Clients Served Jan - Apr 2014

June 2014
ISSUE 101
Thanks to Donors - Young Man Reunites with Family
by Sonya Tyler
As I sat at my computer this morning trying to come up with an article for the newsletter, God
sent me the perfect story (that only He could write). One of our faithful volunteers, Charlene,
came to my office with a deeply troubled look. She said, “Sonya, I have a young man at my
desk that’s so desperate for help he’s in tears. Please come see if there’s something you can do.”
I met Joshua and learned he had been living on the streets for several weeks after a divorce
from his wife. He had nowhere to stay, no job, no money and no hope. He explained that he
had family in Indianapolis that he could stay with and his mom had found him a job, but he
had no way of getting there. All he had were the clothes on his back. The room seemed to stop
as everyone held their breath in anguish over this poor young man’s situation.
I took Joshua to my office and we talked some more. It was clear to me that God had sent him
to us for help and I wasn’t going to let him leave until we had a plan. So, as he ate breakfast
in our kitchen, I went online and purchased a Greyhound bus ticket for him. When he was
done, I walked him over to our Clothing Boutique so he could get some clothing until he got
home. And finally, our pantry volunteers fixed him up a bountiful backpack full of easy to
eat travel food. The smiles on our volunteers faces lit up the room knowing Joshua was being
taken care of.
Joshua’s bus was set to leave at 930 that evening,
so I introduced him to our soup kitchen so he
could get a hearty lunch, and afterwards I took
him to the Greyhound Station. I also learned
one of the volunteers had slipped him money
to buy a disposable cell phone so he could call
his family and let them know where he was
and when he would be home.
There are so many cool things about this story.
First, that God led him to Interfaith because
He knew we would care for Joshua. Second,
thanks to our donors we were able to provide
him with a bus ticket, food, clothing and most importantly - hope. And of course, for the
wonderful people God put in His path this morning, as our volunteers gave of their time and
let him know God loved him and he was not alone. This is Interfaith. And we are honored to
serve a loving God and share that love with all His children.
Getting on the List
If you’re receiving our newsletter by mail, and would like to get it electronically, please
let us know. The electronic version is in full color and easy to share with family and
friends. To get on our email list, contact Sonya at 629-8868 or [email protected].
Clients Served
Jan - Apr 2014
Food (Ocala)
Outreach (food):
Reddick
Fellowship
Ft McCoy
Marion Oaks
Pedro (new)
TOTAL FOOD:
Hygiene items
3,376
571
184
271
327
68
4,797
1,914
(Totals above are per household)
Clothing
2,102
Boots
23
ID Cards
124
Diaper
264
“Reader” Glasses
279
Gas Vouchers (medical)
51
RX Clients
143
RX Cost
$10,704
Food 4 Kids
Children served
Meals provided
1,650
109,320
Shelter
Women
Children
Men
30
27
5
How to Donate
Want to help support the
work we do? Please send a
check payable to “Interfaith
Emergency Services” at PO
Box 992, Ocala, FL 34478,
or give securely online at
www.iesmarion.org. Thank
you to all our supporters that
give faithfully to bless this
ministry.
From the Chief Executive Officer: Karla Grimsley
S
ometimes ordinary events yield extraordinary results. Everyday we do what we are here to do;
provide shelter, give people groceries and clothing, help others with their medication expenses.
Of course one of the underlying themes we try to uphold here is to share the love of Christ through
our deeds and actions. Recently I was reminded of how important that is. We attended a ceremony
to memorialize homeless people who have passed and to celebrate some people who had overcome
homelessness and are now productive self-sufficient members of our community. Clients got up to
share how their lives had been touched by various organizations. Most of the stories focused on the
specific services and encouragement they received. When the representative from Interfaith got up I
was blown away. His testimony (and that’s what it was) was more focused on his relationship with God
and the powerful impact that had on all of the other aspects of his life. I remembered sitting in devotions with him and he was
always tuned in. What I took for granted is what was happening on the inside. For me it was our routine time of prayer, Bible
reading, and discussion which always puts my day on the right course. For this young man who was lost and undone, it was
life-changing! A transformation was taking place on the inside that is now reflected on the outside. Just this last week another
young woman at our devotional time gave her heart to the Lord. Now when you see her, she always has a smile on her face....even
though she’s living in a homeless shelter. Thank you for your prayers. I know when we see lives changed like these, you are out
there praying for Interfaith. Keep it up! It’s making all the difference.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16
Keller Williams’ Red Day and ‘Give Where you Live’
by Ken Nelson
Interfaith was incredible blessed recently by Keller Williams
Cornerstone Realty when we became the recipients of their annual
Red Day/Keller Cares. In May, a group of 35 or so agents and even
some of their family members, converged on Interfaith to spiff up
our shelter and offices and do some much needed painting.
Group member Sherri Meadows said, “I believe in the Keller
Williams motto ‘Give where you live’ and I love to give back to my
community.”
Michelle Livingston Shiver headed up the group. Her team was
not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get busy. Groups of 5-6 were
formed and the work began immediately – one group tackled
cleaning walls, doors, windows and wiping down our shelter
kitchen and childrens’ toys. Another group painted our Learning Center while still another did yard work. A
final group painted our Food 4 Kids building and prepared one of the main walls for a mural. Forest High School
fine arts teacher John Yakulavich was
recruited to personally design and
paint the mural. His theme, ‘Jesus
loves the little children’ was a perfect
fit (pictured right).
Realtor Betty Stallone said, “This is my third event this year, and third ‘Red Day’
as a volunteer.” Betty has been with Keller Williams since 2006. Joel Weldon,
Music Director for Christ The King Church, brought a large BBQ cooker, and
provided a great meal for all the volunteers and staff. “I enjoy volunteering to
cook for special projects like Keller Williams Red Day,” said Joel.
Thanks so much to everyone that gave so generously of their time and talents!
Special Gifts
In MEMORY of:
Jim Contento
By: Celine Mack
Sue Turner
By: Ruth Albright
Les Foster
By: Susan Greiner
Ana Dunwoody
Dorothy Thompson
Ann and Bobby Richardson
Jerry and Dee Brown
Sandy and Robin McBride
Dr Jim Casey
Marian Calcagni
By: Susan Greiner
Ann and Bobby Richardson
Mack Dunwoody
By: Ana Dunwoody
Al Magruder
Helen Wildy
By: Patricia Bishop
Bill Avera
By: Frances and Brent Malever
Becky Nation
Sue and John Brawner
Wayland and Jean Hogan
Inge Trupovnieks
By: Barbara Trupovnieks
Henricus Verberk
Harry Boyko
By: Dennis and Nancy Straiter
J Alvis Cameron
By: Rupert and Anne Caviness
Janet A Foreman
By: Wood Group Mustang, Inc
Ethel Dudley
Carol O’Neil
By: Keith and Carolyn Fender
George and Mira Shwery
By: Esther Hott
Tommy Craggs
By: Rupert and Anne Caviness
Ann and Bobby Richardson
Wayland and Jean Hogan
Laura Humbel
Michael Morgan
By: Frank and Pamela Stafford
Our Thanks Goes To...
In MEMORY of:
Judge Bill Swigert
By: Ann and Bobby Richardson
Jerry and Dee Brown
Phyllis Campbell
By: Ruth Albright
Horace Camp, Sr
By: Elaine Camp
Paul Nugent
By: Jerry and Dee Brown
A big thank you
to Steve Hawter
and the Twilight
Cruisers for their
recent food drive.
Thanks to Alarion Bank for their food drive
during May and June! Their commitment to
helping feed families in Marion County is
awesome!
Bob Jones
By: Robert and Marcia Jones
In HONOR of:
Cruz Yearwood
By: Theresa and Robert Weech
Cathy Wittman
By: PEO Sisterhood Chapter CT
A huge thank you to GPI for donating office
furniture and a 14 x 16 shed to Interfaith. And
another thank you goes to Handi House of Ocala
Spc. David Scott, serving in US Army in for delivering the shed to us for free! Community
Afganistan
partners coming together create an amazing
Ruth Henderson
blessing!
By: Keith and Carolyn Fender
Team
Interfaith
Donald G Camp
participated
in
By: Elaine Camp
the Mayor’s Clean
Up Day! Thanks
Would you like to honor a loved one?
to this awesome
The individual honored or their family
crew: Bill, Karla,
will receive a letter of acknowledgement.
Paulette, John &
Please contact Phyllis for more info at
Lorita.
629-8868x30 or [email protected].
Floyd and Connie Salser
By: GRWC Greater Ocala Woman’s Club
Feeding Children in Marion County
We would like to encourage you to get involved in an event called “Feeding Children
Everywhere.” This organization brings in food and supplies that allows a group of volunteers
to yield 20,000 HEALTHY meals for children in one day! These events are fun and really help
our food pantry and Food 4 Kids ministries. Currently we have a church that is interested but
would like to partner with a couple of other churches to host the event. The cost of the event
is $5,000 which comes out to 25 cents per meal (what a deal!). But for many churches that’s
difficult. However, if several churches pulled together to raise the funds this is a real possibility
and a great way to feed children in Marion County. If we’ve peaked your interest, please take
a minute to watch a couple of the videos on their website: www.feedingchildreneverywhere.
com. If you’re interested in hosting an event or partnering with other local churches please
contact Karla at 629-8868 or [email protected]. Central Christian Church under the
pastorate of Doug Reed and Chuck Gaj hosted an event for us earlier this year and it was such
a blessing and the event itself was just plain FUN! Please prayerfully consider this opportunity
and check out the website for more information. Through Feeding Children Everywhere, we
can be sure that we are doing our part in feeding children in Marion County!
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit #243
Ocala, FL 34478
P.O. Box 992 • Ocala, FL 34478
IES Board of Directors
Paul Anderson
Shep Dozier
Pastor Susan Gray
Scott Hackmyer
Mary Lou James, Secretary
James Kuse, President
Kevin McDonald
Pastor Renee Moore
Bill Quinn
Sandy Sanders
Linda Ross Werth
Wesley Wheeler
Karla Grimsley, Chief Executive Officer
Check out our website at
www.IESmarion.org
MISSION STATEMENT
Interfaith Emergency Services is a community of faith called by God to
offer emergency assistance without judgment to all persons in Marion County.
Interfaith Grateful for Community’s Outpouring
by David Creek
We are constantly in awe of the ways God works, both in His providence as well as in the hearts of those who have surrendered
them to His influence.
Interfaith is a place where you will have no difficulty finding smiles on any given day. But after May’s Mail Carriers Food Drive,
those smiles have been bigger! When speaking of the annual event, CEO Karla Grimsley said, “This is one of my favorite days
of the year! I get all emotional as I drive to Interfaith and see all the bags on the mail boxes. It reminds me that people really are
caring.”
By last count God provided 125,300 pounds of food at our downtown location. About
50,000 pounds will be distributed to other agencies, and the remaining food will go directly
to Interfaith clients. Thomas Curtis, Warehouse Manager said, “It’s such a moving sight
to see a crowded warehouse with volunteers busily sorting food around the clock and
food donations literally reaching the ceilings, but the reality is, with the growing need and
number of clients we see each week, that food will last us 8 to 10 weeks. That’s why we will
continue to ask for food drives throughout the year.”
From the bottom of our hearts we wish to thank all the postal workers for working so hard (and joyfully) to assist us once again,
generating a renewed meaning to the phrase “going postal.” We also thank all our hard working volunteers who sacrificed their
Saturday to unload the mail trucks, some even using their own vehicles to make pick ups. And finally, a big thank you to everyone
who made donations large or small - it’s all large and it’s going to the blessing of countless people to the glory of God.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLI NG
TOLL FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.