Over 100 free online and in-person classes, training, and coaching to help neighbors affected by COVID move forward.
Even before COVID-19 hit, many neighbors were struggling to get ahead. Now, with the financial fallout of lost jobs, lost income, and lost opportunities, even more of our neighbors are falling behind.
Our classes, training, and coaching equip anyone in the tri-state interested in improving in some area of their life.
TOPICS INCLUDE: – Finances – Relationships – Family & parenting – Spiritual growth – Health & nutrition – And more!
Services like these are funded by neighbors like you.
Thanks to your gifts, these classes, training, and coaching are available at no cost to the community.
Your gift during this unique season helps neighbors learn parenting, budgeting, and other life skills that serve as resources to equip them to gain stability and move toward their potential.
Thank you,
Gina Gibson, Josey Roth, and Katie Merrick Grunow ECLC Development Team
P.S. – Interested in trying a class? Call us at 812.423.9222 to learn more!
This year has brought about change for everyone, and at the Evansville Christian Life Center we’ve been changing and adapting for the better. This is excellent news!
One huge way we’ve experienced change is how our volunteers interact with and invest in our clients.
This past year, volunteers have had the opportunity to take the time needed to get to know our clients on a deeper level. Volunteers are learning about their neighbors’ lives, their struggles, their wins, and their losses in a way we’ve never seen before.
We discussed these exciting changes in a new video below. Learn about how you can get involved and how we can continue to evolve and help our community together!
If you choose to be a volunteer, a donor, or both, you WILL see change and bring hope to your city. You’ll invest in people that come through our services and see with your own eyes the endless amounts of potential each one of them has to offer.
Become a volunteer, become a donor, become a partner at the Evansville Christian Life Center and make a lasting impact in your community.: Please support our services.
Due to COVID-19, our more public services were temporarily closed and others shifted to serve our community in new (and many times virtual) ways.
We have been reopening our public services as wisely and safely as possible. Please check for updates and changes as requirements are changing daily.
Below is our service schedule, based on recommendations from the Health Department.
Clothing Department: Open 2 days per week (Wednesdays & Thursdays only) – A limited number of shoppers will be permitted at a time – Those waiting in line will need to wait outside – Only 1 person per household permitted to shop – Shoppers must have I.D. for registration – Other specific details and restrictions may be required when shoppers arrive – Hours: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Last person checked in at 12 noon)
Hot Meal Program: Our Hot Meal Program is temporarily closed.
Thanks to multiple food providers like Feed Evansville and other area organizations, demand for our Hot Meal Program has decreased. In order to be good stewards of the resources given us, we will be sharing our donations with other local organizations and reassigning our Food Services staff to other areas. We will reevaluate our plans in September, when some of the temporary community food efforts end.
Evansville Christian Health Clinic: – Pregnancy, Dental and Medical services will continue by appointment and walk-in availability.
Family Care Services (Parenting Rewards and Fatherhood Initiative): – By appointment only please call 812-423-9222
Accent On Christ 12-Step Recovery: – Reopened for regular, in-person meetings – Meetings are conducted according to recommended cleaning, sanitization, and social distancing guidelines
Abstinence Education: – Truth talk classes are being done by video per school district requirements – We are working with local schools for the remainder of the school year
GAIN Initiative: – Will continue to meet via in-person, video and telephone
In addition to the details listed above, strict cleaning, sanitization, and social distancing procedures will be followed in all ECLC departments by staff, volunteers, and clients.
We invite you to support your neighbors as they rebuild their lives and move toward stability by donating financially to fund our work.
Together, we are continuing to work toward an Evansville with less poverty, stronger families, and more Jesus.
83% of Evansville identifies as Christian. Yet…addiction, abuse, housing, and poverty are major issues in our community.
Is something in our faith disconnected?
Like looking at life through a broken pair of glasses, a limited view of the gospel hurts our community, our churches, and even our own lives.
What if Jesus’ way of life is designed to affect every area of our lives, our churches, and our community? We partnered with Community One to create this book to start a conversation about how a full understanding of the gospel can transform our community.
HEAVENSVILLE: How a limited view of poverty, social justice, and the gospel is keeping our community from thriving…and how we can change.
“…combines a deep understanding of Scriptural truth and a wealth of practical wisdom for caring rightly for neighbors in need.” — ROBERT LUPTON, Atlanta community developer, author of Toxic Charity
“…one of the clearest and most compelling cases for Christ-followers to lift up their eyes and see the bigger and more beautiful gospel…” — ERIC SWANSON, Leadership Network, co-author of The Externally Focused Church and To Transform a City
“This is an excellent practical guide for holistic urban ministry. Solidly biblical. Full of practical wisdom. This a superb guide for holistic ministry that combines word and deed in the way of Jesus.” – DR. RONALD J. SIDER, author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger
“…a ‘must-read’ if you have a deep desire to help bring about lasting change with poverty, social injustice, and communicating the gospel.” — DAVE SCHWAMBACH, Family Pastor, Bethel Church, Evansville
See what some of your neighbors are saying about HEAVENSVILLE:
“If God built a city from scratch, what would it be like? It is more than everyone knowing who Jesus is, and it is more than resolving every social injustice. The city God would build is a place He would live and a place we all would want to live. ‘Heavensville’ is a unique gift to our community that gently and carefully guides us to consider how we can hold in balance the proclamation and the demonstration of the Gospel. Telling and sharing go together. Let this be a guide for you as you work to see our city be a place where everyone experiences Gospel flourishing.” — ROSS CHAPMAN, For Evansville
“…a vivid picture of not only what is but, more importantly, what every city and community should be. With clarity of insight and a wealth of practical expressions, this book challenges and encourages me to move more deeply into a fully engaged gospel life. ‘Heavensville’ is a valuable resource for anyone ready to initiate great conversations and holistic transformations wherever you call home.” — KEVIN BRIMNER, Lead Pastor, First Christian Church, Newburgh
“As someone who has deep convictions on many subjects, I typically begin to cringe when an author or speaker tells me they have something to say on the subject of social justice. But this book gives us the proper definition and role of Godly justice in our society today. I highly recommend pastors, lay leaders, and church members read what they have to say on this important and timely topic.” — KRIS HOLZMEYER, Associate Pastor, Living Word Christian Church; Chaplain, Evansville Police Department
“…an in-depth roadmap for transformation, but that transformation comes through a full understanding of the Gospel. Reading ‘Heavensville,’ our hearts were challenged to be agents of shalom, flourishing, and to let Jesus’ life overflow through us. This book encourages the reader to help to rewrite the DNA of our community.” — THE KANDEL SISTERS (Kris Schwambach, Karen Kizlin, Kathie Poe, Linda Mason), authors of Get on Your Knee Replacements and Pray
“What if the root cause of poverty has been our stinginess with the Gospel? ‘Heavensville’ breaks down the complex problem of poverty in our city, and points us towards the place where lives and society can change.” — GREG GRAHAM, Creative Director, Blue Grass UMC, Evansville
…helped me to understand the hard choices that individuals living in poverty have to make. It was a great learning opportunity for my kids. – Doug
One of the biggest challenges to fighting poverty is understanding it.
For those of us who have not experienced the struggle of poverty, we simply don’t understand the realities that our neighbors in these circumstances are going through. Therefore, our view can be distorted by misconceptions and misinformation.
Those working to move out of poverty look a lot like us, but they also face unique challenges and choices.
To help us as a community better understand some of these unique challenges and choices, we’re introducing the 5 Minutes In Poverty playing card experience.
It points out the ripple effects and impact from one critical decision to the next. – Terry
Each card presents you with a scenario that a person in poverty might face. Choice cards give you options as you continue on through the cards to see where decisions take you.
…almost every decision that has to be made leads to a negative outcome. – Jim
While not designed to be a “fun,” entertaining game, this experience will hopefully help you empathize and appreciate the struggle by making these difficult choices yourself as you play.
Interested? Here’s how to play:
1. Contact us to order a pack ($10/pack).
2. Schedule a tour where you can have the opportunity to play.
P.S. – If you haven’t already, check out the 5 Minutes in Poverty walk-thru display.
Introducing the e-life process: helping people move from need to potential
When someone misses out on their potential, we all lose.
When just one person moves toward their potential, we all win.
E-life helps clients, supporters, and everyone in between destroy poverty and build a better Evansville.
We’re all partners, we’re all pointed the same direction, we’re all e-life.
Watch this video to learn how e-life helps someone on their journey out of poverty:
CLIENT TRACK: 1. Relief 2. Resource 3. Release
Watch this video to learn how e-life helps someone on their journey to love people by connecting to causes they have a heart for:
E-life is the unique process the Evansville Christian Life Center uses to help destroy poverty and build an Evansville with less poverty and stronger families.
Our group of volunteers, clients, donors, and staff have the privilege to take part in many stories like these:
“I created an adoption plan.” “I learned how to raise a Christ-centered family.” “I came to a place to regain custody of my children.” “I donated items to the same food pantry I once used.” “I overcame loneliness through volunteering.” “I went back to school and completed a master’s degree.” “I volunteered where I used to be a client.”
As volunteers, staff, clients, and donors of the ECLC, we are working to build an Evansville with less poverty, stronger families, and more Jesus. We do this by helping people move from need toward their potential.
The Problem:
Many of our neighbors (including those we see regularly at the ECLC) have health issues, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. Unfortunately, they are often ill-equipped with the education, resources, and experience to both choose and prepare healthy foods which could help these health issues. Therefore, the food they eat is often making them sicker.
Symptoms and effects of these health issues decrease their mobility, ability to work, and access to resources and relationships. These are hurting their overall quality of life and creating additional barriers keeping them from moving toward their potential.
Picture a senior on social security, without the physical ability to work and provide for themselves. They are often living on approximately $350 per month in social security and receive less than $20 per month in SNAP food benefits. With rent (even subsidized at 30% of their income) and utilities, they can be stuck in their circumstances.
The food they eat, which is both familiar and more affordable, is often hurting their situation. However, on such a limited budget, it is risky for them to experiment with new, more expensive, healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Without prior exposure to or experience preparing these foods, it is unlikely that they will choose new, healthier options.
This need for healthy food education and experience is a great opportunity to improve the quality of life for our neighbors.
Food Nutrition Cohorts:
We’re excited to announce that we are working to offer new Food Nutrition Cohorts (healthy cooking and education group classes). In these relationally-based, multi-week cohorts, participants will:
Experience hands-on learning about healthy foods, recipes, and practices in our kitchen
Help prepare and sample the food each week
Participate in choosing the ingredients
Work with a trained facilitator who will equip them with both knowledge and skills to make healthy choices and prepare healthy, delicious food at home using ingredients and tools they have access to
Build positive relationships that help them move from need toward their potential
We’re working toward a tentative goal of launching these cohorts on Fridays in early 2021.
Changes:
As we transition, we will no longer be serving meals on Fridays as of this March (2020).
This will allow our team the opportunity to:
Build relationships
Secure funding
Plan for the program’s long-term success
And work to help clients who utilize our hot meal program on Fridays transition to find other resources to meet their needs
A Healthier Community:
Because health plays such a key role in the overall quality of life for our clients and our community, the opportunity to provide both nutrition education and experience for our neighbors can mean a major difference in the trajectory of their health, quality of life, and ability to move toward their potential. As they move forward, the overall health of our community increases as well.
This is a key resource needed for those on their journey out of poverty. We believe it is one more step toward a community with less poverty, stronger families, and more Jesus.
If you are interested in helping support this initiative as a volunteer or donor, please contact us at restoringpeople.com or 812.423.9222.
