Love Inc Aiding Covid-19 Economic Fallout
Christina, Kelli, and Aaron load relief items into the Love Seat truck for the families Love INC is assisting.
THE STORIES
This month, so far...
- Family moved to Columbia with 5 children to take a job at a local distributor, staying at hotel until employment began, hire was delayed by COVID concerns, came to Love INC "on the curb" with their pick-up filled with all their possessions.
- Couple with five kids had been staying with relatives prior to the pandemic but this became untenable after school closed. They moved to a hotel but could no longer pay fees after the restaurant where the father worked closed.
- Expectant single mom with special needs son experienced loss of housing in early March. Her tax refund was taken to repay college loan debt. Just after moving into a hotel, her car broke down and school closed, preventing her from taking available reduced hours at her fast food restaurant job.
Families Summary:
Three with 5 kids, two with 4 kids, two with 3 kids, two with 2 kids, two with one child, seven with infants, two with disabled children, and three pregnant women, reached out for help.
THE TREND
Love INC received 23 calls from literally homeless families with kids in the first two weeks of April, more than we usually receive in 2 years. We have 9 at Welcome Inn, 3 at other hotels, plus 2 (without kids) in the car camp. We have managed to move 3 families into stable housing and relocate one family out of state. Another family is scheduled to move into housing on Monday. Several of the families have so many challenges that the path to stability will take months. A common thread, these families were already fragile before the pandemic and employment loss forced them to the street. Further complicating things, those with unsteady prior work history do not qualify for unemployment. The majority are newly unemployed restaurant workers or those working through temp agencies, primarily in manufacturing jobs.
GOD'S HELP
Miraculously - with God's help - Love INC has found temporary, or more permanent solutions for most of these and are in process on the remainder. Often a solution is found when callers simply have opportunity to process and pray with us in a context of care and hope. We start by asking if people have received their stimulus check, applied for unemployment, or have friends or family to help. Love INC supporters have funded 196 hotel room stays in the last 4 weeks. Much of this is with the help of strong community business partners helping Columbia care for it's underemployed. We are working closely with Boone County Health and Human Services, COMO Helps, Salvation Army, VAC, and Welcome Home to eliminate duplication of services and the spirit of cooperation is unprecedented! The now common phrase, "we're all in this together" is more relevant than ever! We're finding that God IS releasing a "spirit of unity among ourselves as we follow him", like it says in Romans 15.
THE NEED
Wednesday (4/15), national unemployment figures rose further. We anticipate a growing group of formerly-employed people seeking re-employment and assistance for the first time in their lives. Love INC's coaching-with-assistance model, and mobilization of volunteers, will be taxed like never before, now - and into the foreseeable future.Predictable, ongoing, funding to support these efforts is Love INC's highest practical need. Monthly giving is our oxygen supply. As the current situation raises awareness of the stake we all have in each other's lives, take advantage of the moment, the urge you have to help, and commit to ongoing care for our vulnerable neighbors who are struggling valiantly, not only to move forward, but to reach their full potential.Please consider participation in Project 100! [maxbutton id="1" ] [maxbutton id="2" ] [maxbutton id="3" ]