Community-Building Charity Activity: Giving with GRACE

Charity Activity – By Tim Sosbe

Providing assistance and guidance to others is a main part of a trainer’s job. That makes this year’s choice for a charitable contribution fitting for LTEN members. As part of this year’s community-building charity activity at the 48th LTEN Annual Conference, LTEN members will have the chance to assemble care packages to be distributed to families in crisis by GRACE, a relief agency based in Grapevine, TX.

GRACE provides food, clothing, financial assistance and other vital necessities to people who are struggling with a limited income or recent emergency. The philosophy of GRACE is that encouraging self sufficiency will, in turn, encourage
community cohesiveness. Compassion and assistance are offered by local churches in partnership with municipalities, businesses, civic organizations and individuals.

GRACE was founded in 1987 to set up a relief center for Tarrant County, TX, which at the time was nearly 20 miles from any other state, county or major resources. A coalition of more than 40 churches helped launch GRACE, which today is a centralized, coordinated effort to donate food, clothing, money and professional services to area residents, as well as homeless and transient families in need. Programs also include low cost medical services, transitional housing and general emergency assistance.

For this year’s community-building charity activity, LTEN members can volunteer as teams or individually to help assemble home and personal care items in packages for children and families. In addition to the care packages, LTEN will also make a financial donation to GRACE.

You Can Help!

LTEN will be providing some materials for the care packages to be assembled at the community-building team activity. If you’d like to help beyond assembling the care packages, you’re encouraged to bring gift cards in $10, $15, $20 or $25 denominations. Gift cards are requested to be for Walmart, Target or two local gas stations, Race Track and Quick Trip. Gift cards can be purchased in advance and brought to the communitybuilding charity activity on June 4.

Be sure to check the LTEN conference app and/or www.LTENconference.com for any updates on the charity activity. Your contributions and time are appreciated and valuable.

Charity Committee

Thanks to members of the LTEN Charity Committee for working to select this year’s recipient organization, as well as planning the community-building charity activity. Members of the Charity Committee are: