Love INC of Benton County, OR

In early March, it became clear that we were going to have to operate outside of our norms in order to continue meeting needs in our community. This looked like developing new ministries, remotely training volunteers, and onboarding many new processes to accommodate the restrictions that were in place. A “Hands and Feet” team was established to deliver items to clients while maintaining social distance and offering prayer over the phone. As some volunteers were no longer able to serve, others stepped up to be trained, including a new Spanish-speaking call center volunteer! Church ministry connectors were established in order to refer special needs to our partner churches. Transformational ministry volunteer training continued via Zoom.

As the fall progressed and we were still in a place of uncertainty, we reached out to our local pastors to gain a better understanding of their needs and how we may better support our local church partners. As a result, a Pastoral Advisory Committee was founded to ensure that our board and staff incorporate community and church feedback into future planning and decision making. We also launched a transformational ministries community educational program called “Grow Together.” And near the end of the year, our Love INC office was able to move into a great new space at Life Community Church. So while our heads may still be spinning from all that happened in 2020, we are rejoicing in God’s faithfulness and provision.

-Tyan Hayes, Executive Director