Wednesday, February 27, 2013

What Happens When 69 Churches Work As One?

It's a thankfully slow day here at Bristol Faith in Action, so I thought I'd post some data from our 2012 annual report.  Please note:  the total population of our service area is approximately 50,000.  Clients may come in every 6 months at most for financial assistance, and up to monthly for food vouchers, diapers, or personal supplies.

In 2012, we assisted 3,394 households with a total of 7,565 people.

We gave $173,755 in direct financial assistance (we pay the utility company or the landlord, not the client.)

We gave $55,400 in rent assistance, $102,224 worth of electric bills, and $5,275 toward household water.

We gave out 1,363 vouchers for the Bristol Emergency Food Pantry.  These supply clients with an average of three days' worth of food.  Many other organizations in Bristol distribute these vouchers.

We gave 554 bags of food from our small in-house pantry, to clients who had already used their monthly eligibility for the main pantry or who were otherwise unable to use it.

679 personal care kits, which include shampoo, soap, deodorant, and toothpaste.  572 packs of diapers.  454 bags of household cleaning kits.

Though we get individual donations, as well as grants from many places, including the United Way of Bristol and Speedway Children's Charities, over half of our financial assistance money comes from our member churches.

And these are our member churches:

Addilyn Memorial United Methodist.  Aldersgate United Methodist.  Anderston Street United Methodist.  Antioch Baptist.  Avoca Christian.  Beech Grove United Methodist.  Belle Meadows Baptist.  Bethel View Baptist.  Bradley Street Baptist.  Calvary Baptist.  Celebration.  Central Christian.  Central Presbyterian.  Cold Spring Presbyterian.  Covenant Fellowship.  Discovery.  East Bristol Baptist.  East End Christian.  Emmanuel Episcopal.  Euclid Avenue Baptist.  Faith Baptist.  Faith Lutheran.  Fellowship Chapel.  First Baptist.  First Christian.  First Presbyterian.  Freedom Baptist.  First United Methodist.  Full Gospel Fellowship.  Gethsemane Baptist.  Grace Point.  Heritage Baptist.  Higher Ground.  Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox.  Holston Valley Christian.  John Wesley United Methodist.  Judah Church.  Lee Street Baptist.  Liberty Baptist.  Lime Hill Baptist.  McIver Memorial Presbyterian. Meadowview Presbyterian.  New Hope Baptist.  New Grace Baptist.  Northstar Baptist.  Parkway Baptist Worship Center.  Redeemer Lutheran.  Reynolds Memorial United Methodist.  Sacred Cross Assembly of God.  Shakesville Church of Christ.  Shiloh Baptist.  Sinking Springs United Methodist.  South Bristol United Methodist.  St. Anne Catholic.  St. Luke United Methodist.  State Street United Methodist.  Sugar Grove Baptist.  The Bridge Assembly of God.  Trinity United Methodist.  Victory Baptist.  Victory Bible Fellowship.  Virginia Ave. Baptist.  Virginia Ave. United Methodist.  Walnut Grove Presbyterian.  Walnut Hill Presbyterian.  Weaver Union.  West Hills Christian.  Windsor Ave. Presbyterian.  Woodlawn Baptist.

Whew!  What a list!  I'll tell you, we couldn't even begin to agree on doctrine.  But we can all agree on caring for our neighbors.

What've you got in your neighborhood?

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