Union Mission Ministries’ Post

What do you do when a homeless person asks you for money? Here are some tips! Come to the Mission to pick up cards that direct them to services at the Mission and throughout Frederick. Or download them from https://lnkd.in/eaP3nqnw.

June is National Hunger Awareness month, with "more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States who are struggling with hunger", according to SaveTheChildren.org. At Grocery Dealz, part of our Christian driven mission, is too help those struggling with hunger or food insecurity. Even if we can help just one family stretch their grocery bill a bit further to alleviate their hunger insecurity; then it would be all worth it! https://lnkd.in/gJAVJDrb

Along with millions around the world I watched last night's debate. I was struck by the fact that we still have at least 55 more days to feel election anxiety, and the stress from the outcome can linger much longer 😟. I spoke to countless friends and family members who like me feel the weight of this election. Focus becomes challenging. Distractions are everywhere. Many of us want to control the election outcome, and with that the behavior of others. Here's what is in our control: ✅ VOTE: Register now before it is too late. ✅ VOLUNTEER: At polls, mail postcards, phone bank, etc. ✅ ORGANIZE: Have compassionately direct conversations with your people. ✅ DONATE: Every dollar counts. If you are looking for additional tips to ease election anxiety and 24/7 hotlines to support you or your employees, see my latest post in the comments 👇 👇 #electionanxietydisorder #mentalhealthishealth #workplacewellbeing

While reading this article, two thoughts crossed my mind: 1. Beneficiary designations on your IRA are crucial to get right. That is who is getting your money if the proverbial beer truck hits. 2. Be nice to your kids as they will likely be taking care of one of you in your old age. This fact is abundantly clear in my family over the past few years. Reach out if you want to see a copy of the article and are getting paywalled.

The Wall Street Journal recently published a comparison of grocery pricing- 2019 vs 2024, entitled: “How Far $100 Goes at the Grocery Store After Five Years of Food Inflation” They found the same staples would now cost you $137. When your grocery budget is already bare-bones… there isn’t room to cut or trim. So, other parts of your budget have to give. You have to go without something. And for low-income families with children, that can mean new shoes for growing feet just aren’t possible anymore. “With the rising costs of food, housing, clothing, gas, etc. families are just stretched so thin right now.” - Coordinator, Family Resource Center, Eubank, KY To help families like these, please give today. Your gift helps families who are struggling to afford the basics, like groceries. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/g4BXMfHv #ShoesThatFit #DonationImpact #ChildrensCharity #KidsInNeed #GivingBackToKids #KidsFirst #GivingBack #EmpowerYouth #BuildingBrighterFutures #HopeForKids #YouthEmpowerment

When you give to Light of Life today through The Pittsburgh Foundation's #ONEDAY, you provide more than a meal. Your gift offers dignity and hope to those in need. The Foundation’s prorated $500,000 match ensures that your gift goes further in helping us provide access to shelter, clothing and other necessities, and life-transforming programs. Make a difference today: https://ow.ly/zG0L50SLeIE

The rising cost of groceries is creating severe challenges for single mother-led families. In Vancouver, these single mothers are increasingly making sacrifices to ensure their children are fed. This reality means children are struggling with hunger and its effects on their ability to focus and succeed in school. In response to the critical issue, Cause We Care invested in 5 targeted programs in 2023 to address food insecurity. This initiative has directly impacted 1,515 single mother-led families, providing essential support and helping to mitigate the impact of rising food costs. One of our key events that addresses food security is our annual Care Package Drive, which includes food and gift cards for grocery shopping. This practical support helps families cover essential needs and gives them a little financial relief during the holidays. Your support means we can help more single mothers and their families thrive. #CauseWeCare #SingleMotherSupport #FoodSecurity 

I'll be fasting for the first few days in April to raise awareness for children's hunger. Here's what's going on: - 1 in 5 children in America face hunger, including 15% of Florida’s children - Inflation and rising food costs are severely affecting lowest-income families, forcing them to choose between buying groceries or paying for other essential items - Additionally, there is a large population of Military Veterans that are food insecure There is not enough awareness about these issues, but the reality is that in 100% of US states and counties, someone is facing hunger. I'll be fasting for 6 days (1-day fast, 2-day fast, and a 3-day fast) during the first ten days of April, coinciding with Food Waste Prevention Week. I'll also be volunteering at the local food bank - Feeding NorthEast Florida. Here's how you can help: - Donate or volunteer with a local food bank like Feeding America. Just $10 can help provide 62 meals to families in need. - Fast along with me (health permitting). Be careful and don’t push yourself too hard. The difference between a 1-day fast and a 3-day fast is actually pretty extreme. - Spread the word and become more aware - no one deserves to go hungry. #feedingflorida #hunger #awareness #fasting

Dear Co-op I’m writing this with a heavy heart and a sense of deep unease after seeing baby milk kept in security casings in your stores. As a company that prides itself on being “a different kind of business,” one that stands for “doing the right thing” and supporting communities, this policy feels deeply out of sync with your mission. How can we reconcile locking up baby milk, an essential item for the most vulnerable, with your commitment to fairness, care, and social responsibility? When parents are in such a desperate situation that they feel forced to steal food for their child, it’s not a question of crime, but survival. These are families who need help, not punishment. Clearly, the systems meant to support them are failing. If baby milk theft is such a significant issue in Shepherd’s Bush, please reach out to me directly. I’m willing to help create a community-based solution to cover any losses on baby milk. But please: take them out of the damn cases. It’s unsettling to see a paradox in your stores: wine and beer, often higher in value, are left open on shelves, freely available without tags or cases, while baby milk, an essential for struggling families, is treated like a luxury item. As Nelson Mandela said, “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice.” You often speak about giving back to the community, so I have to ask: how much profit is truly enough? How far are we willing to go to protect the bottom line when some families can’t even protect their children’s basic needs? One of your core values is “championing a better way of doing business for you and your community.” I urge you to live up to that; show that you care more about the families who are struggling than about profit margins. Life is hard, unbearably so for many. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is not the length of life, but the depth of life.” Let’s dig deeper into compassion, fairness, and care; the very values you hold dear. Let’s create a world where those who are struggling to feed their children are met with help, not barriers. Do better. For the families. For the children. For all of us.

How did it Happen, The so- called higher courts acknowledge that being homeless, and living on the streets is a crime. Every years or four years we cast a vote for an individual who speaks about cleaning up the homeless problem we are confronted with zero solutions. We in the profession of recognizing the problem and offering solutions are met with deaf ears. We receive different opinions from people who hold offices to help solve the problem but it still remain. Being homeless is not a crime but only a miss fortune of the problem that one endured in life, and the distrust they have in the system. Ask yourself about the power of the nonprofit system to help and eliminate the problem and your only response with be keep doing the work the Government keep failing to do.