Love INC Gap Ministries
Gap Ministries are designed to provide a resource or service to our Love INC clients. Many times, Gap Ministries are able to meet ongoing community needs that are not currently or sufficiently met in our community. As Love INC identifies “gaps” in resources in the community, we work closely with our partner churches to start new Gap Ministries to meet needs and people right where they are at.
Personal care Closet
In working with us, clients earn “money” to be spent in our Personal Care Closet. Here they can shop for many different health and hygiene items. A caring Christian volunteer helps them shop, offering coffee, conversation and prayer if there is time and interest. Health & hygiene items include: Shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, laundry soap, and much more!
This Gap Ministry is housed at Zion Lutheran Church in Lewistown.
Christmas Basket Ministry
Once a year, our area churches come together to bless anyone in need in our community with a huge basket of goodies and gifts. In the Fall, churches collect items through our “Fill a Bag, Meet a Need” drive. Once items are collected, large baskets of goodies are assembled for each family or individual. Our goal for this entry point Gap Ministry is to reach out to those who are struggling during the holidays, sharing with them a bit of the hope and love of Christ during a difficult season.
Those who have signed up to receive a basket are invited to our giveaway night to pick up their gift. We welcome them with music, cookies, hot cocoa, and games for the family. All attendees are personally invited to a Christmas Eve service. We strive for this night to be be relational, not just transactional. During the holiday season of 2022, we were able to give away 75 baskets into the community.
This Gap Ministry is facilitated at Central Baptist Church.
Adopt A Family
Each Christmas season, Love INC is honored to come alongside a few families in need through our "Adopt-A-Family" Gap Ministry.
For some, Christmas can be a stressful and even sad time of year. Because of the generosity of our partner churches and our community, we are able to bless a few families with goodies and gifts for the kids and adults during a difficult season. It's our small way of letting them know that they are loved, and not alone.
Here's what one of our past participants shared:
"I personally felt blessed and I know my family felt blessed by this... Such a great feeling to know that Christmas doesn’t have to be a time of sadness because you can’t afford to do for your family when you are just making it paycheck to paycheck."
Family Advocacy Ministry
In the Summer of 2023, Heart of Montana Love INC became a new affiliate of Promise686, a National organization with the vision to fulfill God's promise "to set the lonely in families." They work toward this goal by mobilizing church communities to care for vulnerable children and families.
In becoming a Promise affiliate, Love INC is now resourcing local Central Montana churches to start and continue Family Advocacy Ministries, or "FAMs." Through this FAM model, much-needed support for foster, adoptive and even biological families in crisis is being created in the local church. The ultimate goal? Providing what vulnerable children need most––strong families.
If you’re interested in joining a leadership team to help implement FAM’s at your church, and develop wrap-around supportive services for families in need, please register for our next training by clicking HERE.
THRIFT STORE VOUCHERS
Available to any Love INC client. Can be used for needed clothing, or other household goods. Thrift store vouchers are for the Heart of Montana Thrift Store in Lewistown.
Furniture & Household Goods
Available to Love INC clients to help furnish their home or provide them with needed household items. All items are in good condition, are are donated by members of our partner churches and community.
Bread, Milk & Eggs Voucher
Food voucher to Rindal’s in Lewistown. Available to any Love INC client.