Are you the Angel we've been looking for? Check out the latest news from The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House in our Winter Newsletter!

Calling All Angels
The original mission of The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House, as founded by Lucious Newsom, was to provide food for the needy on the near west side of Indianapolis. This was accomplished through donations solicited largely by Lucious himself, typically through personal solicitations from churches and from volunteers on Saturday mornings.  This was a rather unconventional way to provide food on a regular basis. As the Pantry grew, its expenses grew and it outgrew this method of fundraising. For several years, the weekly purchase of vegetables was paid for by a generous supporter of Anna's House. However, that donor is no longer able to provide at the same level, thus causing strict budgeting to meet the nutritional assistance needed.
Anna's Angels
Rather than relying on one person to provide a large donation to cover much of that ongoing expense, our Board of Directors felt that a better approach would be to rely on many people to commit to smaller donations on a weekly or monthly basis. To put this into perspective, with 100 people committing to contribute $25 per week, for example, would meet the need. Equally, so would 400 people contributing $25 per month. The aim is to get commitments totaling $10,000 per month so that the need to fundraise for the ongoing needs of the pantry can be reduced substantially and the focus of the event fundraising efforts could be on the capital campaign for the new building. 
While we like to respect the privacy of our donors, individuals or groups who make such a commitment will be identified, if desired, as Anna's Angels and will receive recognition on our website and in the quarterly newsletter, an official acknowledgement of the donation (for tax purposes) and the sincere appreciation of those who love The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House.  Please consider becoming an Anna's Angel to assure that the original mission of The Lord's Pantry can continue to be met on a sustainable basis. 

Director's Note
It's a Wonderful Life

A Season For Change

It's that time of year again that is often referred to as the 'season of giving,' when we are reminded that it's always better to give than to receive. It's also the time we give thanks for our blessings and we are more apt to give our time, talent and/or treasure to help someone in need. We at Anna's House can certainly appreciate what this season inspires in others, however, we ourselves are blessed to have a 'season of giving' that lasts all 12 months of the year!

Serving those in need is not just a priority when the leaves begin to turn or the snow (and temperature) begins to fall, it's a priority for us 52 weeks a year. This means that we are reminded at least 52 times throughout the year that there are incredibly generous people willing to give their time, their talents as well as their treasure to help a complete stranger in need. And, if we are counting our blessings, it means that there are at least 52 times throughout the year that we are giving thanks for the companies, organizations and individuals like you. Your love, prayers and donations have allowed us to continue to provide much needed help to more than 200 families each week. It's becoming impossible to use this one page to thank the countless individuals and entities that make it possible so we hope you'll continue to read our quarterly newsletter as we spotlight donors and volunteers we are thankful for.

It's also the time of year when we reflect on our past accomplishments and shortcomings. Some of us might 'turn over a new leaf' as we enter a new year. During the last 12-18 months, you may have noticed the many changes we've embraced in our effort to be more effective with our mission. They say that "change is good" [whoever 'they' are] and like last year, some were good, some were hard and some, again, were beyond our wildest dreams. Regardless, as long as we remain deeply rooted in our mission, we'll continue to turn as many leaves as possible to deliver the impact needed for our families to thrive. 

The Good: We continue to expand our [volunteer] leadership, most recently inviting MMA fighter, Chris Lytle and Fox 59 reporter, Russ McQuaid to join our Board of Directors. Collectively we are working to recruit other community leaders and those with influence. We launched a brand new website that is helping bring our community and supporters closer together. 
 
The Hard:   We had to place a temporary hold on our popular Thirft Store that helped fund our programs while also providing a path to self-sufficiency for our families. We said goodbye to several loved ones [supporters and Stringtown family members] who went home to our Lord. 

The Beyond our Wildest Dreams: We launched a community gardening program in the neighborhood that is already proving beneficial for those we serve. Through city and community development initiatives, we have been invited to explore opportunities that can help us realize our new facility, helping more people than ever before.

These are just a few examples of why we still appreciate your continued love, prayers and donations as we work hard to enhance our season of giving! Wishing you and yours a blessed New Year filled with the love of family and friends.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers,


In Christ,

Sponsor Spotlight
Greystone Concrete

It was about this time of year, several years ago, that Jeff Cave came to The Lord's Pantry to help with turkey distribution at Thanksgiving and ham distribution at Christmas time. Jeff owns Greystone Concrete, a complete commercial concrete services company located in Mooresville, and his desire to give back to the community turned out to be one of our greatest blessings and remains so. 
Sure, Greystone Concrete became the ideal donor for all things concrete that may have been on our to-do list, but this relationship has been churning for quite some time and now there is a solid foundation of support and friendship that now includes other Greystone employees. In fact, Jeff's feelings about The Lord's Pantry were not only generous, they were contagious. 
Soon after his first visit, Jeff brought Greystone's general manager, Greg Iacobucci, to the Pantry and to this day, Greg has never left and as Treasurer of our Board of Directors, he has no plans to do so anytime soon. Fast forward to present time and Greg's nephew, Matt, is also involved on occasion as a back-up delivery [and pick-up] driver for Saturday morning grocery distribution when our regular driver is unavailable.
We couldn't be more thankful for Greystone Concrete's support over the years both as a financial contributor and in-kind service provider. When our dream of a newer, larger facility becomes reality, we are sure you'll see Greystone Concrete's name among those that made it all possible.

Volunteer Spotlight
Remembering Tom Gahl

Throughout our history, there have been numerous groups, clubs and companies who have worked as a team for a Day of Service at the pantry and as Summer came to a close this year, we were blessed by another outstanding group of professionals. 

The United States Probation Office was looking for a meaningful way to honor the memory of a fellow co-worker, Tom Gahl. So, through the efforts of Victoria Allocco at the USPO, more than 50 employees arrived at the Pantry on a Thursday morning to help with a large to-do list of things needing refreshed, refurbished and/or removed. By the end of the day, the group collectively gave the inside of our building a fresh coat of paint and the outside of Anna's House a refreshed curb appeal by pulling overgrown weeds, trimming shrubs and cleaning up the adjacent playground.
 
"The current and retired staff of the United States Probation Office were privileged to work alongside the Gahl family in a community service project at the Lord's Pantry," says Chief U.S. Probation Officer, Dwight Wharton.  He adds, "Our modest contributions and efforts during the "Day of Service" were fulfilling and inspirational as we helped the Lord's Pantry meet critical needs for countless families on the near west side.  The Pantry's vision and mission coincides with Tom's life of service, so it was fitting to honor USPO Gahl in this way on the 30th anniversary of his line of duty death. Tom's wife, Nancy, indicated she and their two adult sons were touched by the gesture and impressed with the donations and work performed on that day. Truly a memorable event on many levels." 

Angels & Athletes

Entering the Fall season this year was a little extra special as we pulled together a harvest of friends for the 2nd annual Angels & Athletes Awards at Prime 47 Indianapolis. It was truly our honor to
recognize Indianapolis Colts players, Joe Reitz and Jack Doyle for their service to Anna's House and their commitment to "community" on and off the field. Both were humble in their acceptance, sharing their memories of service and stressing the
importance of giving back to community.

We offer a special thanks to our Honorary Chairman, Chris Lytle as well as our incredibly generous host and emcee, Kristi Lee. We would also like to thank the many friends that showed up to support Joe & Jack during this meaningful affair. Additional thanks to our sponsors: Prime 47 Indianapolis, RNDC (Maker's Mark), Reyka Vodka, DCG Printing, Drapery Street Design Center, Greystone Concrete, Jobsite Supply and Smith Brothers Ultimate Builders.

Kids Corner
A Mile in My Shoes

Statistically speaking, it has been suggested that nearly 20 percent of children living in poverty in the United States don't have a pair of shoes. Sadly, those numbers exponentially increase for those in developing countries. Here at home, The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House has recognized the ongoing need to provide proper shoes to children in the Stringtown area. Without shoes, children run the risk of cuts, disease and infection (which can lead to compromised health later in life), and most can't attend school if they don't have proper shoes. 

In October, The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House partnered once again with Samaritan's Feet, a global organization headquartered in North Carolina that provides a new pair of socks and shoes to children in poverty-stricken communities. While establishing the plan for this year's "Shoes of Hope" distribution, Julie Molloy decided to reach out to her colleague, Diane Arnold, at Hawthorne Community Center, also on Indy's near west side. Together they developed a plan that included West Park Christian Church where they were able to distribute shoes and socks to 500 children in Stringtown and the surrounding areas.



Calendar of Events

December

3, 10, 17, 24, 31: 
Grocery Distribution - Our weekly grocery distribution offers clients an assortment of non-perishable foods and fresh produce. 10:30 a.m.

6, 13, 20:
ESL Classes - Weekly ESL classes are free and open to anyone interested. Free childcare is available to participating students. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

7, 14, 21:
Community Dinner - The Stringtown community is invited to enjoy a hot meal. 5:30-7 p.m.

17:
Santa Day - 4-7 p.m.

21:
Christmas Dinner
Special community dinner to celebrate Christmas
5 - 7:30 p.m.
January

2, 9, 16, 23, 30:
Grocery Distribution - Our weekly grocery distribution offers clients an assortment of non-perishable foods and fresh produce. 10:30 a.m.

3, 10, 17, 24, 31:
ESL Classes - Weekly ESL classes are free and open to anyone interested. Free childcare is available to participating students. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

4, 11, 18, 25:
Community Dinner - The Stringtown community is invited to enjoy a hot meal. 5:30-7 p.m.


February

4, 11, 18, 25:
Grocery Distribution - Our weekly grocery distribution offers clients an assortment of non-perishable foods and fresh produce. 10:30 a.m.

7, 14, 21, 28:
ESL Classes - Weekly ESL classes are free and open to anyone interested. Free childcare is available to participating students. 
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

1, 8, 15, 22:
Community Dinner - The Stringtown community is invited to enjoy a hot meal. 
5:30-7 p.m.





March

4, 11, 18, 25:
Grocery Distribution - Our weekly grocery distribution offers clients an assortment of non-perishable foods and fresh produce. 10:30 a.m.

7, 14, 21, 28:
ESL Classes - Weekly ESL classes are free and open to anyone interested. Free childcare is available to participating students.
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

1, 8, 15, 22:
Community Dinner - The Stringtown community is invited to enjoy a hot meal. 5:30-7 p.m.





Holiday Hours...
Please note that our offices and the food pantry will be closed
December 25-December 30.
The Food Pantry will be open on December 24 & December 31
for Grocery Distribution.

The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House |  (317) 631-5504  | Email |   Website
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