By STEPHANIE STEVENS/The Lufkin News | Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2016 12:30 am
Nonprofit organization Love INC works to meet needs by mobilizing volunteers in
local churches. Anyone who wants to donate time or money, or needs help, contact
Love INC at 637-6637.
Nonprofit organization Love In the Name of Christ works to meet needs by
mobilizing volunteers in local churches.
“It doesn’t matter what the need is — we try to find a way to get that need
met,” Love INC Executive Director Jerry Spann said. “We meet over 30,000 needs a
year. There are no qualifications for a person except their need. We try to help
improve their life by showing them love in the name of Christ.
“What’s really unique is that every need is verified,” he said. “That way when
we call the church, they know that it’s a legitimate need.”
He said the organization recently received a call from someone who lived in the
woods and needed a bed roll. Love INC gave him a bed roll and some personal
hygiene items. Someone else called who needed a gas voucher to get to a doctor
in Houston. Not only did Love INC arrange that, but volunteers also gave the
person food and helped them find a place to stay while they receive treatment at
MD Anderson.
Spann emphasized that meeting needs is done through volunteers.
“We never see the people; we talk to them over the phone,” Spann said. “We are a
clearing house ministry. Our function is not to meet needs — our function is to
mobilize volunteers in the local churches to meet the needs and then the local
church ministers to the person in need.”
If churches can’t meet people’s needs, they direct people to agencies. Love INC
works with all the agencies in town, such as the Mosaic Center, Lufkin Dream
Center, Christian Information and Service Center, and Salvation Army, according
to Spann.
“We have phone volunteers who man the phone in the office, talk to the person
and get their need,” Spann said. “And we always need phone volunteers. The more
phone volunteers we have, the more needs we can meet.”
Their phones are operational Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and on
Fridays from 9 a.m.-noon. Most volunteers work three-hour shifts.
“It’s very simple and fun,” Spann said. “We are in the trenches, right there beside them, showing them love in the name of Christ.”
