NEIGHBORS IN NEED

On behalf of the Christian Outreach of Lutherans Board of Directors and staff, and the thousands of Lake County residents who utilize the COOL Food Pantry and COOL Transitional Housing programs each year, I extend our heartfelt thanks to the Lake County News-Sun and our community for your tremendous support of the recent Help Them to Hope campaign. During a time of economic decline and uncertainty, we are encouraged and extremely humbled to benefit from your generosity.

As you know, needy families and individuals in our community go without proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to hard times, children and the elderly are at the most risk, and they  make up the largest number of guests we serve.

With the generous support of people like you, we will be able to help many of these families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but to work toward a brighter future by promoting job training and education, and offering budget counseling, life-skills training, and support in their transition to self-sufficiency.

For more information on how your gift is helping to make a difference in the lives of so many in our community, we invite you to visit our Web site at www.coolministries.org. You can also find information there on our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

COOL began as a grass-roots effort 26 years ago, and, with support from our community, has had the privilege of carrying out our mission to give comprehensive assistance to families in need, by reducing hunger and homelessness, while encouraging personal growth and self-sufficiency. Together we are making a difference in the lives of our Lake County neighbors in need.

Diane Weber
Executive Director
Christian Outreach Of Lutherans