She wrote the following note:

Hi –

My name is Nancy, and last August on my 56^th birthday (and I was born in 1956), I left on a 56-week “Give Back to America” road trip to all 56 states and US territories – spending one week in each state. Along the way, I make a $56 donation every day to a good cause, and my dog and I walk 8 miles a day, which is 56 miles a week.

Tennessee is State #33 in my journey and I read about GraceWorks Ministries last night. I met up with an old friend, Linda, and she matched my donation. 

What an incredible plan of exploring, learning and giving back. Click here to read her account of her visit to GraceWorks. We are very grateful for the Fuel Bag items that Nancy and Linda donated. Thank you both so much! And best of luck on the rest of your expedition!

Nancy and Linda donated $56 each of Fuel Bag items

When you are in crisis mode, living paycheck to paycheck or on a fixed income, you worry about the bill that just came in the mail today or that you got the cutoff notice about, and simply cannot look at what other expenses might be ahead of you.

Many of our clients live in the second world, right on the edge.

One such client came to see us in February because his propane had run out the night before, leaving him without heat and hot water. We helped him pay that bill so that he could have heat since it was during the worst of the cold weather.

Then recently, he returned for more help. This time, he had had to pay his property tax which was over $2000. Yikes. That wiped him out for the month. Surprisingly, he only asked for food, but providing a grocery cart of food freed up funds for his other bills. Relief, at least temporarily.

Hopefully he will be able to get back on track with that property tax behind him and warmer weather ahead. Thank goodness GraceWorks was able to ease his burden!

Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of Candace Nast (Creative Commons)

A young girl originally came in earlier this year. “I’m looking for a better job,” she told us as she asked for help with food and clothing. She needed nicer clothes to be able to find that better job. She was working at a restaurant, but it wasn’t always busy, so tips weren’t what they could be.

A couple of months later, she returned requesting food again. This time she told us that she had gotten a job at a better restaurant, so things were getting a little better.

Except she had had a surprise – she had just found out she was pregnant! In her early 20’s, she didn’t even know what to do next.

The volunteer GraceWorker who met with her took the initiative to contact the Health Department for her. He set up an appointment for her for pre-natal care and hopefully will get her and her baby on a healthy track for life.

That assistance was probably more valuable than the food that she received!

Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of one tiny spark (Creative Commons)

We saw a client last week who has been a long-time client due primarily to an auto accident years ago that has created problems and expenses ever since. She is unable to work because of her health issues, and the disability she receives is not sufficient for her continuing needs and medical bills.

She came in to request food, but the volunteer GraceWorker who met with her noted that she could hardly walk and get around. As they talked about her needs, she mentioned that a walking cane might help her. She admitted that she falls frequently.

Thankfully, a walker had been donated to GraceWorks recently and we were able to give that to her at no cost.

Her GraceWorker said, “She was so thrilled! She cried and cried and said she would not fall again.”

Once again, God matched the person and the solution and needs were met.

Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of David Amsler (Creative Commons)

I had to run by the office to pick up something for the training sessions, and when I came out, there were two cars in the parking lot in addition to mine. I locked the front door and walked over to the one parked next to mine.

When I told the two ladies that we were closed, they both got horrified looks on their faces and started saying how desperately they needed food. Seems they were sisters, and the three boys of one sister were coming for the weekend to stay with her and she had no food in the house for them. They asked if there was any way they could get just a little food.

I asked their names and they had been in before, so I asked them to wait in the lobby and I went back to make a note in their file. I grabbed a grocery cart of food and headed out to help them load it.

As I came out the front door, there was a man with a small child standing on the sidewalk. He looked stricken as he realized that we were closed, and when I asked what he needed, he said diapers. Again, I asked his name, checked the file and headed back to get diapers.

He thanked me over and over again. As I drove off, I noticed his car doors were open and he was changing the child’s diaper there in the backseat. I teared up as I thought about the implications that he really did not have any diapers for the weekend.

God’s timing is amazing if you think about the fact that I had not planned to be at the office that day at all, and these two people just happened to come by during the 5 minutes that I was there – both with desperate needs. God is great!

 Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of Alisha Vargas (Creative Commons)

A client visited last week and shared that he is just starting a job but has several weeks of training before he will begin to be paid. His wife’s hours were cut at her job. Relatives have helped in the past but can no longer help with bills as their situations have changed also.

He sighed as he told his volunteer GraceWorker that he is behind on his mortgage and might lose his home to foreclosure.

He requested food for his family, and receive a grocery cart full of food as he expected. What he didn’t expect was his GraceWorker going a step further, and providing information to him for GAP Community Development Resources, an agency which helps with foreclosures. Hopefully he can get the support and counseling he needs to be able to save his home.

Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of Jeff Turner (Creative Commons)

We at GraceWorks say thank you so much to the residents of Williamson County for such generosity, to the Mail Carriers for taking the extra time needed to load all the food along their routes, and to the volunteers who worked so tirelessly to load, transport, unload and sort the donations.

Your hungry neighbors will be grateful because we will be able to provide a grocery cart of food when they find themselves short of funds for the month and have to decide between paying a utility bill and feeding their family.

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 51

In spite of poor decisions, parents still step in to help, even when that puts them at risk financially.

Her daughter was pregnant and the father-to-be had disappeared. So daughter was moving back home to have her baby. She had been working through the pregnancy, but she was about to have zero income while on maternity leave.

Unfortunately, mom was not in terrific financial shape either and was already late with a utility bill. GraceWorks was able to pay that bill and provide a grocery cart full of food that would free up money for other expenses.

Thankfully GraceWorks will be there to help if they need diapers or baby supplies, plus other assistance they might need until they get back on firm financial footing.

Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of A Forest Frolic (Creative Commons)

She told us she didn’t want anything for herself, but she didn’t have much food and her little boy was hungry.

As she continued to pour out her story of severe health issues and other struggles, she admitted that her electricity was going to be cut off in a few days.

“And my daughter needs a pair of shoes,” when she was offered a $25 voucher to shop in the Thrift Store, she initially refused. We convinced her that there might be other clothing items her family needed there.

“God sent me here today because I needed a friend,” she said.

By this point, both she and her GraceWorker had tears streaming down their faces. Her GraceWorker told her she could come in sometimes just to talk to someone and share prayer. Her immediate response was to ask if she could come once a week!

“God lives here at GraceWorks,” she announced.

Submitted by Carol Dublin

Photo courtesy of Kate Ter Haar (Creative Commons)