 Joe Furlong PHOTO: Katie Dudding, Lebanon Valley College There’s not a week that goes by that Joe Furlong and Mona Wolfe aren’t clocking hours in at the food bank at Lebanon County Christian Ministries. The couple, in their mid-70's, have been volunteering at the food bank for over eight years. Their main responsibility is to sort through the food donated and package it for shipments. Joe and Mona thank God for their good health and feel it’s their responsibility to fellow human beings to give back to anyone in need. The pair volunteer at the food bank warehouse three mornings per week. This warehouse consists of multiple other groups that focus on distribution, running phone lines, and organizing additional food drives. “We are very thankful for the support we’re shown from local churches, helping LCCM get the supplies we need,” the couple said. Joe and Mona have spent the last six months training a young couple to eventually take over the job of sorting through donations. Although they have no plans of slowing down any time soon, they realize that the younger generation will have to take charge when it comes to helping those in need. Joe and Mona work with a few other couples their age to meticulously sort through the food they are given, whether that means categorizing by expiration date or weeding out damaged products. There are strict guidelines for the donations to pass through, ensuring that no family is given inadequate provisions. Joe wants to emphasize how important it is that the food they give out isn’t spoiled or damaged, keeping everyone’s best health in mind. Every food order includes well balanced, highly nutritional food for the entire family and the amount of servings is based on the household size. Families also get assorted snack foods to satisfy everyone’s not so healthy habits. Also included are health and beauty aids when in stock. Joe adds that local homeless shelters are always in need of funds to help provide lodging and find people work, so both are fantastic causes to get involved with. There were a few upcoming events that Joe wanted to get the word out about. The first being “Box City," a fundraiser where kids sleep in boxes outside of an LCCM affiliated church to raise money and awareness for the homeless in our community. Then this spring season there’s also a Postal Drive, followed in the fall by the Boy Scout Drive, both of which are major contributors to LCCM. Additionally, Joe and Mona have had first-hand experience with LVC when they worked with multiple other volunteers from the college on a local housing project, building a prefabricated home for a family in Texas. They have always been supportive of the college and are thankful for the opportunity to talk about what they do. Written by Zack Kime, Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon County Christian Ministries is working in conjunction with Lebanon Valley College students to tell the story of LCCM through the lens of its volunteers, guests, staff and board throughout the season of Lent
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 Board member and secretary Bev Henry found a new purpose in life with Lebanon County Christian Ministries after retiring from over 25 years of teaching. After teaching first grade and later taking on a reading support role within the education system, Henry has taken on a new role in helping provide care to the homeless and those in need at LCCM. Henry always liked to be involved in helping others and was an active participant in her church during her years of educating. Once it came time to retire, she began looking for places where she could volunteer to help the community around her. “I just decided that LCCM was a good place to volunteer because they provided food for others and shelter. Our church had helped with the homeless shelter and we hosted them when we were larger.” Henry joined the LCCM board about four years ago after an invitation from a friend who was a current board member. As a board member, Henry is more involved than ever as she helps to organize fundraisers and continues to serve noon meals. She still actively participates in her church and even though the group is no longer large enough to host LCCM guests overnight, they are dedicated to preparing and serving a noon meal once a month. Throughout her time at LCCM, she has been impacted by the number of people in the community that are in poverty or are in need. While thinking about the number of people she sees come through the organization, she reflected on how thankful she is for everything she’s been given throughout her life. “I’m so thankful for the kinds of things and the family that I have. I grew up and I thought about these people and why are they in this position and what can we do to help them to better their lives.” While serving noon meal at the end of January, Henry saw roughly 100 individuals and families come through for food. She explained that the biggest impact on her has been seeing how appreciative the guests are when they receive their meal, and she wishes more people knew about the services LCCM offers. “Sometimes I’m surprised. You know, I thought that everyone knew about LCCM. Sometimes I’m surprised that people don’t know about it and know what we do.” Henry believes that one of the biggest issues that Lebanon County faces is a lack of awareness for the issue of homelessness around them. She emphasized that people don’t realize that all it takes for someone to become homeless is an emergency that hinders one’s ability to work or drains their savings. Henry’s work at LCCM is a small part of the organization’s mission to address this larger issue within the community. Written by Megan Finlan, Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon County Christian Ministries is working in conjunction with Lebanon Valley College students to tell the story of LCCM through the lens of its volunteers, guests, staff and board throughout the season of Lent.  Louise Bixler has been in the public service sector for most of her life. She was working as a GED teacher when she retired, but still wanted to be involved within the Lebanon community, so she started volunteering for Lebanon County Christian Ministries. That was 17 years ago. Louise first learned about LCCM when she was teaching GED classes due to having a diverse group of students, some of whom were utilizing services from the organization. Once she retired, Louise decided to pursue volunteering with LCCM, and the rest is history. She has seen LCCM go through many different changes, from moving locations to establishing new programs, such as the Summer Food Service Program and the FRESH Start Emergency Shelter and Resource Center. Yet through all the changes, her job has stayed the same. Louise is an interviewer. This means that when someone requests help, she takes the time to sit down with them and decipher what they need, explain how the organization can support them and suggests other agencies in the area if there is a better fit for their situation. After that, Louise ensures the correct forms are filled out and explains how the different programs work. She also researches the best options for commodities, such as fuel for clients’ homes. Each day Louise volunteers is a different experience. She never knows what to expect when she walks in the LCCM door. She admits that she is still learning the job 17 years later, but she takes on the challenge because she knows that it is a worthwhile effort. Louise says that she cannot say enough good things about the staff and other volunteers at LCCM. She especially appreciates how accommodating the staff is and the comfortable environment they create. This organization has fostered friendships and a way for her to give back to the community. “No one has good days all the time," Louise said. Volunteering with the organization has provided humbling experiences for her. What really inspires her is when she sees a client moving forward and upwards with their life after being a client of LCCM. Sometimes she will even get recognized in public by a former client, years after LCCM has assisted them. Yet, they still recognize Louise from their initial meeting with her. Louise is grateful for the opportunity to help clients at LCCM and the meaning it brings to her life. Written by Mary Beard, Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon County Christian Ministries is working in conjunction with Lebanon Valley College students to tell the story of LCCM through the lens of its volunteers, guests, staff and board throughout the season of Lent. |
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