Thank you for these notes

It’s tough right now. People are coming to CCSC for food and help in finding a job, and their lives are upended. There is much suffering and human need. 

Yet there is also much goodness in the community. The CCSC staff and volunteers are serving sacrificially, fueled by the generous donors who are helping us to feed families, keep them in their homes, and coach them through a job search. Many donors are writing kind, personal notes on their checks or on-line giving forms. It’s often a please help someone who is hungry, or thank you for staying open to help people or a simple thank you. 

There are a few notes that have stood out:

I received a stimulus check from the federal government under the CARES Act, but I’m not the person these funds were intended to benefit. Please use this money to provide food or rental assistance for people who have suffered economically as result of the coronavirus.

Then there is this one from a former client: Thank you for your community outreach and support. Your wonderful community helped us after the flood. We are grateful.

And finally this one: With all the upset due to COVID-19, there is much to be grateful for as we have been well. We seniors mostly stay home, away from crowds, and wear masks and gloves if we have to go out. We are greatly blessed and our immediate needs have been met. So when we received our stimulus check, we both agreed we did not need it….When we see on TV all the people standing in line for food and other assistance, we cannot forget how much CCSC is doing throughout our own community in the Houston area. You are much closer to those in desperate need, especially at the food pantries. We know you will put our small contribution to work blessing others. We pray that all employees and volunteers at CCSC will stay well. We also pray for early success with vaccines and treatment that might put an end to the number of people in desperate need. May God bless you with His presence.

This blog is a thank you for however you are supporting CCSC, whether it is by time, prayer or gifts. Thanks especially to those who send us notes filled with love. We’re sending that love right back to you.

Mother Teresa was right

One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa, and it is: We can do no great things, only small things with great love.

We at CCSC are living that quote right now. The suffering in our community is hard and deep, and we can’t do the great things needed to quickly alleviate it. But we can do our part by fulfilling our mission, and this is where you are helping us to live this quote well.

We are feeding triple the number of people we normally help, with no sign of this slowing down. People who never envisioned themselves without wages are finding us.

We cannot purchase large quantities of food, so we depend upon the people in our churches and community to shop for us when they shop for themselves. And it’s working because many individuals are dropping off donated food at our church food drives and food pantry locations. The cumulative effect of all this individual goodness translates into a significant number of families receiving food.

A friend suggested I make a list of things people could do (other than donating to us) that could help, so here goes:

•     Do you have a housekeeper who is no longer cleaning your home during this time? If so, please consider paying her as if she is coming to your house. Consider it paid time off, a standard benefit employers offer. By doing this, you may be alleviating hunger for someone close to you.
•     Ditto if you’ve put off having your lawn done. Your lawn guy (or girl!) may be feeding a family. A former neighbor’s long-time lawn guy, who did not have a high school degree, put both his children through the University of Houston from his lawn service.
•     If you don’t live near CCSC, donate food to your local food pantry. Most food pantries across the country are unable to purchase at the volume they need.
•     Be patient with the people around you, whether it’s the grouchy person in line ahead of you at the grocery store or whether it’s someone you live with. We all need a little grace right now.
•     Seek out spiritual nourishment for yourself. Life is always uncertain, but we amble along its surface and typically only face the randomness of it when we have to. Don’t let a crisis go to waste: let it deepen your Christian faith.

Regarding the latter, if you don’t have a church home, let me recommend the 39 churches part of CCSC. If you click here, they will pop up: https://www.ccschouston.org/member-churches/. Some are traditional, some progressive, some are high-church, and some are low-church. They vary in size and theology, but they are committed to CCSC’s work which means they are outwardly focused. Right now, you can check a church out by watching a live sermon on-line, join a remote bible study, or reach out for a personal prayer.

Finally, if you’re reading this, then you’re in the CCSC world. Thank you for that. We could not carry out our mission without you. You can do no great things, only small things with great love.

Michelle Shonbeck

Executive Director

Some things bloom in their own time

Last spring, I planted two vines from seed in my garden, and both were supposed to begin blooming within 10-12 weeks. While the foliage was gorgeous, we went through the rest of spring and all of summer without seeing a flower. And then in early October both began blooming. My back fence now has deep blue Morning Glories opening up with first light, and the front of the house has large, white Moon Vine flowers that open at sunset. These plants surprised me in their own time as did a client we worked with about ten years ago.

I know this woman's story well because I was her coach at JobNet and became quite close to her. "Pat" worked hard and found several part-time jobs to provide for her family, but it was a struggle, so she eventually left Houston to see if another city could give her a better quality of life. All of us who worked with her were concerned she was leaving a fairly good support system with her church and CCSC, but Pat was certain this was her path.

We kept up for a few years until we didn't. And then Pat walked in a few weeks ago - beaming and happy to be back at CCSC. When she moved, Pat found a full-time job with benefits that gave her and the children health insurance. She said the classes she took at JobNet and the lessons she learned from all the volunteers helped to target her job search, so she felt that from a distance, we had helped her to achieve her goal.

While Pat's income was modest, it was enough. Both her children graduated from high school, and one is in college; the other opted to go straight into the workforce, and he has married and given her a grandchild. She is stable and was visiting family in Houston when she popped in to let us know the rest of her story. 

All the volunteers who worked with Pat wanted to see her find success in Houston, but she followed her instincts and moved. And in time, her life eased up, and she found the stability she was looking for, blooming in her own time.

This volunteer makes happiness and warmth

We have a sewing friend who makes blankets for CCSC's clients. She's 96 years old, and her daughters are important to the project: they purchase the materials for their mother, bring them to her so she can make the blankets at home, and then deliver the completed blankets to us.

They select fabrics that are whimsical children's patterns or lovely adult prints. It's clear that much love and intention goes into this process. Last month, the daughters delivered 50 blankets, and there's a picture of some of them below.

Earlier this week, a woman who came in for food also asked for a blanket, saying in the same breath that she knew we wouldn't have any since it was summer. Yet thanks to our dedicated "home volunteer", we were able to surprise this woman with a beautiful, handmade blanket.

Volunteering is about sharing your time and talent for a greater good, and it doesn't have to be done on-site. If you have an idea on how you could help our clients, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Erin Donohue, edonohue@ccschouston.org.

Coincidence or divine providence?

I ran into a long-time CCSC friend, who reminded me of a story from the 1990s that made a strong impression on him.

A client had come to Emergency Services-Central needing food. His only mode of transportation was a bike with a basket that carried his food. A few days after visiting us, his bike was stolen, so he called, wondering if we ever had bikes donated. Our answer was a regretful "no"; this was not an item donated often.

And then an hour later the CCSC friend called with a bike to donate, asking that we give it to a client in need. I shared the client's story with him, and we then had this philosophical conversation about God's work in this world. The client wept when we called to let him know we had a bike, and a friend dropped him off to pick it up. It was a happy ending.

The story had slipped my mind until I ran into the donor who had not forgotten the new life his bicycle received and the providence in the sequence of events.

So what do you think: Is it wonderful coincidence or God's providence?

This was a happy Friday

On this particular Friday, a gentleman came in needing some personal hygiene items and clothing to stretch his budget for the month. Nothing else. When the volunteer pulled up his file, she saw that we had helped him a year ago when he was homeless. Back then, we helped with food and several other resources, and then connected him to our JobNet program. So he told her the rest of the story: he found a job, then got an apartment, and has now purchased a car. He told her how grateful he was to have found our ministry because we were the starting point in rebuilding his life.

And then a few hours later, a former client arrived with a donation, discreetly letting us know the help she received stabilized her, and she was now good. And wanted to express her gratitude by helping us to help another.

If you're reading this blog, you're most likely a volunteer and/or contributor to the ministry, so please know that a couple of happy people visited us on a recent Friday, and their happiness is a result of your investment of time, talent, and resources.

He found a job

He's one of the many people who have been helping Houston recover these last six months. He's worked construction by rehabbing homes damaged by the storm.

The work is slowing down, so he began a job search to return to his chosen field: caring for others. He has worked with the homeless, the dying in a hospice, and with a summer youth program helping disadvantaged young people. His job search was stagnant at the time he came to JobNet. Our team helped him refresh his resume and re-tool his job search plan, and he was soon interviewing with several different organizations.

He's now accepted an offer with another nonprofit organization that also helps job seekers. Before leaving, he let JobNet Manager Mickey Hammond know how much the support, encouragement, and practical help propelled him forward.

While he may no longer be a client, this is not a good-bye: he will be working for an organization we collaborate with, so he'll be sending new job seekers our way.

This boy needed a blanket

Last night, CCSC had its Council of Church Representatives meeting, and Volunteer Coordinator Erin Donohue provided information on some creative projects a group of people could do to benefit our clients. One of those projects is making "no-sew" blankets, and she shared this story to illustrate the need for blankets.

Erin was in the clothing room at Emergency Services-Central and noticed a middle school-aged boy watching his baby sister while his mother selected clothing for the family. Erin was taking pictures of them and struck up a conversation. The boy asked her if we had a blanket for him, sharing that he and his younger brothers all shared one bed and blanket, and he tucked his brothers in, leaving himself without covers.

She went into the back room, found a no-sew blanket, and brought it out with an apology because the blanket was smaller than the boy. She felt bad that we didn't have a blanket large enough. But she said he lit up as if he had won the lottery, and said "No ma'am, I'm happy to have this blanket!"

Here in Houston, we don't have many cold nights, but I'll bet most of us climb into bed and pull covers around us as we descend into sleep. Now a mature, responsible boy - who helps care for his younger siblings - does also.

Below is a picture of a no-sew blanket, and you can find instructions on how to make them on line.

I wasn't supposed to answer this phone call

The caller mistakenly hit the wrong numbers when she was in the voice mail system, so she ended up ringing my desk. She was a former client - we helped her find employment through JobNet and provided food during her job search. She was distraught because she was unemployed again and needed help, so I gave her information on how to begin again at JobNet.

She gave me few details on her current situation, but spent most of the phone call describing the different volunteers who had helped her, wondering if they were still with us. The conversation went something like this, "When I was at JobNet, a woman in her 50s with brown hair was especially kind to me in the computer lab. Is she still there?" Or, "The man who bagged my groceries each time I needed food always asked how I was doing."

She didn't have enough information for me to determine who these volunteers were, but her point was clear: the volunteers made her feel wanted and welcomed and cared about. She wanted assurance that her experience this time around would be similar.

I told her I couldn't identify the volunteers, but let her know the behavior she was describing was part of our culture, and that the volunteers who helped her this time would also be wonderful. She sighed in relief, thanked me, and hung up.

To all the CCSC volunteers who are reading this blog: thank you for exuding kindness to those who come through our doors. Hebrews 13:2 tells us Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

We learn from those we serve

She works one full-time job and two part-time jobs to provide for herself and put her daughter through medical school. Three jobs.

Then the bottom fell out. She was laid off from the full-time job, had to have emergency eye surgery which left her temporarily blind in both eyes, and had to evacuate due to Hurricane Harvey. So at a time when she lost her main source of income, she had two catastrophes occur that brought in unexpected expenses.

She already had a good lead on a new job and expected to be hired soon, but she needed help in paying her rent to avoid eviction. It wouldn't make sense for someone this hard-working to find herself (and her medical-school daughter) living on the streets, so naturally CCSC made the easy decision to help with her rent. We offered other services as well, which she politely declined.

Here's what touched me most in the story. The person who met with her hand-wrote this on her case notes: Client was intentional about remembering 2017 as a turbulent year, but not a bad year. She said there were bumps in the road, but also opportunities for growth. She was grounded, faithful, and appreciative.

I'm thinking these might be my goals for 2018: to be "grounded, faithful, and appreciative."

In the days before Christmas

We helped a family fleeing a violent situation by paying their rent, providing Christmas toys for the three children, and connecting the mother to additional resources. They were not only victims of domestic violence, but also victims of Harvey: their car flooded out and was totaled, and the mother lost several days of wages during the storm.

We helped a special needs pediatric nurse whose car also flooded due to Harvey. It was fixable so she spent her rent money to repair the car, but was then unable to pay her apartment rent. Her landlord waived the late fees because she is such a good tenant.

We helped a former teacher who suffered from PTSD and had recently returned to the workforce. She was able to stay in her home due to CCSC's investment in her life.

We celebrated 5 clients who found jobs in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and sales. They are now starting 2018 with stability instead of uncertainty.

Truthfully, we all start the year with uncertainty because we don't know what the year holds. Living into the unknown requires faith that God will give us what we need for each moment. I have found what God often gives me is the right people in the right moments, and for many vulnerable Houstonians, the right people are CCSC volunteers: listening to deeply personal stories, determining how to best help in that moment, and being God's provision for another.

May 2018 bring an abundance of goodness into your life, while also giving you the opportunity to be His provision for someone else.

What makes a church special?

A couple of Sundays ago, Program Director Karen Holloman gave a "moment for mission" at Bering Drive Church of Christ, promoting a volunteer workday at CCSC. It was her first time to worship at this church, and when she got in the car to leave, she paused and sent me a text to let me know how much she loved being there. This began a back and forth between the two of us, waxing poetic about Bering Drive.

There are other CCSC churches that are equally special, churches we walk into with an agenda - to staff a booth or speak to a group - and leave feeling we were somewhere special. Places that are touched by God; places that make you feel you were in a sacred space.

What makes a church special? There are some who would say it's the theology. And while the beliefs that hold a community together are the foundation of ministry, I've seen strong churches that are progressive as well as those that are conservative. I also don't believe it's the type of worship service (high church vs. low church) or music (church organ vs. a band) or program offerings, although all those things matter in selecting the right church for you.

In spending a lifetime in a wide variety of churches, I believe it's the people who make a church special. Karen's initial text to me that morning used words such as "warm and friendly". That doesn't describe the building or the pews, but the members who welcomed her and made her feel she belonged.

She also mentioned the pastor's message that morning as touching her. Dr. Jeff Christian has a great way about him, and his messages are grounded in scripture, while being relevant to one's daily life. He's pictured below, in the black t-shirt with members of the church who gave up their Saturday morning to put together personal hygiene kits for families in need and organize our abundant Harvey donations.

Thank you to Bering Drive as well as the other CCSC churches that serve as a witness to the love of God, the value of organized religion, and the discipleship that Jesus calls us to live out each day.

And then there was this gift

Right before we opened one of the food pantries - a day or so after Harvey moved east - the first client walked in. Except he wasn't a current client, but a past client. We had helped his family a few times in the last several years, and now he was stable. He was also dry and safe and hungry to help someone else because he knew exactly what it felt like to be vulnerable.

So he reached out to the place that offered him solace and hope and tangible help - CCSC. He walked in and handed us an envelope marked "anonymous donor". Inside was a $100 bill, which will now be reinvested into the life of another.

Many have stepped forward, and we are grateful for the wonderful response we've received. The food and financial support is coming in at a generous pace as we serve people. The Christian Community Service Center is here for the long haul - after the national news turns its attention to other matters, we will still be helping people who have been impacted by Harvey. This work will be ongoing for months and months.

Thank you to all our friends, with a special shout-out to our anonymous friend.

From client to employer - success!

“Alma” was referred to CCSC's *Martha’s Way program by her mother, who was a graduate and believed the program would be beneficial for her daughter.  Alma attended college at the time and was looking for a way to pay her daily expenses and tuition fees.  She graduated from the program in July 2009 and began her business. In addition to school and work, she carved out time to volunteer at Martha’s Way, serving as an ESL instructor.

In the past few years, she graduated from college and became an elementary school teacher.  Soon after, she was offered a position as a counselor at the school and loves working with the children and supporting their educational goals. 

Alma has since returned as a guest speaker at a Martha’s Way reunion event, where she encouraged clients to build their businesses and pursue their dreams.  She is now happily married, and they recently purchased their first home.  With busy schedules and a new home, they made the decision to hire a housekeeper to help them, so Alma called us to hire a recent graduate so she could help someone else the way she had been helped.

*Martha's Way is a vocational training program which teaches women to become small business owners in the field of domestic housekeeping. Some students need it as a bridge income, and some need it to sustain their families; some are married, and some women are single mothers; some women are exiting homelessness, and some are fleeing domestic violence. This program is a strong tool in providing financial security no matter what circumstances bring a woman to our classroom. For more interest in hiring a graduate, click on this link: http://www.ccschouston.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MW2017-Homeowner-Packet.pdf

What happens if your refrigerator dies?

More importantly, what happens if you have a chronic medical condition that requires daily medication that must be refrigerated? The important detail to note is that if you pay to fix or replace your refrigerator, you will not be able to pay your apartment rent. Hence, you might become evicted.

This veteran's only solution was exactly what I might have done: he bought a small, new refrigerator to ensure his immediate health. And then he sought out a church, correctly assuming that the church would want to help him through this crisis, rather than allow him to become homeless because his refrigerator broke.

His church referred him to CCSC, and we were happy to help him, not only because his situation was exactly why our organization was created, but also because it was a privilege to help someone who fought for our country.

This man's story affirms to me one of my strong beliefs: the church is the place to go when hope seems dim, and you simply need help.

This was a near-miss

A few years ago, our staff became aware that a bee colony had made its home near the roofline of our administrative office. It seemed like a small hive, but as we spoke to experts, it became clear we needed to hire a real beekeeper to remove this small hive. The beekeeper we hired actually filmed the removal, and members of our staff were entertained (and horrified) by what we saw on video.

It was not a small hive: 100 pounds of honey were extracted, and we were told the hive had been there for years. And that we were incredibly, incredibly lucky that no one was hurt as this was an active African bee colony. So as we're watching this video, the main beekeeper says this, "I'm not a religious person, but someone has been watching out for these people".

God's providence. There are probably different opinions on how God's providence works. As for me, I don't have to understand it to trust that it's there, and God will provide what I need for any situation.

Here's something else I believe: people can become instruments of God's providence, and in watching the video (I did smile at the beekeeper's comment), I naturally thought that CCSC has been God's providence for thousands of people through the years. We are God's providence when we hear a family's distressing situation and help formulate solutions, when we help an elderly person stretch their social security for that month, when we give an at-risk child needed prescription eyeglasses, when we empower an unemployed person with new skills, and when we communicate authentic caring and love.

So while we can wonder how exactly God's providence works, we can also become God's providence to another by simply reaching out and helping.


Note: this was originally published in CCSC's newsletter and posted here by request.

A mild Easter debacle

Our microwave oven died Easter morning, just as I was heating up the sausages for brunch. We were feeding 10 people, and luckily it was family. Everything else was cooked, so we had a good meal with lukewarm sausages.



We've ordered a new microwave, but are living without one until the new oven arrives, and it feels like I'm roughing it by cooking dinner using the stove and wall oven. I almost feel sorry for myself. But we have food. And electricity. And a new microwave coming. My grandmothers would be aghast at my pity party.

It's just past the middle of the month which means working families living at or near poverty levels are scraping by and facing upcoming bills. Rent will be due in two weeks, the utility bill is coming, and food is a daily necessity. And if there is an expected expense (sick child, flat tire, school field trip, etc...), then these families are in crisis quickly.

The two food pantries of the Christian Community Service Center are there for these families. If the flat tire needs repair, and you have to use your food money to fix the car, then we can replenish your pantry. Or if your child needs medication, and you cannot afford it, we have a referral system with a local pharmacy. In fact, we have lots of referrals and agencies we work with to connect clients to resources beyond our own programs.

Unfortunately we are needed, but gratefully we serve. Call us if you would like a tour or would like to learn more about our work.

A young family needed us

A young couple in their early twenties came in with an 18-month-old baby. The father worked while the mother stayed home, and all was well until the father was in a car accident that crushed his leg. While receiving medical care, he lost many weeks of work; his employer held his job for him, but the time off was unpaid.

When he walked into CCSC, he needed help in paying his electric bill. As he signed in, he said very quietly - without making eye contact - that he had never been in this situation before. The volunteer responded, saying she was glad he had come to us. Her graciousness relaxed him.

Another volunteer listened to their story and coordinated payment of the bill. This young father was overcome by the kindness he experienced more than the financial help we provided. With deep emotion, he said he hoped to one day help our ministry.

I share this story to illustrate not only the clients we help, but also the compassion our volunteers impart. Mr. Rogers said, "There is a space between the needy and the person who is asked to help. That space is holy." In all work areas, the CCSC volunteers enter into that holy space and do God's work.

The face of hunger mirrored mine

For dinner, my 15-year old son ate three large hamburgers, a pear, and a serving of grilled potatoes. He finished it off with an ice cream cone, and then an hour later he was foraging in the food pantry. He's all arms and legs and appetite. Our food bill is creeping up.

A CCSC client's teen son also has an insatiable appetite, but she has a limited income and is a single mother. She came to us during her lunch break because she simply needs more food for her son's growth spurt. I was humbled to hear her story.

There are many faces of hunger: the elderly, working families, and teenage boys. Last year, CCSC gave over 30,000 food packages to the hungry. Last week, we fed over 200 families. Today was busy. Tomorrow will be also. Thanks to all who support our work by volunteering time, conducting food drives, and sending in financial gifts. All are needed, appreciated, and put to work.

We're here to help

One of CCSC's goals this past year was to help more people find work and increase their income, and we have positive results to share.

In the JobNet program, we helped 43% more clients than in the prior year. And we expanded services by adding a "coach", someone to work with people to achieve goals that would help stabilize their lives. Some of those goals include finding more affordable housing, reducing expenses, become banked, earning a GED, etc... Over 200 clients opted for this service, with nearly 50% achieving either short- or long-term goals.

Some of the jobs found include accounting assistant, truck driver, payroll coordinator, as well as jobs in medical records, healthcare delivery, and administrative positions in the energy sector.

Notably, we had a 355% increase in the number of clients receiving computer tutoring, therefore becoming fluent in office technology.

In the Martha's Way program (vocational training), we had a 16% increase in the number of graduates, which means the Houston-area now has 242 new entrepreneurs launching their small business. This training program helped increase household wages for these families, with the latest survey showing the average graduate earning about $24/hour. This helps the nearly 500 children living in those homes to have food, a roof over their head, and other basic needs met.

At CCSC we pay attention to metrics, but we also care about the individual people behind the numbers. So I'm grateful for one of the JobNet clients who stopped me in the hallway to tell me how much we've changed her life.