I recently spoke with a few clients

 

CCSC helps families and individuals who undergo short-term crises. Sometimes we pay part of their rent or utilities, preventing homelessness or substandard living conditions. A volunteer follows up a few months later to check on the family’s well-being and ensure our resources were invested well.

So one day this fall, I made some of those calls. I spoke to an elderly woman who needed assistance paying for her electricity last summer; she lives on a fixed income and had an abnormally high bill. If we hadn't helped her, she would have cut back either on food or prescription medication.

I also spoke with two single parents who’ve made lifestyle adjustments to juggle their children and work. Bob has three children under the age of five, and he works nights to care for them during the day. I referred him to our Client Services Coordinator to see if we could help formulate a plan to further stabilize the family and also reduce his stress.

The other single parent, Kate, was lucky enough to have her mom move in with her, so she now has help with her elementary school-aged children. She works a low wage job in the retail sector, so we referred her to JobNet, hoping an upgrade in skills might increase her income.

And then, while writing this post, a minister reached out to me, saying they have a homeless man sleeping outside, near the church, so she’s sending him to us for help.

You know, if I got into trouble, I’d sleep near a church also, trusting that the people of the church would reach out to me. And that’s CCSC’s mission, to be the church, saying “Yes, come to us. Let us help you.”

 

 

I'm grateful to help a caregiver

By a certain age, most of us have had the responsibility for caring for an aging parent. It is is hard work, no matter whether it is a short or long journey, because it nearly always involves grief as well as many other emotions.

I've found that the journey is not just about caring for our parents, but also what the journey does to and for us.

But this blog is not about the journey. It's about the people who help us care for our parents. The people who do the mundane tasks of feeding, dressing, cleaning and taking care of our parent's basic needs. The right person is a gift from God, for all involved: the parent and the adult children.

So we had a caregiver come to our food pantry. She's had a long work history caring for older people in a skilled nursing facility, but was laid off  because the number of patients in her unit had declined. When she came to us, she had job interviews set up with several other places and was not concerned about finding work, but just needed help during the interim time. Which is exactly what CCSC is set up to do.

We chatted quite a bit during the interview, and what struck me was her quiet dignity and the kindness that emanated from her. Just being in her presence stilled me on a day that was particularly stressful. I would have loved to have had someone like her caring for my parents.

So I am grateful CCSC could help during this time in her life, knowing that when she finds her next job, she will be a gift to other families who are caring for an aging parent.

No canned beets for me, thank you

 

 

Or wax beans either. I would gag if I had to eat either one of those.

This is the season for food drives, and it's great for CCSC because it fills our pantries. Some of you call our office, wanting to know desired food items, so here goes:

• think protein: meaty stews, peanut butter, beans & legumes, canned meat
• avoid carbs: they are already cheap and accessible for families on a limited budget
• include canned fruits and veggies

The other guideline is to give what you would eat. Now if you like canned beets and wax beans, I guess it's okay to donate those items, but I would pause.

Instead, think of corn, green beans, black beans, tomatoes, carrots, and most canned fruits (light syrup, please) - these are more universally liked. I still remember the elderly client who came to an outdoor food fair we hosted several years ago. She was thrilled and almost giddy when we gave her some canned peaches.

Wherever you live, contribute to your local food pantry, and if CCSC is your pantry, thank you for your support. We're grateful for all donations, even those of beets and waxed beans.

Sleigh bells are ringing

At the Sunshine Resale Shop, we sell Christmas decorations almost year-round, but this week we had the above vintage sleigh donated. It's for sale, along with lots of other holiday goodies. The 1960s mannequin sitting in it (we named her Natasha) is not for sale.

It's hard to think of Christmas when it's 90+ degrees in Houston, but CCSC begins planning for its annual Christmas program, Jingle Bell Express", in August. It takes about five months of work by a volunteer committee and our staff to get the event ready. And of course, we're always looking for volunteers, so if you're interested, below is an upcoming opportunity:

CLIENT REGISTRATION

Held at the Blanton Building of St. Luke’s United Methodist (Westheimer campus)

Monday, October 5 from 8:30 A.M. to 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 6 from 8:30A.M. - 1:30P.M.

Wednesday, October 7 from 8:30A.M. - 1:30P.M. 

*Please sign-up with Laurie Fitzpatrick, Youth Services  Manager at 713-961-3993x215

 

I'm sharing a client success story today

Our JobNet Manager recently shared this client story:

"John" was laid off from a construction company that saw its business decline with the decrease in oil prices. His lack of computer skills left him frustrated because he couldn't complete the on-line employment applications required of most companies. So he came regularly to JobNet's Self-Paced Computer Training to develop those skills. He also met with a coach to put a resume together and work on his job search. He told us this was the first time in 20 years he has been unemployed.

As we talked, I learned he had been a safety coordinator and worked several years ago for a notable company here in Houston. We forwarded his resume to the HR Director there, just to see what might happen. The next morning, John received a call from the company and began employment that afternoon.

This client needed just a little: computer skills, coaching, and someone to push him to send his resume to the right person.  Many of our clients need just a few targeted things like this to propel them forward, and this is how JobNet is effective.

This morning I spoke to another client who was laid off due to the oil industry. She has utilized JobNet, but this morning was receiving food from our pantry. She was upbeat and optimistic that she would find work soon. In the meantime, CCSC is here to help, both for her family's immediate needs as well as for the longer process of conducting her job search.

These two stories are about Houston's economy and it's ties to the energy sector, but we help people from a variety of backgrounds through the ups and downs of the economy. Many of our clients face enormous challenges and obstacles, so it's rewarding for me to hear (and share) the stories with a happy ending, like John's.

Maybe we need to stop talking?

If you haven’t read the prior blog (posted on August 13), please read it before reading this one.

 

Okay. So after posting that blog, a CCSC friend called to say how much she appreciated reading about the Jeters and seeing people like them lifted up. We spoke about the ordinary people we both know who live their faith out in daily life, providing a strong example of what it means to be a Christian.

 

Then she mused, “I wonder what it would be like if all Christians stopped talking for 40 days (40 days being a biblical timeframe) and had to witness to their faith only by their actions?” 

 

Now, I know some of you are having a heart attack right now, thinking this would be fundamentally wrong. And I agree that we are called to use our words to explain why our faith matters. In fact, I think some of us are too passive in not verbalizing how our faith changes who we are and how we see the world. 

 

But I also think a 40 day fast from talking, replaced by 40 days of action, could be transformative. And powerful. There is a quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi that says, “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” 

 

Perhaps a healthy balance of words and action is what’s needed.

 

 

 

Being a Christian is about doing

There are many stories I could share of faith in action, so this is just one coming out of our 41 covenant churches.

A few months ago I spoke at Sharpstown Baptist Church, giving a “moment for mission” on CCSC.

While at the church, I learned that Mike & Alaine Jeter (the pastor and his wife) had become aware of a small community of people living near the church who had needs. Instead of forming a committee to study the problem, they announced one Sunday that their congregation had an opportunity to help these families, and they were going to begin with tutoring the children to help them in school.

The first volunteers were Mike and Alaine. Each week, they and others go to this apartment complex to help the mostly elementary school-aged children with their homework.

On the Sunday I spoke, these children all sat with Alaine until children’s church began. It was obvious that a genuine affection had grown between them, and when I asked about it later, Mike said he and Alaine considered these children to be their grandchildren. Alaine has since begun a woman’s program to deepen relations between the children’s mothers and the women of the church.

Mike and Alaine are also active volunteers with CCSC as well as with other organizations connected to their church. While I know they use their voices to talk about their beliefs, it appears to me that a lot of their energy goes into “doing” and “being” Christians.

And it reminds me of the famous adage, actions speak louder than words.