How old is the non-profit? Love INC National was founded in 1977.
How long have you been in Newberg?
We have been operating in Newberg since March 2004. We are an affiliate of the National organization.
What is your mission?
Our mission is to mobilize local churches to transform lives and our communities In the Name of Christ.
What do you do?
We connect people in need with local churches and service agencies who can help them. We also have a life skills program every Thursday night where clients are matched with a mentor to walk through life together and end the cycle of poverty. We operate the Newberg Community Shelter too, a transformational living program where women experiencing homelessness are provided opportunities to achieve stability in employment and housing.
How do you make a difference?
At the heart of Love INC are thousands of church volunteers, motivated by the desire to share God’s love and inspired by Jesus’ example of selfless giving.
Love INC enables Christians to pool their time, talent and treasures to create a network of resources and services that respond to concerns in the community. Together, Love INC partners provide tangible assistance, encouragement, and hope. Their programs meet immediate needs, and in many cases, teach people life-skills so that they can become more self-sufficient and God-reliant.
Transformation occurs in our ministry when:
- We are willing to enter into relationships which have the potential to change lives.
- We focus on the person, not just their need.
- We desire to give them a hand up, not just hand-outs.
- We are more concerned with long-term results than instant gratification
Can you share a success story?
“The Love INC Shelter has been a sanctuary for me… I thank God every day that I have found this place and that my life is being restored. I have endured a lifetime [of] suffering beyond imagination!”
Married at the age of fifteen, for more than thirty years Sally suffered at the hands of three abusive marriages, four children with challenging physical and criminal problems, extended periods of homelessness, living on limited financial resources with a lifetime of “how could this happen to anyone?” stories.
One of Sally’s most life threatening experiences occurred when one of her ex-husbands found Sally and her children, who were in hiding because of his threats, forced them into his car and headed toward a river with bad intentions. Sally was able to overpower her ex-husband and rescued the situation.
In Sally’s words: “[The] Love INC Shelter has been a refuge for me. The staff and resources have rescued and restored my life by giving me second chances, providing food and shelter, providing vocational and life coaching, and encouraging and guiding my spiritual life. My experience at Love INC has restored hope and provided direction to a fulfilling life.”
Sally currently is preparing to move from the women’s shelter to her own home and beginning a productive life. She ministers and encourages the other ladies in the shelter and her dream is to someday speak to young people to guide them away from the type of life she has endured.
“The Love INC staff rescued me and guided me to a new life path in which I purpose to serve God and be a blessing to others.”
Are there misconceptions about your services?
We are often misunderstood to be an emergency service that is quick to provide direct financial assistance to anyone coming off the street. Though we do provide direct financial assistance, it is only through the life skills program where we develop relationships and accountability with our clients.
We consider resources to be incredibly precious. We do our best to steward them in ways that actually contribute to our client’s achievement of self-sufficiency.
What is the origin of your name?
Love In the Name of Christ (INC) is a clever play on words, we are not an incorporation.
What obstacles have you overcome?
We’ve encountered several major challenges in recent years; most notably a bed bug infestation in our shelter in 2014. This proved to be a blessing in disguise, as it allowed us an opportunity to experience the generosity of the Home Builder’s Foundation renovation project. We were also able to redesign our program, switching from an emergency shelter to the transitional living program. We have seen remarkable transformation in the women’s lives who have stayed in the shelter as a result.
We’ve also recently relocated our offices after residing in the same location for the past ten years. It was a bumpy road, but our new location is more than we could have asked for!
Get in touch:
Contact: Heath Placek, Executive Director
Hours: Monday – Thursday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: 120 S Elliott Road, Newberg, OR 97132
Phone: 503-537-3999
Email/Web site: heath@loveincnewberg.org / www.loveincnewberg.org
