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| Families can grocery shop for free at Christian Neighbors in Plainwell, Mich. |
Terri Shaler is confident circles of influence are constantly reverberating around Allegan and Kalamazoo counties thanks to local churches and businesses.
What she might not directly point out is that she’s at the center of those circles as the executive director of Christian Neighbors in Plainwell.
An organization that began in 1983 with a paltry $3,500 annual budget funded by several local churches now boasts an annual budget of roughly $300,000 funded by non-profits, area businesses and more than a dozen churches, including five United Methodist Congregations.
Otsego UMC, where Shaler’s husband Joe is the pastor, First UMC Plainwell, Trowbridge UMC, Martin UMC and Shelbyville UMC all contributed to the more than 24,000 meals provided last year and the endless financial, medical and well-being support offered by Christian Neighbors.
One day the organization might be helping a single mother of two find a place to live after she was served an eviction notice and the next they might trying to help a senior citizen find avenues to provide money for medical bills and prescription drugs.
Shaler is the only full-time employee, but four part-timers and several dozen volunteers make meeting the increasing needs of people possible.
“What we do is make connections. It’s probably what we do well — we connect the needs with whoever can fill those needs. We can’t do everything but we know there are people out there who are willing to help,” Shaler said.
For example, she said local grocery stores and food providers donated more than $115,000 to the Christian Neighbors food pantry last year.
And instead of just giving people a box of food, the pantry gives them a list of items they are eligible for and a “grocery store-like” setup to go “shopping in”, complete with carts and retail shelves.
“It is certainly about feeding the poor and taking care of those in need. Really isn’t that just what Christ wants us to do?” Shaler said. “To be his feet, to be his arms — and we love just being able to live out our Christian faith through this ministry.”
From January to June the organization helped more than 80 households avoid utility shutoffs and rental evictions.
In 2010 funding has come in from sources like the United Way, the Salvation Army, and even the American Recovery Act ($8,400).
The statistics are impressive, but Shaler said it’s the relationships being fostered that make the biggest difference in people’s lives.
“We have a lot more of what you call ‘the new poverty people,’ people who have never been in this position before,” she said. “People who are going through foreclosures who have never had to deal with that….there is so much of that type of stuff going on in Michigan.”
She said people seem warm to embrace the allowances of a faith-based non-profit as opposed to state aid or social services.
The organization has a prayer chain that meets each Friday, a prayer box for requests and they can help set up meetings with local pastors.
Shaler and her staff are always looking for new ways to reach out to people who have limited resources available.
“Like our Veteran’s Service Officer — what a neat thing to be able to have him come on board; when our local veterans needed help in the past they had to drive out to Allegan and now they don’t have to do that,” she said.
For more information on Christian Neighbors or to donate to their cause check out www.christianneighbors.org or to sign up to volunteer or talk with a staff member call 269-685-4166.
INFORMATION
Who: Christian Neighbors
What: Food pantry, emergency financial assistance and counseling, professional case management and support services, Medicare/Medicaid Part “D” assistance,
Where: 282 12th St., Plainwell, 49080
UMC connection: Assistance and support provided by Otsego UMC, First UMC Plainwell, Trowbridge UMC, Martin UMC and Shelbyville UMC
Contact: www.christianneighbors.org / 269-685-4166
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