About 18 months ago, in anticipation of retiring from my 30-plus-year career with Lockwood Brothers, I approached Samantha with a question… Is there something I could do where I could put my work skills to use in helping those in need? Samantha promptly introduced me to THRIVE Peninsula, and informed me of their need for financial coaches to work with clients who apply to them for help. I had never heard of THRIVE, despite living for several decades on the Virginia Peninsula. I quickly learned who they are.
“THRIVE Peninsula is a Christian faith-based organization that ministers to the physical, economic, educational, emotional and spiritual needs of our neighbors.”
One of THRIVE’s main services is to provide financial grants and long-term financial counseling for the needy in our area. To become a financial coach, I completed a week-long course in which I learned several techniques and resources that are used to help the working poor. I learned of the financial counseling and grants they provide as well as their outstanding Food Pantry. In early 2020, I began meeting with some of the most in-need clients in our community. I met with men and women, young and old, single and married, black and white, to help them with their financial crises. As one of several financial coaches, I determine their eligibility for aid and provide long-term financial counseling to help them from getting in the same predicament again. Sometimes I also pray with them.
In addition to THRIVE’s financial services, the Food Pantry also helps these same individuals with their monthly food budgets.
In 2020 THRIVE assisted individuals with over $246,000 for past due rent and utility bills, provided almost 79 tons of food, and financial counseling to 364 families. These results are over 3 to 5 times what they accomplished just 5 years ago. THRIVE also distributed almost 6300 hot meals during the Holiday period, as well as gift cards for close to 80 children for Christmas.
St. John’s has been immensely supportive of THRIVE’s efforts by providing our facilities so that the financial assistance/counseling may continue, as well as financial resources in support of these programs. Despite the pandemic, St. John’s outreach ministry continues. Although we may not meet for in-person worship and other Church activities, St. John’s continues to provide support to those in greatest need among us.
I will end with a verse from Proverbs: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”
Originally published in St. John’s Newsletter, March 2021.