In this edition of Wes's Weekly Wrap Up, Wes Tillett, LUM executive director, shares how creative local groups are this time of year to raise funds for or volunteer with LUM. Whether it's Soup Day or Pie Your Professor, Wes is grateful for each individual, group, and church that gives their love and support to LUM, especially for the Thanksgiving holiday. Please take 58 seconds to watch the video and SHARE with others. See below for more details.

For close to 50 years, Lafayette Urban Ministry has focused on “tackling basic human needs & uplifting the people of Greater Lafayette,” especially during the holiday season and winter months. Thanksgiving is an iconic holiday known for turkey dinner, football, eating too much and being grateful for our blessings. To LUM, Thanksgiving is about showing love to our neighbors in need, especially during this difficult time. This Thanksgiving holiday, LUM is hosting the Community Thanksgiving Feast, opening the LUM Protein Food Pantry & Westside Food Pantry, and sponsoring the Turkey Trot 5K Run. Please see the details below.

Please share these special Thanksgiving programs with others. If you wish to make a monetary donation, donate supplies or food items, sponsor a food drive, or volunteer, please call, email or visit our website (765-423-2691 | lum@LUMserve.org | LUMserve.org).

LUM Community Thanksgiving Feast | Noon to 2 p.m.

For the 35th consecutive year, Lafayette Urban Ministry will host the Community Thanksgiving Feast from noon to 2 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church, 31 N 7th Street, Lafayette. LUM will prepare and distribute more than 800 meals including over 75 turkeys and 112 pies. The fixin’s will include yams, stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, rolls, cranberry sauce & gravy. Due to COVID-19, meals will be offered for take out. Limited seating will be provided for individuals with physical limitations. Everyone is welcome, no reservations are necessary, and it’s FREE. Cash and food donations are still being accepted. Donate online at LUMserve.org/donate. For more information, to volunteer or make a food donation, go to LUMserve.org/thanksgiving. 

LUM Turkey Trot 5K Run | 8 a.m.

At sunrise on Thanksgiving morning, LUM will sponsor the Turkey Trot 5K Run at 8 a.m. on the Cattail Trail Loop in the Celery Bog Nature Area in West Lafayette. This is a professional timed run open to all levels of runners, joggers and walkers. It is a fun, family event. The registration fee is $35 for adults and $10 for youth, 13 years old and younger. All proceeds fund LUM programs, which directly benefit local families, children and individuals experiencing homelessness. The first 475 registered participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt and the fastest runners will receive trophies. For more information and to register, go to turkeytrot5krun.org.

LUM Food Pantries | 10 a.m. to Noon

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has become the start of the holiday shopping frenzy, but LUM will focus on providing food assistance, especially at a time when food prices are higher than usual. To make sure that nutritious food and other household items are available to local families in need this Thanksgiving, the LUM Protein Food Pantry (located at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette) and the LUM Westside Food Pantry (located at the Unitarian Universalist Church, West Lafayette) will be open on Black Friday, November 26, from 10 a.m. to noon. In addition to the food items, paper products and produce, each food pantry will also have turkey and other Thanksgiving food items, while supplies last. If you wish to make a donation, donate food, sponsor a food drive or volunteer, go to LUMserve.org/food-pantry.

Recently, the students from Faith Christian High School (Lafayette) and Purdue Young Group volunteered at LUM. On two separate days, two groups of Faith Christian High School students (pictured above left) organized the LUM donations storage area, worked outdoors and more. This past Saturday, Purdue Young Group (pictured above right) hosted members from other universities from Indiana and Illinois and decided to spend part of their day working at LUM. These students put a fresh coat of paint on the walls of the LUM youth programs area and did lots of yard work. All of the students were hardworking and eager to help. LUM is very thankful for the help from Purdue Young Group and Faith Christian High School. Their commitment to getting involved to make this a better community for everyone is heartwarming and commendable. If your group is interested in helping out at LUM, please email or call us (volunteer@LUMserve.org | 765-423-2691). To view PHOTOS from these service days, click HERE.

During the month of November, LUM has accepted two special gifts from Faith Presbyterian Church and the Industrial Federal Credit Union. Faith Presbyterian (pictured above left), a LUM member church, gave $2,000 to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund, the emergency financial assistance fund. Wilber Alberto & Jacquie Wright from IFCU presented a check for $1,000 to support the LUM Community Thanksgiving Feast and Jubilee Christmas. {Pictured above right, L to R are Wes Tillett, LUM executive director, Wilber Alberto, and Terri Anderson, LUM office manager & volunteer coordinator.} LUM would also like to thank the Gold Level Sponsors of the LUM Turkey Trot 5K Run -- Hodgson Properties ($2,300), Barash Law ($1,000), and Caterpillar ($1,000). If you or your business or organization are interested in making a donation or sponsoring an upcoming program go to LUMserve.org/donate-online, email lum@LUMserve.org or call 765-423-2691.

For the entire month of November, the Neil Klemme State Farm Insurance Agency of West Lafayette is offering a “$3,000 Match Donation” in support of LUM. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to “double your donation” to LUM and increase your impact on strengthening local families thanks to the generosity of Neil Klemme Insurance Agency.

It’s simple — click the “Klemme Match” button from November 1 through November 30, make a donation, and the Neil Klemme Insurance Agency will match donations up to $3,000. This is an exciting partnership because Neil Klemme State Farm Insurance Agency is a local business. LUM is fortunate and grateful to have this support from Neil Klemme State Farm Insurance Agency.