Ecumenical Faith in Action has grown from a care giving mission serving just over 300 families in 1994 to a holistic endeavor serving more than 2,690 Washington County residents per month, Executive Director Kathi Lowe said.
Lowe said she started the mission after working minimum wage fast-food jobs and seeing the struggles of hard-working people in the county. Although Lowe first went to work helping children, with disabilities at Highlands Community Services, the grant funding her program expired. It was then she got the idea for Ecumenical Faith in Action.
"I said surely there are people in the community that want to help. I went to the churches and talked to the pastors," she said. "There are people who want to help, but they don't know who to help or how to help."
"The mission has grown considerably during the past nine years and now focus the efforts of more than 20 supporting congregations, schools, businesses and civic organizations along with 70 volunteers - weekly," Lowe said.
The group operates a food pantry, soup kitchen, prescription drug program, health clinic, counseling and advocacy program, a minor home repair program, emergency financial assistance and transportation services among other outreach programs.
"They now supply food to more than 900 families per month," Lowe said.
"It's not unusual to do 20 to 22 tons of food through here per month," she said.
"While the work has proven rewarding for volunteers, the mission has proved most valuable as a way to worship," Lowe added.
"The ultimate reality is that God blesses man through man and - as we are willing to put our faith in action - He provides us the means to do just that," she said.
Those helped by the mission often return to help others.
When snows came last December, area farm hand Michael Flichum found himself without shelter. Flinchum said the group was able to pay for him to stay in an area motel for a week so that he could get out of the extreme weather.
For two months now, he has volunteered at Ecumenical Faith in Action.
"I stock shelves, sweep and mop and put boxes out," he said. I know I'm doing something for somebody that helps me."
He said that many county residents are finding hard times through layoffs and a difficult job market.
"I get a sense of fulfillment. People who come here are grateful for what they get," he said. "[Ecumenical Faith in Action] is a lot of help to a lot of people."
Lowe said the mission also works with special-needs volunteers.
Kelli Barker, an autistic volunteer with Ecumenical Faith in Action for about a year, originally came to volunteer through another program. But she decided to stay and now volunteers about an hour of her time daily.
"I bag cans of food most of the time," Barker said. "I bag all kinds of foods. And I like helping people here I certainly do."
Because the demand for services is so high at the mission, the group is able to pay two support staff employees through the federal Experience Workers program, Lowe said.
One of those, Mary Stark, has worked answering telephones for two years, through the program.
"I like being involved in helping people," she said. "It has given me a new awareness of the needs of our community. I love it," Stark Said.
Lowe thanked residents of Washington County for their love and hard work in making the community stronger.
"It's virtually impossible to mention every person who impacted this community through their selfless giving," Lowe said. "Students of all ages, Boy and Girl Scouts, older men and women, people busy with obligations, businesses struggling to make a profit, civic organizations overwhelmed with requests, all put their assets together to help the neighbors in need.
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