." Officer Alesia believes in supporting the working people so men remodeling a house and City of Columbus workers enjoyed sandwiches. We talked to a wonderful caring landlord in the bright yellow shirt. He knew UALC and was there on Reformation Sunday when our church left the Evangelical Lutherans and started North American Lutheran organization. We drove to Maloney Park behind St. Stephens' Community Center where a dozen cars were parked in the shade and offered sandwiches to three men. A man sitting outside the gas station store obviously had uncomfortable shoes. Officer Alesia asked him, "What size do you wear? 12's. I'll go get a pair and be back." Meanwhile Diane is asking about what the Dispatcher is reporting. A man on Cleveland Avenue and 24th wearing a white T-shirt and blue pants. He had stolen a car! Since Diane was riding in the car, Officer Zacher could not go help the other officer wanting to go after him. Our final stop was driving back to Police Substation 5 at the corner of Cleveland and 11th Avenues to get a pair of size 12 shoes. You should have seen the look on his face that we actually returned! Mike, It was such a pleasure to finally meet you. I enjoy speaking with mother and knowing she is okay. I know it gives her comfort to know I look out for her but I also enjoy listening to her speak and tell me stories, her laugh is contagious! I know with certainty she is well taken care of by her son, just as I did with my mother, but sometimes it’s nice to know there is someone else out there looking out for her. I am not allowed to recommend any organizations, however, the items that I sometimes bring her come from a program getting strong in Columbus called Godshygiene.org. Tammy Jewell, the founder is a human trafficking survivor who beat the odds. I met her years ago at a Linden event and recognized right away what a caring and community driven person and her goal is to help others and she can honestly relate to people who have been struggling on the streets. I, as a police officer, sometimes need immediate help for the citizens I come across. I have called her at 10pm at night and 10am in the morning and she pulls things she has stored in her home on Howey Rd and given me everything from blankets to Lasagna. Please do not feel obligated to do anything at all, I will continue to check on her regardless, her spirit is wonderful. Respectfully, Officer Alesia Zacher #1715 Community Response Bureau South Linden Liaison Officer Columbus Division of Police Jesus, thank You for calling and enabling me to serve You. Help me to see this as a privilege and to serve You willingly. Our Daily Bread, September 8, 2021 CLEAN START bagsGod’s Hygiene Help Center has been a big help for our Covenant House Prison Ministry. Over the past 9+ years we have welcomed 140 men into our transition houses. Men come out of prison with nothing and hygiene/toiletry items are much needed. We typically would provide just enough to keep them going, but your generous gift is a better way of showing them love. Below are the stories of two men that came to us recently and gratefully received hygiene bags. Henry Wilson came to Fort Jackson on August 23 from Chillicothe Correctional Institution. He had been in prison for 13 years. It was before that in jail that he realized there was no one but God who could help him. He prayed for God to come into his life. As with many men who have come to us, it was during incarceration in which they called out to God. Henry practiced and grew in his faith in prison, attending Bible studies and Bible college, earning a four-year theology degree. Henry has family in Columbus and is beginning to reconnect with them. The changed lives and strong faith that families and friends see in our men is a powerful testimony and we often see them ministering to others. Henry is originally from Liberia and has a beautiful voice that he uses to praise God. In addition to getting settled into life (especially spiritually which we recommend that the men taker some time for), he is seeking employment – a difficult task for all of our men. This is one of the biggest discouragements they face, being ready to hit the ground running when they are released only to find much rejection. The welcome that they receive on arrival at Fort Jackson, including God’s Hygiene bags, is the start of their journey of experiencing God’s loving kindness. A different kind of story of how men come to us can be seen in Jason Clevenger. Jason was in prison multiple times between 2000 and 2018. After that he found himself in various recovery programs and houses, but none were actually safe places in order to heal mentally, emotionally or spiritually. We thank God that he had met a man in prison that had been a Covenant House/Fort Jackson guest several years ago. That man referred our ministry to him as a truly faith-based and safe transition house. Jason came to us after 30 days in jail in the Toledo area with no other family or friends. As with all of our men, we have become his new family – this is one of the most important gifts that we provide. When he arrived from jail, he did not have anything and God’s Hygiene bag was a much appreciated. Hope and dignity are two things that are typically not part of a post-incarceration journey – thank you for your help in providing this for our men! WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFFAndrea Yantone has been a volunteer for over a year. She has been an incredible volunteer and is at our help center almost every day that we are open. She has been part of GHHC for a year and we have offered her the volunteer staff position as "Help Center Training Coordinator." We are excited that Andrea will officially be part of our staff! Bonnie Johnston has accepted the volunteer position of "Bible and Book Coordinator." Bonnie has volunteered with us for over a year and has brought Bibles through the Gideons to be given out at the hygiene help center. We offer Bibles and Christian books to our clients. Bonnie will work to find free Bibles and donated Christian books. We welcome Bonnie as a member of our staff. happy birthday bonnie and chrisA Prayer for the Helpless
by Helen Inwood Let me be a voice for the speechless, Those. who are small and weak; Let me speak for all helpless creatures who have no power to speak. I have lifted my heart to heaven on behalf of the least of these-- the frightened, the homeless, the hungry. I am voicing their pleas If I can help any creature, respond to a desperate call, I will know that my prayer has been answered by the God who created them all PLUS The Power of Faith, A Guideposts Publication August/September 2021 Volume 72 No. 5 (Part 1) p. 1
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