One important facet of Grace Klein Community is empowering community to care for one another in Jesus’ name. Each person is noticing other people, hearing their stories, meeting friends in brokenness, ministering to neighbors, sharing food with those who are struggling, really listening and stepping out in faith for one another.
As community members discover legitimate situations, that need a big dose of love and community support, they bring the scenarios to Grace Klein Community as a referral for our Assistance Program.
One such approved referral, from April 2018, was the story below that a community member emailed to her friends:
“Dear friends,
I humbly come to you today in need of help. While I often reach out to you when I hear of a need in the community, this time is different. My volunteer efforts to help those in need have opened my eyes to many situations that will break your heart in a million pieces. Many times, we have no idea how many people are struggling to meet the most basic needs for their families until you get behind the scenes. What we also may not realize is that there are families in dire financial difficulties who cannot fathom to accept handouts of any kind, who struggle with the shame of sharing what they are going through, and who do not want to be a burden to their extended family and friends. So they hide it and they suffer silently. Yesterday, I found out a dear friend and one of the most beautiful souls I know has been dealing with this very thing. A bitter divorce has left her and her beautiful children drowning in debt. Her ex-husband was supposed to be handling the monthly bills during their separation, but when the responsibility became hers post divorce, she discovered he was months behind. Within days of being on her own, her power was cut off (now back on), and her water was cut off. It has now been almost 2 weeks that her family of 5 have been living without water. The bill is over $1200 and she simply doesn’t have it. She works 2 jobs and hasn’t received child support payments in months. Thank God for neighbors and nearby family that have been there for showers and laundry. But this is unacceptable, and she needs help until she can get on her feet. Not to mention, if DHR were to discover her children are living without basic needs, this could bring yet another set of problems. Please pray for her and that we can resolve this issue quickly.
Grace Klein Community, a wonderful and local nonprofit, is a partner and friend to my efforts with Middle Schoolers Unite. They have graciously offered their services through their Give Back Agreement and Assistance Program, which allows me to raise emergency funds for my friend, and in exchange she (and I) will volunteer our time to fulfill needs of others in the community. Also, Grace Klein Community does not take any portion of the donated funds and pays the bills directly so donors know that the money shared goes directly to the urgent need. Will you please prayerfully consider how you can help this family?
For financial gifts, you can mail a check to:
Grace Klein Community
1678 Montgomery Hwy #104
Birmingham, AL 35216
Memo: single mom/4 kids
Or online:
www.gracekleincommunity.com/donate
Choose other in the drop down menu
Memo: single mom/4 kids
*All contributions are tax-deductible.
With much love and gratitude,”
After this correspondence, a delightful follow up was emailed out three days later. Read below…
“Hello friends,
I just wanted to sincerely thank all of you who have stepped up this week to help this precious family. Your kindness and generosity have not gone unnoticed, and honestly you have restored my faith in people. With your help, we were able to get the bill taken care of the very next day. She is so very grateful and is completely in awe of this unexpected gift.
Several of you have messaged me with intent to give, and I really encourage you to still do so. I’ll post the link again. Grace Klein Community will continue to catch up her bills until all funds are used so she can breathe again. I cannot tell you how much the people of GKC have done. They are angels in our community and I can’t explain how watching them be His hands and feet has brought me to my knees. Please go to their website gracekleincommunity.com and look to see all the ways you can plug in to their ministry. Those of you that have offered to volunteer on her behalf for the Give Back Agreement Program, that is approved. I will keep you in the loop, and probably post those opportunities on my MSUoB facebook page (Middle Schoolers Unite of Birmingham). Of course you can go on your own anytime as well.
Love you guys… here’s the link again.
For financial gifts, you can mail a check to:
Grace Klein Community
1678 Montgomery Hwy #104
Birmingham, AL 35216
Memo: single mom/4 kids
Or online:
www.gracekleincommunity.com/donate
Choose “other” in the drop down menu
Memo: single mom/4 kids
*All contributions are tax-deductible.”
As of the publication of this article, 14 different families have given to help this lovely lady. She will never know who gave so she will never feel obligated to “pay back” anyone. We anticipate that she will remember this season as a time when God used community to minister to her heart in real tangible ways. And when she takes a shower, from here on out, we pray she remembers how much her Father loves her. He stirred up the church to share from their plenty (or maybe even from their sacrifice) to meet her needs and that sweet friends is exactly what the Bible teaches us to do.
Acts 4:32 “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”