Verhoeftacular Extravaganza

Wow, life is really getting interesting now. On July 12 I was in my first Helping Hands Pantry board meeting where I was brought on as the director of programs, officially a volunteer position, partly because of Helping Hands strong desire to be an organization consisting of 100% volunteers (which will likely change as the organization grows and matures) and also partly because they simply aren't established enough for their budget to contain payroll and all of the complexities that go along with that. After writing a letter to the council of my church, they agreed to be my sending missions agency. The River CRC agreed to add me to their payroll and absorb the costs that go along with adding a staff member so that the fund raising I do in order to contribute to a salary for myself may be strictly for me. Thus far this journey has continually proven to me just how faithful and great our God really is.
There are many different branches to what I will be doing. Helping Hands Pantry, which is a DBA (doing business as) of Help for the Hurting is an organization that seeks to unite to Churches of the Redlands area in order to care for those that are in need. Four days out of the week we are distributing bags of groceries from our distribution center Near Norton Air Force base. At this location we are also meeting with individuals and families, building a relationship with them and beginning the discernment process on their level of need. At this location we are also making plans for there to be parenting classes, tutoring for children and/or adults that need it, and other counseling/resourcing. We will be doing home visits with everyone that is new to Helping Hands in order to deepen our relationship with them and understand better their needs. For those that are recently out of prison we will meet and council them in order to resource them for normal life again. Much of the produce that is distributed by Helping Hands is home grown at the community gardens, one on a city lot in Redlands and another coming soon from a acreage in the Wildwood canyon area. It is all brought to and packaged by volunteers in our warehouse in Loma Linda. There really is so much going on it's hard to picture without seeing the places that I'm writing about.
There is so much more that needs to be done in order for this ministry position to be sustainable in the long-run for Katie, Eden and I. I have already received generous pledges of monthly financial support from close friends and family as I go about the business of running and organizing the ministries of Helping Hands Pantry. More is needed and time is short. I've said several times that in the economy that we're in it would have to be a God thing for the fund raising that I will be doing to bear much fruit. At no point in that last sentence would I want there to have been an impression that I was fearful for the lack of the ability for God to sustain us in this God-endeavor. I just hope that once our goals have been obtained that you will look to God to praise him for His faithfulness and truth.
I ask, first of all for your prayers, and secondly, I ask for you to consider partnering with us financially as we seek to do justice and mercy and lead others to justice and mercy in this area of the country.

If interested Please call me at (909)794-6776 or email me at joelandKatie@hotmail.com