upLIFT

Aim higher. Go further, together.

Life can be difficult to navigate sometimes. It can be even more difficult if you don't have money in your pocket, people in your corner, or the confidence you need to break through to the next level.

At LCCM, we want to provide more than food for you and your family: We want to help you flourish.

The purpose of LCCM's new upLIFT program is to build up the wellbeing, confidence, economic strength, and overall life stability of our members. Together with a coach, we will help you gain the confidence to create a personalized, strengths-based plan of action while also addressing the obstacles that stand in the way of the flourishing life you envision. The goal of coaching is to help you get "unstuck" so you can move forward in areas such as employment, financial wellbeing, physical health, mental health, and life stressors. Coaches help people imagine a better future through personal development, and work to increase your confidence and motivation to make that future a reality. It's about encouragement, support, action and results. We also believe that it truly takes a community to help people make their dreams a reality. We are not looking to reinvent the wheel - we will work collaboratively with community partners to help you get to where you want to go.

We will help you:

Clarify strengths and growth areas
Identify obstacles and limiting beliefs
Develop SMART goals in order to set direction
Improve your system of habits to develop deeper commitment to improvement
Develop a personalized plan of action
Follow through even when times get tough
Increase your confidence through a collaborative relationship in an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion.

upLIFT also provides:

Bi-weekly access to healthy groceries in the LCCM food pantry
Wrap-around assistance to both in-house and community services
Creative solutions to unmet needs

upLIFT is a pilot program of LCCM that utilizes the More than Food framework of promoting connection, choice and culture change to address the root causes of food insecurity. The More than Food framework is a tested and proven model found in numerous pantries across the United States from Texas to Illinois.

upLIFT is free for participants. Membership in the upLIFT program is open to anyone 18 years or older who is willing and motivated to move their lives toward greater self-sufficiency.

This program is currently full. Please check back in the fall of 2023 during the upcoming enrollment period.

To learn more about upLIFT:

Contact us:

Andrea Gillhoolley
upLIFT Program Director and Coach
(717) 272 4400 x 207
andrea@lccm.us

How does upLIFT work?

We recommend you work with a coach for 9 months. This will ensure you build a trusting relationship and have time to work through any barriers. You will meet twice a month for the first three months, and once a month after that with weekly check-ins. You will travel through the following steps with your coach once you enroll in the program.

Step 1: Gain clarity

This is the exploration phase. upLIFT starts with an assessment of where you are at in life now, where you want to go, your strengths, and challenges you may be facing to get there. You will meet with a coach twice a month for the first three months to establish a starting point. This will involve doing some inner work to develop a greater understanding of yourself, your habits and beliefs.

Step 2: Develop a roadmap

This is the mapping stage. It's the point where we begin to set direction by developing goals and breaking the goals down into small, achievable steps. Perhaps more importantly, we will work on developing a well-designed system of habits that will deepen your commitment so you fall in love with the process of change, not just the product of change. We will develop a strategy to overcome challenges and develop a list of community resources and supports that will help you on your path.

Step 3: Take action

This is where we venture out on the path! Your coach will walk along side of you as you start taking steps toward change.

Remember: Goals are good for planning your progress, but a good system always wins! Committing to the process is what makes the difference!

What is coaching?

Just as a sports coach understands the strengths and challenges of their athletes, a life coach is able to also get a sense of exactly where you are in your personal journey. Coaches will help you develop a plan forward that builds on your strengths. They will also help to prepare you emotionally, mentally and tactically for each and every challenge on your list.
It's important to understand what coaching is and what it isn't.

A coach ...

Is a bridge builder. Coaches help people move from where they are to where they would like to be - in essence, building bridges to what could be. Coaching is intended to provide additional support, strategies and direction in specific areas to help you move forward.
Helps you develop a personal pathway. A coach is responsible to be an active listener who guides you toward taking action. A coach will not diagnose your situation or prescribe your solution. It's your responsibility to first choose the focus and then arrive at the possible action steps that will move you on your own personal pathway toward a goal.
Provides a safe place. You can expect transparency from your coach and you can feel safe talking about whatever is on your heart.
Is supportive. You are the expert on your own life, so you take the lead role and are responsible for follow through. A coach will walk alongside of you every step of the way.
Knows it's an ongoing journey. Whatever your journey, with coaching it will be intentional and forward movement will take place.

A coach is not...

A therapist or counselor. A trained and licensed professional can assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. Coaching is not to be used in lieu of professional counseling or psychotherapy.
A mentor or teacher: Mentoring is passing on knowledge, experiences, or skills, usually by someone who is seasoned in a certain area of life or vocation. A coach's role is to help you clarify goals, focus the conversation, and provide accountability and support to ensure you are taking the steps you decided upon.
Going to 'fix': No coach can 'fix' a problem for someone. For that matter, no coach can change a person. It is not the job of a coach to direct you on any given way forward or do the majority of the work. The joy is in the journey toward greater self-sufficiency!