Jodi was a new homeowner who had never dealt with tree removal before, while Cathy was a Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) member who was used to helping others in disaster situations, but has never been on the receiving end. Where 31 trees once lined their properties, only 17 remained standing.

Jodi was deeply moved by their efforts and expressed her gratitude by hugging many of the volunteers and shedding tears of relief. LCC's quick response and compassionate assistance made a significant impact on Jodi's life, and she will forever remember their kindness.

The LCC LERT teams have once again proven their dedication by providing support and BEING THERE for those in need during times of disaster. Two families faced a crisis and were able to lean on the LCC LERT teams for assistance. This is just one example of the incredible work that LCC Disaster Response and LERT certified volunteers do to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

Through your generous donations, Lutheran Church Charities continues to provide scholarships for children in the tent city in Haiti. With the current political crisis raising the cost of food dramatically, Lutheran Church Charities is asking for your generous donations this Christmas to provide these children with basic food supplies.
 
The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration for many, but for children in Haiti, it can be a time of hunger and uncertainty. With your help, we can make a difference by providing food for these children during the Christmas break.

For just $65.00, you can provide a child and their family with a food package that will feed them during the Christmas break and prevent them from going hungry.
 
Your donation will go directly towards purchasing nutritious meals and ensuring these children have the sustenance they need to thrive. Together, we can bring some much-needed comfort and hope to these vulnerable children. Your donation will show the love and compassion of Jesus to these children in need.
 
Help make a difference this Christmas for the children in Haiti with Lutheran Church Charities.

Breakfast with Baby Ministry (BwB) at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, Illinois, just celebrated its 4th anniversary of the program in October of 2023. Over these few years, BwB has served over 752 families by providing diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, clothing, equipment, and toys. Over 233,000 diapers have been distributed to families in the community!
 
CLICK HERE to watch BwB "Happy 4th Anniversary" Video
 
Breakfast with Baby has seen a 20% increase in families they serve this year. To serve the increasing number of families coming for assistance, BwB has expanded the ministry to include a featured Resource of the Month from the community, allowing guests to meet face-to-face with these resources.
 
The organization is well known in the community as social workers, health agencies, friends, and relatives often refer guests to the program. Also, guests donate back items that their children have outgrown, and guests volunteer at the event to help serve their community.
 
CLICK HERE to watch interviews with participants
 
Families that come into the building to shop are also welcome to the buffet breakfast as a family. With the increase of families and the costs of food, diapers, and wipes, BwB continues to provide up to $1,500 per month in financial resources for these supplies. The organization's most significant needs are diapers, baby wipes, baby food, and formula, provided to families in need during their monthly event.
 
Please prayerfully consider donating to help Breakfast with Baby meet this need to serve families in their community.

Last week, beloved Uvalde High School assistant principal Mr. Humberto “Beto” Torres Jr., 34, died after a medical emergency. He served in Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District for almost eight years as a teacher at Dalton Elementary, then as assistant principal at Morales Junior High School, and later at Uvalde High School.
 
Mr. Torres taught in the Uvalde school district, grew up there, and graduated from Uvalde High School in 2008. This was his home. Mr. Torres was there to lead the staff and students at Uvalde High School after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary. He was there for his students and staff.

In our moments of grief and tragedy, God is with us. He often sends others to comfort and strengthen us.
 
On Monday, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Martha (Bethany - Austin, Texas), Persis (King of Kings - Glenpool, Oklahoma), and Triton (Messiah - Plano, Texas), and their handlers, returned to Uvalde High School to be there for the staff and students as they returned to school after Thanksgiving break and learned of assistant principal Torres death.
 
The Comfort Dogs' handlers present have built friendships with this small community after the tragic mass shooting and did not hesitate to travel many hours to support, comfort, and love the staff and students of Uvalde High School.
 
The students and teachers knew they could seek out Martha, Persis, and Triton at the school that day, providing them a safe, calm, and comforting place for hugs, pets, tears, and even smiles.

Abby Horton, a beloved daughter, sister, and friend, passed away too soon. She was twenty years old. Abby was a student in the aviation program at Southern Illinois University as her passion was flying and the freedom it gave her. Abby was described as a vibrant and magnetic young woman who loved her friends and family. So many adored Abby, and they all deeply felt her loss.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Emma, Eunice, Hannah, and Ruthie (LCC Staff), and their handlers were at Abby's visitation on Saturday, November 25, in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, to be there for Abby's family and friends, providing a comforting, safe place to share their grief. Abby was a presence in so many people's lives. The love friends and family felt for Abby was evident in how many people came to say goodbye.  

Many of Abby's friends and family sought a moment of solace in the love reflected in the Comfort Dogs' eyes and the softness and warmth of their fur. While Abby's loved ones carried this pain of loss and heartbreak, a place of calm and peace was provided for those who spent time petting the dogs and the love, compassion, and care of the handlers who shared that moment with them.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

A Heart of Mercy & Compassion was there for Abby's friends and family to share love and messages, providing another way to share their grief. Abby was a blessing to those who knew and loved her. We pray for them to feel and seek the comfort, strength, and peace of Jesus as they move forward without their beloved Abby, helping them in their pain and loss.

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:8a)

Last week, LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs Bethany (Trinity - Danville, Illinois), Nigel (LCC Staff), and LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Mahlah (Our Savior - Milford, Illinois), extended love and comfort to the staff and students at North Newton High School, Morocco, Indiana after one of the students lost his life to suicide.
 
When the request came for the Comfort Dogs to be there after this tragedy, the handlers' response was, "Here am I, send me." There was no hesitation in their acceptance of this request; they wanted to be there to share God's love, presence, and hope with the hurting and grieving students and staff at North Newton High School.
 
A counselor at the school said that the dogs did so much more than their words could ever say. Words are not always needed, but the presence of being there and sharing love, hope, and comfort provide so much to the hurting students and staff in those moments of grief and pain.
 
We pray for the family, students, staff, and those who knew and loved this young man for God to heal their brokenness and shelter them in his comforting and loving arms. We pray they seek Jesus' strength, hope, and love to guide them through this journey of grief and into healing.

Pastor Fernando Garcia dedicated his life to helping those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. He ran a rehabilitation center in Guanajuato, Mexico, where he helped people overcome their addiction and shared the Gospel with them. The local drug cartel saw him as a threat and threatened to kill him for preaching the Gospel, helping those who wanted to escape the cartel, and interrupting their drug operations.

Despite the threats, Pastor Garcia continued his ministry, but the cartel opened fire on his church, killing two congregation members. Fearing for their lives, Pastor Garcia’s congregation and family asked him to flee from Mexico.

God worked through a sister in faith in Aurora, Illinois, who had visited Mexico and Pastor Garcia’s church there. She offered her home in Illinois as a safe space for Pastor Garcia so he could prepare for his family to join him. She shared his story with Pastor Alex Merlo of Iglesia San Pablo in Aurora, Illinois. Pastor Merlo was able to assist him in finding work, and a home for his family.

This donation has made a difference in the lives of their family as well as the lives of the people he ministers to.

Pastor Merlo connected Pastor Garcia with LCC’s Human Care Ministry.  In God’s perfect timing, a senior citizen, who was moving into an assisted living facility, donated some of her furniture to LCC to be used for a family in need. This donation was enough to furnish a two-bedroom home for Pastor Garcia and his family.

LCC was able to facilitate two congregations, Immanuel, East Dundee, and Iglesia San Pablo, Aurora, to work  together to impact the lives of two families in their congregations. Immanuel’s congregation paid for the moving truck, provided volunteers to load a household of furniture in East Dundee, and volunteers to drive the donation to Aurora. Once in Aurora, Pastor Merlo, members of their congregation, and Pastor and Mrs. Garcia, now reunited with her husband, unloaded the furniture.

God brought together a donor, members of Immanuel and Iglesia San Pablo to provide the needed resources to furnish a duplex on the church's property, which is now the family’s new home.

Because of your generous donations, we were able to BE THERE for Pastor Garcia and his family by providing them with clothes, furniture, and other supplies to start their new life in America.

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 )
 
Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen are some of the reasons for our being thankful on Thanksgiving Day.

On that special day last week, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), Michael (LCC Staff), Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois), and Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois), along with their dedicated handlers, had the incredible honor of celebrating Thanksgiving with the Naval Recruits from Great Lakes Naval Base at the McHenry Moose Lodge #691.

The Moose Lodge and a team of volunteers provide a Thanksgiving feast for the recruits of the Great Lakes Naval Base. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their handlers were there to share joy, love, and comfort with naval recruits in training during the Thanksgiving holiday and away from their family and friends. It was a moment to honor and give thanks to our nation's Armed Forces. 

Relief, Pride, Joy, and Hope are words reflected by Comfort Dog handlers describing this special Thanksgiving with the naval recruits. 
 
RELIEF
"The recruits were so relieved to be almost done with basic training and so happy to talk with civilians, pet the dogs when they are missing their dogs so much, eat great food, and "let down their hair," so to speak, as they have had to toe the line for eight weeks so far." 
 
PRIDE
"It was emotional watching them honor the flag and very robustly singing the National Anthem."
"Being in a room where everybody paused and honored the National Anthem gave me chills. Total highlight of the day for me."
 
JOY
"It was written all over the faces of the recruits and the volunteers. On the ride home, we kept saying how joyful the event was. The recruits were appreciative, and the volunteers were everywhere doing all they could to make their guests feel at home."
 
HOPE
"I truly enjoyed speaking with these young recruits. These recruits gave me hope - young people in this country living a life of purpose, and it's for me and you. They were polite, grateful, and respectful. Just great young people who will do great things in service to a great nation."

Dear Lord,
We thank You for our U.S. Military personnel. We especially thank You for those men and women who sacrificed their lives to defend this nation. We thank you for being the comforter and protector of the military men and women who serve to protect our nation and their families who support them. Please bless our troops, past and present, who have protected our nation. In Jesus' Name, Amen

The team also expressed their appreciation for the community's outpouring of support during this difficult time. As Andrew Price's team prepares to take a day off to mourn their fallen colleague, let us keep them in our thoughts and prayers. Andrew Price’s Last Alarm November 13, 2023

Katie Seward, Tuscarawas Health Commissioner, and Natalie Bollon from ADAMH (Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board), reached out last week to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry to invite them to share the comforting and calming presence of the Comfort Dogs after the tragic charter bus crash that took the lives of six people: three students, a teacher, and two parent chaperones. The charter bus was transporting band students from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio to the Ohio School Boards Association Conference in Columbus when the accident occurred.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Claudia (Trinity - Toledo, Ohio) and Rosie (Atonement - Columbus, Ohio) and their caring handlers arrived on Friday to be with the band students and their parents as they picked up their belongings left behind on the bus.
 
Claudia and Rosie returned on Monday to spend time with teachers and staff at Tuscarawas Valley High School. They provided a place of comfort in the warmth of their soft fur and the reflection of love in their soft brown eyes. Their handlers were there to listen, to love, and reflect the love of Jesus to the hurting.

Today, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Claudia, Dove (Peace - Fremont, Indiana), and Rosie will spend time with the students and staff at Buckeye Career Center, New Philadelphia, Ohio.
 
One of the people killed in the bus accident was Shannon Wigfield, a parent-chaperone traveling with the students in another vehicle. Shannon was a teacher from Buckeye Career Center, and the staff and students there are grieving her loss.

We pray for the families of the six precious lives taken in this tragedy, and for the students and staff of Tuscarawas Valley High School, and the community for God’s strength and love to lift them up during this very difficult time.
 
Katelyn Owens (15), a high school sophomore from Mineral City
Wyatt Mosley (18), a high school senior from Mineral City
Jeffery D. Worrell (18), a high school senior from Bolivar
Dave Kennat (56), a high school teacher from Navarre
Kristy Gaynor (39), a parent-chaperone from Zoar
Shannon Wigfield (45), a parent-chaperone from Bolivar, and teacher at Buckeye Career Center