How We Serve

Love INC of Greater Hancock County serves Hancock County churches.

Love INC serves the church – the church serves those with needs.

Love INC, through church volunteers, serves anyone with a manageable need in their service area.

Ministries

We strive to use our core principles in all of our areas of ministry. From taking calls and directing resources to helping those in need, we aim to serve in ways that transform.

Clearinghouse Ministry

The Clearinghouse or call center is the foundation of the Love INC ministry. It is also the first opportunity we have to begin connecting churches relationally with neighbors in need.

The Clearinghouse receives requests for help, screens the requests, verifies the need, and then refers the request to a local church ministry, church volunteer, or community agency. After people are helped the Clearinghouse follows up to ensure the need was met and to offer continued spiritual support. Intakes are done over the telephone by trained volunteers.

Gap Ministry

As the Clearinghouse receives calls for help “gaps” in community services and resources are identified. The local Love INC helps churches that have a desire and the means to build ministries to “fill in the gap”.

Gap ministries may include:  Furniture & Appliances, Household & Hygiene Items, Handyman Services, Giving Nursery, New Creation Kitchen Ministry, Linen Closet Ministry, Medical Supply Closet, Gas cards, and Wheelchair Ramps (in partnership with SAWS).

Transformational Ministry

Love INC, through local churches, seeks to transform the lives of people in chronic need by providing caring relationships and training opportunities.

To facilitate these relationships, Love INC organizes and equips church members (from across denominational lines) to offer Faith & Finances (see below), or to lead life-skills classes or mentor people in need over a short period of time. Usually, two to four months. The relationships built during this time are significant for all involved.

Faith & Finances, a Financial Education Series, by The Chalmers Center

A FREE Financial Education Series that empowers adults with basic money management skills, biblical stewardship principles, and supportive relationships with our classroom Ally/Mentors. The program is offered throughout the year and includes dinner and childcare.

Areas of Study:

• Money & Relationships, Our Attitudes and Values
• Recognizing Obstacles, Setting Goals:
• Creating a Spending + Savings Plan
• Giving Back, Thrifty Living, Managing Debt
• Protecting Our Assets and Calculating Net Worth

The Faith & Finances curriculum use the 4 A’s of Learning: ANCHOR, ADD, APPLY, AWAY: Anchor the content in the participant’s experience, to encourage conversations and the sharing of life experiences. Add the new content. Apply through a task, such as role playing or hands on activities, allowing the participants to apply the new content. Lastly, take Away the new content, by making a small commitment to act, encourages the participants to reflect and helps promote change.

It’s more than a budget class. It’s a community of people from different income levels and education levels, coming together to share a meal, share our life experiences and to explore what it means to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteous reign over all things, including our finances! There are Classroom Allies who serve as Mentors to offer support to participants during and after class. They walk with our neighbors on their journey of reconciliation and change.