THE LOVE INC MODEL
We believe there's nothing more powerful than churches working together to transform lives and communities.
HOW IT WORKS
The Connection Center is the heart and foundation of Love INC and is staffed with trained, compassionate volunteers who listen carefully to each person calling in. Needs are analyzed, verified, and referred to an appropriate church ministry, agency, or church volunteers. The need is met if possible.
Love INC follows up, tracks outcomes, and reports back to the referring organization and partner churches. We are committed to connecting anyone in need with the resources necessary to live a productive and meaningful life.
LOVE INC STAGES OF GROWTH
With the help, experience, and encouragement of our national Love INC organization, we will follow their recommendations to build our ministry in four specific levels over the coming years:
Level One
Level One (Connection Center) is a well-publicized call center which is staffed by one paid staff person (Client Care Coordinator) and well-trained volunteers. The Connection Center opened in August of 2018 and is the foundation of Love INC. Through the Connection Center, Love INC volunteers receive requests for help, screen the requests for extent of need and legitimacy, and refer the requests to a local church ministry, church volunteer, or community agency. Love INC follows up to ensure the need was met and to offer support.
Level Two
Level Two (Gap Ministry) involves Love INC assisting churches to establish new programs no one else is currently providing or does not have the capacity to serve all in need. These are called “gap ministries." The purpose of a Gap Ministry is to provide a resource or service on an on‐going basis to meet needs not currently met by agencies, government, or churches. They help churches build relationships and transform lives while providing volunteers ways to live out their faith by serving others. Gap Ministries can have a deeper impact in the lives of people and the community. Looking for gaps in service started immediately by tracking data in the Connection Center. An example is partner churches helping with moving. In January of 2020, Grace Lutheran took the lead on this ministry and is now helping people in the community pack and move their items from one place to another.
Level Three
Level Three (Transformational/
Level Four
Level Four (Community Transformation Ministry) is about community transformation, our ultimate objective. This level will fundamentally change how we address needs and permeates the entire community! Community leaders are engaged to address legal, administrative and/or business infrastructure or practices unintentionally keeping a portion of the community in need and without hope.
