Some wonderful friends of South Side Mission knitted these handmade scarves and mittens, which were given out as surprise Christmas gifts at our Mission at Prayer meeting for the ladies in our homeless shelter. Thanks to Bridget Nelan and her small group!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM DECEMBER 2009
Decisions to follow Christ for the month
269
Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
49
Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
509
Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
51
Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
6
Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
63
Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4
Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
18
Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
18
Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
70
Churches involved with Adoptablock
16
Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
565
Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7
College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14
Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
41
Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
12
Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
42
Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
268
Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
11
Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
37
Hot meals to the poor
10,175
FINANCIALS FROM DECEMBER 2009
Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$670,083/$513,851
Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$346,616/$310,778
Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $323,467
Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$3,204,215/$3,016,212
Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$3,036,719/$3,001,345
Positive or Negative on the Year
+ $167,495
The Lord smiled upon South Side Mission in so many ways in 2009—spiritually, programmatically, and yes, financially. It boggles the mind to see how good He is to us. One of the Father’s Hebrew names is Jehovah Jireh, which means, the LORD our provider. He was certainly that again this year. We are grateful.
[from Associate Executive Director, Church Relations, Larry McMillan’s report]
We took 79 people from Malone Street to Northwoods’ Christmas production and we were very happy to see that 25 Yes packets were taken by our Adopt A Block families, indicating a decision for Christ. We are in discussion with Northwoods about beginning a bus ministry to bring people from their adopted blocks out to church.
On Christmas Day, the Mission and its volunteers delivered and served 1,630 meals. We were so grateful that the Lord kept the bad weather at bay until all the meals got delivered. Funny how that happens, isn’t it?
A new outreach through Elderly Services, Stockings for Seniors, provided 47 needy souls with meaningful Christmas gifts. This outreach was suggested to us through ElderSource ministries out of North Carolina. Incidentally, ElderSource’s CEO, Stan Means is our 2010 speaker for the South Side Mission Annual Celebration Banquet.
The Associated Press picked up the excellent Peoria Journal Star story on one of our graduates, Pam Therell. The story was picked up in newspapers across the country from the Chicago Tribune to newspapers in Oregon, Pennsylvania, and even the USA Today’s online edition. God is enlarging our territory. Be sure to pray for Pam who will be taking her nursing board test this month.
Through 12/0/09, the Benevolence Center of South Side Mission had recycled 382,124 lbs. of clothing, metals, glass, and other recyclables and had brought in $19,106 in return on the year? Praise God!
Thanks for all you do to help those we serve. Drop me a line anytime to tell me what you think of this report. If you’d ever like a VIP tour of our ministry, let me know. Thanks!
In Christ,
Phil Newton, Executive Director
