Love Inc Of The Boise Community Incorporated

A COOPERATIVE MINISTRY OF CHURCHES NETWORKING RESOURCES, TRAINING, AND SERVICES TO HELP FAMILIES BREAK THE CYCLE OF LIVING IN NEED AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE LOCAL CHURCH.

COVID-19 DISCLAIMER: ALTHOUGH WE RETUNED TO FULL OPERATIONS IN 2021, WE CONTINUED TO SEE A DROP IN CLIENTS, VOLUNTEERS AND OVERALL VOLUNTEER HOURS.ABUNDANT LIVING IS OUR FREE COMMUNITY TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH OFFERS PRACTICAL COURSES WHICH FOCUS ON BREAKING THE CYCLE OF LIVING IN CONSTANT NEED. COURSES EMPHASIZE BASIC BUDGETING, LIFE SKILLS AND WAYS TO SAVE. ACTIVELY ENGAGED COURSE PARTICIPANTS EARN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THEIR EFFORT. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO EXPAND AS NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE IDENTIFIED. THE AL KIDZ COMPANION CURRICULUM FOR CHILDREN OF ADULTS IN ABUNDANT LIVING CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2021. THE AL KIDZ PROGRAM MIRRORS THE PARENT LEARNING, SUPPORTS KIDS' CURIOSITY AND CONCERNS ABOUT MONEY, AND SETS PARENTS UP AS NATURAL ROLE MODELS IN THE AREA OF FINANCES. IN ADDITION, IT PROVIDES CHILDCARE FOR CHILDREN WHILE THEIR PARENTS ARE IN CLASSES AND PROVIDES OTHER RESOURCES FOR THE CHILDREN.TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF EQUIPPING PARENTS WITH AGE-APPROPRIATE WAYS TO INVOLVE CHILDREN IN FAMILY FINANCES, WE CREATED 12 LESSONS TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES. IN THE LESSONS, PARENTS AND CHILDREN IDENTIFY THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EMOTIONS AND MONEY. ACTIVELY USING THE FAMILY ACTIVITIES WORKSHEETS HELPS REINFORCE PRODUCTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD. OVER TIME, FAMILIES ARE IN A POSITION TO REDUCE STRESS, BUILD RESERVES TO CASH-FLOW MINOR EMERGENCIES AND CREATE FINANCIAL STABILITY WHICH HAS PROVED TO IMPACT PARENTS' RESILIENCE AND THE NEXT GENERATION'S EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. OVERALL, THE ABUNDANT LIVING PROGRAM ENROLLMENT USUALLY GROWS IN PROPORTION TO CHURCH AND LOCAL AGENCY REFERRALS. BOTH THESE SOURCES OF REFERRALS CONTINUED TO BE DOWN IN 2021 DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE COVID-19 VIRUS AND GOVERNMENT STIMULUS MONIES PROVIDED TO OUR TARGETED DEMOGRAPHIC.

OVERALL PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:IN 2021, VOLUNTEERS STILL GAVE 4,901 HOURS OF THEIR TIME TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED THROUGH LOVE INC BOISE. THE AREAS OF DECLINE WERE, 1) THE CONTINUED LOSS OF AT-RISK SENIOR CITIZENS WHO COMPRISE A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR VOLUNTEER BASE, AND 2) REDUCTION OF OUR CLIENTS, ALSO DUE TO COVID-19 VIRUS CONCERNS, BUT ALSO DUE TO THEM RECEIVING GOVERNMENT STIMULUS MONEY. WE ARE CONFIDENT THESE NUMBERS WILL RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS ONCE CONDITIONS NORMALIZE.THE MINISTRY MULTIPLIED DONATIONS TO GIVE OVER $75,000 IN GOODS AND SERVICES. CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL TO LOVE INC, AND VOLUNTEERS ARE ITS LIFEBLOOD. OUR COMMUNITY OF CHURCHES, NETWORKING TOGETHER, HOST VARIOUS RESOURCE SITES OR GAP MINISTRIES. THEY REFER PEOPLE IN NEED TO OUR CLEARINGHOUSE WHERE WE CAN DETERMINE THE LEGITIMACY AND DEPTH OF THE NEED. VOLUNTEERS USE THEIR MANY TALENTS IN COORDINATED EFFORTS, SUCH AS: TRAINING, MENTORING AND SUPPORTING THE ABUNDANT LIVING PROGRAM, HOME REPAIR, YARD WORK, MOVING TEAMS, AND CRAFT WORK, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND DEMONSTRATING THE UNITY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST IN PRAYER AND SERVICE OF THOSE IN NEED.

THE CLEARINGHOUSE IS A VOLUNTEER-MANNED CALL CENTER DEDICATED TO HEARING THE STORY OF THOSE IN NEED. OUR PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO VET NOT ONLY THE LEGITIMACY BUT ALSO THE DEPTH OF THE NEED. HISTORICALLY, WE FIELD AN AVERAGE OF 120 CALLS PER MONTH, MAKE OVER 1,000 LOCAL REFERRALS, AND SERVICE AROUND 1,500 FAMILIES WITH PRODUCTS/SERVICES THROUGH GAPS. GAP MINISTRIES ARE COOPERATIVE EFFORTS COORDINATED THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCHES TO PROVIDE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE OR AFFORDABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.