“When it rains”, it’s said, “it pours”. Rescue Now Services can relate with this maxim especially in the outgoing year. Our 7th year of operation has been the right mix of work and recognition.
It started out with the Women in Ministry Conference in Atlanta in February. Entries were sought RCCG North America -wide for the “Best Community Helper”. By the time the conference was over, our flagship program, Lord’s Kitchen, brought the first community engagement award in North America to Minneapolis.
To March our anniversary month we turn next. In light of prevailing rough economic situations – according to a recent data “1 in 5 Americans are economically insecure”- we expanded the focus of our operations beyond the homeless and the hungry to the working poor. This was necessary in order to better deliver on our mission of “alleviating poverty through community partnerships.” We also added four more programs: Good Works food shelf; Chance, employment promotion program; Troop Support- the program that periodically delivers sentimental gifts and daily needs to service men and women overseas; and Ready the Reader, an after -school and summer reading program.
While Troop Support and Good Works are operational already, Ready the Reader is expected to start summer 2012 and we are doing the ground work on the employment promotion program. We have administered surveys within our target population and are examining data to promote our chances of getting it right.
At the Minnesota 1 Zonal Workers Conference in November, following the presentation by our Executive Director, Sister Bunmi Adekunle, the Chairman of the RCCGNA Board of BOIPP announced the RCCGNA support for our flagship program, Lord’s Kitchen. Pastor Fadele said Lord’s Kitchen will be adopted as a model initiative in North America. With this came a promise for financial support. He further added that Sister Adekunle should be prepared to replicate the program when called upon.
Overall, 2011 has meant expansion of the breadth of our services in recognition of prevailing realities. With that has equally come recognition and financial support. We earnestly look forward to 2012 and ask for grace to do more and better.
We would like to especially recognize the efforts and dedication of our volunteers and the financial support of our donors. It would have been difficult if not impossible to operate otherwise.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
October Service Data for Good Works & Lord’s Kitchen
Good Works
Households 36
Total Individuals 78
Total adults 47
Total Children 28
Total seniors 3
Pounds of food 515.31
Lord’s Kitchen
Total Individuals Served 204
Total Men 81
Total Women 61
Total Children 62
