'Gift Of Warmth' Nets $9,000 In Donations
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By literally collecting a dollar at a time, the Ministerial Association's efforts to help the "Gift of Warmth" program resulted in an estimated $9,000 in donations to help keep people's homes heated this winter.
The "Gift of Warmth" is a matching-funds operation organized by the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. that helps individuals cover residential heating costs. The program lasts through May, but matching funds can only be used once during a winter year.
John Lowe, president of the Ministerial Association and pastor of New Life Christian Church and World Outreach, said donations have been collected recently from church members who donated $1 every week towards the program.
"By us asking for just a dollar at a time, this helps take off pressure for those donating," Lowe said. "The important thing is that everything adds up."
The Ministerial Association teamed up with Combined Community Services, the organization monitoring funds and receiving "Gift of Warmth" applications from all interested parties.
"Most people don't think about when their furnace kicks on, unless you've lived through the cold without it," Lowe said.
Both Lowe and CCS officials said various factors prohibit individuals from being able to pay for large heating bills, such as medical complications, job layoffs and car problems.
"For many people, it's a very humbling experience, but their kids are cold and they need to fix things as soon as possible," Laura Cooper, executive director of CCS, said.
Peggi Lisenbee-Wright, CCS director of client assistance, agreed.
"People should never be cold," Lisenbee-Wright said. "I wish my clients' faces didn't look the way they do. Poverty is huge; it's never a one-time thing.
"But it's nice to be able to say, 'Yes, we can help you,' especially during this time of year," Lisenbee-Wright said.
Relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina and Wilma have caused a decrease in the capabilities of charitable organizations, Lisenbee-Wright said. While monetary donations may have had a slight decline, food banks and donation shelters focused efforts on Gulf Coast relief and now have limited goods for more local efforts.
"The community stepped up and went above and beyond, but 'above and beyond' didn't keep us caught up," Lisenbee-Wright said.
But all Cooper, Lisenbee-Wright and Lowe call the "Gift of Warmth" program as a "win-win" situation, especially with the Ministerial Association's assistance.
"There's an attitude of 'nobody's here to help,'" Lowe said. "But CCS and the Ministerial Association are really trying to help people. It's an unfair criticism." [[In-content Ad]]
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By literally collecting a dollar at a time, the Ministerial Association's efforts to help the "Gift of Warmth" program resulted in an estimated $9,000 in donations to help keep people's homes heated this winter.
The "Gift of Warmth" is a matching-funds operation organized by the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. that helps individuals cover residential heating costs. The program lasts through May, but matching funds can only be used once during a winter year.
John Lowe, president of the Ministerial Association and pastor of New Life Christian Church and World Outreach, said donations have been collected recently from church members who donated $1 every week towards the program.
"By us asking for just a dollar at a time, this helps take off pressure for those donating," Lowe said. "The important thing is that everything adds up."
The Ministerial Association teamed up with Combined Community Services, the organization monitoring funds and receiving "Gift of Warmth" applications from all interested parties.
"Most people don't think about when their furnace kicks on, unless you've lived through the cold without it," Lowe said.
Both Lowe and CCS officials said various factors prohibit individuals from being able to pay for large heating bills, such as medical complications, job layoffs and car problems.
"For many people, it's a very humbling experience, but their kids are cold and they need to fix things as soon as possible," Laura Cooper, executive director of CCS, said.
Peggi Lisenbee-Wright, CCS director of client assistance, agreed.
"People should never be cold," Lisenbee-Wright said. "I wish my clients' faces didn't look the way they do. Poverty is huge; it's never a one-time thing.
"But it's nice to be able to say, 'Yes, we can help you,' especially during this time of year," Lisenbee-Wright said.
Relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina and Wilma have caused a decrease in the capabilities of charitable organizations, Lisenbee-Wright said. While monetary donations may have had a slight decline, food banks and donation shelters focused efforts on Gulf Coast relief and now have limited goods for more local efforts.
"The community stepped up and went above and beyond, but 'above and beyond' didn't keep us caught up," Lisenbee-Wright said.
But all Cooper, Lisenbee-Wright and Lowe call the "Gift of Warmth" program as a "win-win" situation, especially with the Ministerial Association's assistance.
"There's an attitude of 'nobody's here to help,'" Lowe said. "But CCS and the Ministerial Association are really trying to help people. It's an unfair criticism." [[In-content Ad]]