Love In the Name of Christ"Mobilizing the Church to transform lives & communities
In the Name of Christ"
Love In the Name of Christ
"Mobilizing the Church to transform
lives & communities
In the Name of Christ"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's)
Many common questions about Love INC are answered here. If you do not find the answer to your question please contact our office and we will be glad to assist you.
General Inquires
What is Love INC? Love INC, short for Love In the Name of Christ is a strategy to help churches (and their members) help people. It is a network of church volunteers that connects them to neighbors with needs. It is a cooperative effort between churches and service agencies to provide effective help for the disadvantaged. It is a vehicle to bring church congregations collectively and individually into the helping services arena.
Why does our community need Love INC? Four main reasons: (1) existing resources are inadequate to meet the level of needs, (2) church volunteers and material resources frequently are underutilized in meeting needs without a networking organization like Love INC, (3) many helping services are duplicated unnecessarily without a Love INC - agencies and churches would be covering the same ground, doing the same thing, (4) agencies and church staff seldom communicate directly with each other when seeking to meet needs.
How does Love INC work? Love INC operates as a resource center or Clearinghouse by offering no direct or on-site services. All requests are referred to the sources of help (agencies, churches, etc.). Love INC does not provide direct service to persons in need; we analyze requests and refer them to those who can help. Requests are received by phone. Requests are screened for manageability, specificity and legitimacy. People are referred to the most appropriate source of help. Love INC extends an invitation for spiritual help (through a local church) to the person needing help.
Who owns Love INC? Love INC is a separate 501(c)3 (non-profit) organization. It is governed by a Board of Directors selected from area Christian Churches churches. These churches also supply individuals who work as volunteers in the ministry. Love INC is a ministry of the Partner/Participating churches but it is not "owned" by any other organization.
What is the difference between Love INC Participating Churches and Love INC Partner Churches? There are 5 areas of participation available to area churches to participate in. They are: (1) Introduce Love INC to the congregation and encourage church members to participate in the Love INC ministry, (2) Appoint a Church Ministry Coordinator who is willing to coordinate and submit a Talent Tithe, (3) Appoint a Prayer Coordinator who is willing to pray for Love INC, clients, other Participating/Partner Churches, and for the unity in the Body of Christ, (4) Complete and return the Church Questionnaire, (5) Participate in the financial support of Love INC. Churches that are involved in at least one of these areas of participation are designated as a Participating Church while a church that is involved in all five (5) areas is designated a Partner Church.
How long has Love INC been around? Love INC began to form in Brownsville in 2000. The Clearinghouse opened to receive requests for help in January of 2003. Nationally, Love INC affiliates have been in existence since 1976.
Where is your office located? Our office is located in Los Fresnos, Texas. To contact us please call or e-mail.
I would like to receive your newsletter. We send an informative newsletter to supporters and interested parties generally on a monthly basis. The newsletters are sent either by U.S. mail or by e-mail (preferred method). Contact our office and request to be put on our mailing list. We'd love to share the good reports with you!
Our Services
Who can receive help from Love INC? We serve Southeast Cameron County area residents in need. If you are a resident and we have the resources available and you are in need of help, we will work hard to meet your request.
What kind of help do you offer? We seek to offer help to meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Most of our assistance comes in the form of direct service. Services can range from personal help with budgeting to companionship to reading to a visually impaired person to providing minor home repairs. We offer a wide variety of services. Occasionally we can obtain, from a supporting church or ministry, material goods (for example, grocery vouchers). Love INC has no funds itself to provide financial assistance, but we can help you determine where you may best seek that type of help.
Do you charge for your service? No. Love INC is a faith-based, non-profit organization. All services are provided by church volunteers. Goods and financial help are provided by church volunteers and/or church congregations. Love INC partners with many churches in the Southeastern Cameron County area to provide help to neighbors in need.
What if I don't go to a church - can I still get help from you? Although we have found faithful worship of Christ and obedience to Him to be necessary to all of life, we do not require nor pressure you to go to church in order to receive help from us. We may, as a part of our desire to offer help, ask you if you would like us to pray for you.
What about confidentiality? Love INC assures confidentiality to all of the people we serve. Love INC volunteers sign a confidentiality agreement, stating that they will disclose no information regarding a past or present client at any time to any unauthorized person.
I know someone who could use help. May I call you and ask for help for that person? We have learned that it is almost always imperative for the person who needs help to personally call us to request assistance. Well-meaning friends, family and care-givers should encourage the person in need to call, although you are certainly welcome to alert us about a situation or a forthcoming call. If, however, the person in need is physically unable to speak or call us, we will consider your referral on a case by case basis. We are also available to you to offer advice or to help you find the resources you need for someone in need. Please call the office if you have further questions.
I always get an answering machine message when I call. What's up? Our office volunteers answer the phones during office hours. Please call during those times. If you have left a message and you haven't heard back from us, please call again. We do seek to return your call before completion of the next business day.
I would rather talk to you in person than over the phone. Where is your office? Our method of receiving and processing requests for help functions solely over the phone. We do not have the facilities or the personnel to provide face-to-face intake processing of your request. We're confident you will find our phone workers pleasant, caring and patient - please give us a call. (Volunteers who meet needs will visit in person to provide the requested service.)
Our Partner/Participating Churches
I would like my church to become a Love INC church. How is that done? You may call or e-mail the office for more information about Love INC, what it means to be a Love INC church, and how to become a Love INC church so that you will have materials to present to your church leaders. Each Love INC church should have a person who is willing to serve as a Church Ministry Coordinator (CMC). Generally, you will need to follow your church's procedures for obtaining approval of a new ministry involvement. If approved by your church, your pastor, priest or governing body will need to make a formal request to Love INC to join in the Love INC ministry. We can provide you with supporting materials and information, and are available for consultation or meeting with your leaders.
Is Love INC a ministry of a particular church? No, Love INC is a cooperative effort of many churches. These churches have found that by networking together through a Love INC office, they are able to more effectively meet the needs of their neighbors in a compassionate manner.
Our Volunteers
Who can volunteer for Love INC? By far the volunteers that directly serve our needy neighbors through the Love INC ministry are active members of a Love INC supporting church.
How can I become a volunteer? Two ways. If you want to volunteer for us to directly help someone in need, call your Church Ministry Coordinator (CMC). You will be asked to complete a "Talent Tithe", which is an indication of the types of activities you would like to do. If you want to serve as a part of a special ministry project or work in our office as a volunteer, please call our office. We appreciate our volunteers!
Our Support
How is Love INC supported? We receive financial support from individuals and families who know that Love INC makes a real difference through our ministry of mobilizing church volunteers to meet needs. In addition, our supporting churches also financially support us, since Love INC is a ministry of the local church. Love INC receives no government funds. Please call our office for further details regarding your welcomed financial support.
Are my donations to Love INC tax deductible? Yes. All Love INC affiliates are a 501(c)3 organization. Contributions (both cash and in-kind) are tax deductible.