From the Executive Director

InterServ’s long standing statement of its mission reflects a people filled with faith and purpose, actively involved along this journey of life in reaching out to brothers and sisters in need, so that the receiver and the giver may experience God’s gifts.

Last week, today, tomorrow, and next month the headlines for us will be about the dread, anxiety and devastation of flood waters. People uprooted from their homes, their neighbors, and/or their livelihoods. With questions of how long before we see some relief in receding water levels and the wonder of how do we cope with that sense of powerlessness against the path of Mother Nature.

As with the flood of 1993 people seek basic needs: shelter, food, transitional & permanent housing, clothing, access to health care and inclusion. Inclusion is a community’s message to those affected - that we care about what happens to them. A message that gives hope and builds a network of support for recovery.

Also in the news will be United Way, Red Cross, faith communities, service clubs, businesses, federal, state and local governments, all of which will combine resources, call the community together, and assist people facing crisis and offer support that addresses physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

It is your gifts which allow InterServ to be a part of addressing basic needs and help in the building of a network of support. Those gifts which make emergency food for families available at the InterServ-Calvin Center food pantry, your sharing of clothing items to be given out by volunteers at our free clothing store, and your contributions which allow staff and volunteers to help find resources needed in a long term recovery.

This discussion about natural disasters will mirror the impact of poverty on people’s lives. Last week, today, tomorrow, next month, and next year, the headlines will be about the dread and anxiety of poverty; people uprooted, questions about relief, wonderment of how to cope and escape that sense of powerlessness that poverty brings. We remain mindful that the largest numbers of those affected are children. And it will be faithfully serving people like you who provide for those seeking basic needs, giving a message of inclusion that offers hope which builds a network of support so that all may live their lives more fully and more capably. Peace.