It’s always nice to know what happens after we invest in something. What happens after the money is donated? What happens after pillows are dropped off in the donation bin? What happens after we give our time to build beds or buy diapers for a new mother?
When we donate to something, we don’t always get to see the ripple effect that our money has and how God uses our giving. So we are excited to share with how we are using your money you gave to the Christmas Offering for the Love Your Neighbor and CarePortal teams.
Through our Christmas Offering this past year, the generous people of Pulpit Rock gave $12,000 to our Love Your Neighbor team and $5,000 to CarePortal.
This money goes directly to loving kids and families in Colorado Springs.
It gives us freedom to say yes when God is asking us to reach out and show love to strangers.
It gives us the ability to remind kids that they are seen, known and loved.
It gives us the opportunity to show up and remind people of their value.
Ways We Are Serving Colorado Springs
Here are a couple of the specific ways we have used your money…
Helping Someone Start Over After Escaping an Abusive Relationship
It allows us to come alongside a new mother that has just fled an abusive relationship. We are able to help her move into her new apartment and set her up with diapers and wipes for her new baby. We can give her gift cards so she can buy new clothes for herself and maybe even some of her favorite candy bars. We can walk with her, pray for her and remind her of her value – that she is more than the abuse that was inflicted upon her – that she and her baby are beautifully and perfectly created by God, no matter what pain she has gone through.
Building Bunk Beds for Foster Kids
We can buy supplies and lumber so we can continue to build beds. We have regularly scheduled build days where families have the opportunity to serve together. Young kids are able to build the beds and then deliver them to someone of the same age. They get to see the excitement in another child’s eyes when they are given something as simple as a bed to sleep in. We are able to connect with grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, foster moms and dads by serving alongside them as they choose to take care of kids that been removed from their home due to abuse and/or neglect. By giving a kid a bed to sleep in we are able to show them that they are extremely valuable, even to strangers.
Meeting Practical Everyday Needs
Dinosaur bedding for a 3-year-old. Winter coats for the brother and sister that were dropped off with all they own in a grocery bag. A comfortable bed for the 10-year-old in her 5th foster care placement. A gas card for the grandmother who took in her three grandchildren and struggles to get them to all their doctor’s appointments. Pots and pans for the 19-year-old that now has custody of her teenage brother. Groceries for the family that recently moved into an apartment with their four children after being homeless for the last 6 months.
Ways We Are Serving Our City During COVID-19
Three months ago, when we first received the Christmas Offering gift, we could not have foreseen the additional needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. But of course, God knew. And now, we have the ability to serve those affected by the pandemic in a way we couldn’t have planned.
Here are some ways we are helping the community in Colorado Springs during the COVID-19 crisis:
Southeast Supply Drive
- Drop off supplies at the east entrance at PRC to benefit District 2
- Toilet paper, diapers, general hygiene items, etc.
Crossfire Ministries
- Volunteers needed to help prepare and hand out food boxes
- Contact Amy – volunteer@corssfireministries.org
Care and Share
- Volunteers needed to pack boxes and sort food
- Contact Luke – lwrobleski@pulpitrock.com
CarePortal
- We have enabled CarePortal’s new request feature – Disaster Relief Requests.
- These will be included in the normal CarePortal requests, but will be focused on COVID-19 related needs including support for emergency workers.
- If you don’t currently receive the CarePortal request emails and would like to, please let Luke know.
Give to PRC online and designate COVID-19 relief
- This gives us more freedom to reach out and help the community when asked.
- Give Online
COSILOVEYOU Help Page
- COSILOVEYOU has created a web page with a lot of good information on serving – this is always being updated and includes several of the items above.
I could go on and on, but to sum up …
your donations to Love Your Neighbor and CarePortal have become love to those who are hurting.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions or know of someone that needs help.
