In this edition of Wes's Weekly Wrap Up, Wes Tillett, LUM executive director, spotlights the true friendship of Suz & Theresa and challenges others to follow their example. Please take 59 seconds to watch the video and SHARE with others. Read more about Suz & Theresa below.

Suz Branson & Theresa Landis have been friends for more than 15 years. They became friends through their church and have found that engaging in the community together has been fulfilling and has strengthened their bond as friends.

Suz grew up in Sidney, Ohio, and moved to Lafayette with her husband, Pete. After retiring from Purdue HR, she became an active volunteer. Theresa is originally from Demotte, Indiana, earned a bachelor's and Master's degree from Purdue, and was the 4th & 5th grade teacher for high achieving students in Kankakee Valley. After retirement, Theresa and her husband, Jeff, moved to Tennessee. When they returned to Lafayette in 2018, Suz & Theresa found community engagement opportunities that were meaningful to them and started serving.

Suz shared that, "For me, it's a 'heart thing.' We have an obligation to give back and a duty to make our community better." Theresa added that, "It is a reminder of how blessed we are, how fragile life is, and how difficult it is for many to ask for help." Suz & Theresa agree the best part about volunteering is interacting with and getting to know the clients. Suz stated, "We are all people; so, we try to remember people's names, greet them with a smile and try to make their day." To which Theresa added, "We get so much out of this experience too." Suz & Theresa love volunteering with LUM because, "LUM serves so many different people and offers so many ways to support them." They also like that, "LUM helps people get back on their feet -- and become more self sufficient."

LUM is grateful to Suz & Theresa for choosing to volunteer weekly with the LUM Protein Food Pantry. As you can imagine they soon became superstar volunteers. Suz & Theresa also volunteer each year with Jubilee Christmas and several other one-time opportunities at LUM. They encourage anyone who is thinking about helping out to "find a friend" and get started together. They shared that, "It will only make your friendship stronger and your bond everlasting."

Lafayette Urban Ministry is thrilled to announce that the new LUM Westside Food Pantry has been approved by the state and will welcome clients as soon as next Friday, April 30. This new food program is a partnership between LUM and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tippecanoe County with the support of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. It complements the LUM Protein Food Pantry, located in downtown Lafayette, and is the only TEFAP food pantry in West Lafayette. The Protein Food Pantry is open on Thursday mornings, and the Westside Food Pantry will be open on Friday mornings. If you have questions or need further information, go to lumserve.org/food-pantry, call 765-423-2691 or email foodpantry@lumserve.org.

LUM is very grateful for the volunteers who serve in the LUM Food Pantries. Both of the LUM Food Pantries are run entirely with a volunteer workforce led by volunteer directors, Nina Morgan & Larry Guentert. The two LUM Food Pantries offer one-time or weekly service opportunities.

LUM needs volunteers every Thursday and Friday morning to set up the food pantry, distribute food items equitably, greet and assist clients and enter information into the LUM database. Other volunteer duties include picking up food, accepting food donations, and sorting and displaying food items.

If you are interested in joining the volunteer teams with one or both of the LUM Food Pantries, sign up online today. If you have questions or need further information, go to lumserve.org/food-pantry, call 765-423-2691 or email foodpantry@lumserve.org.

Cindy Nycz, physical education teacher, coordinated a "Stock the Shelves" Food Drive for LUM at West Lafayette Elementary School. WLES teachers encouraged students to bring in food & paper products for the new LUM Westside Food Pantry, and the response was great.

Cindy, who is also a LUM board member representing St. Andrew United Methodist Church in West Lafayette, delivered a truckload of much needed items (pictured). Thanks to all of the WLES students and teachers for their generous donation to LUM.

Please consider supporting the new LUM Westside Food Pantry by sponsoring a "Stock the Shelves" food drive. To get started, click HERE. For more information, check out the "WISHLIST" of needed items, go to lumserve.org/food-pantry, call 765-423-2691 or email foodpantry@lumserve.org.

Members of the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity volunteer regularly at the LUM Protein Food Pantry in downtown Lafayette and are very helpful. They recently surprised LUM with a special donation. The fraternity members prepared 48 Easter baskets filled with treats for each of the students enrolled in the LUM After School Program. The students were thrilled, and the teachers were touched by their kindness and generosity.

LUM is fortunate to have such great support from Purdue students and the members of Purdue student organizations and Greek-letter organizations. Special thanks to the members of the Purdue Delts for this special, surprise gift for the LUM students.