Community Helping Others

Local woman steps in to help feed the homeless.

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Creating Space for Students to Be Seen, Known, and Loved

After the final bell rings at North Harrison Elementary, a different kind of space is created, one where students are seen, welcomed, and invited into something more. Through the Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS), kids gather each week to share a snack, build friendships, and explore what it means to know Jesus.

This year, every student in the program is able to fully participate, because Love Local was able to fund Bibles and snacks for a whole year. What might seem simple removes real barriers, making sure no student feels left out and every student has the opportunity to engage, ask questions, and grow.

It’s more than an after-school program. It’s a place where students are known, encouraged, and reminded they belong, and where seeds of faith are being planted that can last far beyond the school year.

More than a Meal, a Message of Hope

Beverly saw a food pantry box by the side of the road and felt a calling to feed the unhoused. The ministry is called  Knead Not—a reminder that in God's abundance, we need not go without. He is the bread of life."I feed 8 people a day through the pantry box on the Greenway. On my way to work, I walk to the box and drop off 4 breakfasts. In the evenings, I walk to the box and drop off for dinners/lunch sacks.I pray over each sack, for God to send whoever He needs there that day/night. Included is a simple note on every sack - "God loves you!"."Thank you so much for your generous donation of $1,000. I am incredibly grateful for your support and for the way Northside continues to love and serve our community.Because of your gift, to date I have been able to feed approximately 324 individuals in downtown New Albany. On most days, I have been able to provide about 6–8 meals per day, and your donation has directly helped make that possible."

Erasing School Lunch Debt

Scribner Middle School was nominated to have a portion of their school lunch debt paid. Many of our students face challenges at home that limit their access to basic necessities. Because of the financial strain on their family, students often go without lunch. Unpaid balances can eventually be sent to collections, adding even more pressure for families. The request was for $2000.  After hearing the heart behind the request Northside decided to pay the lunch debt in Full, $6500. Here is the follow up from the school: "I’ve been trying to process the generosity of Northside and the incredible impact this will have on our Scribner community. I cannot thank you all enough for considering my requests and taking action on them. Our building is full of kids who deserve the world and staff members who truly want to make a difference, but there is only so much we can do on our own. As a struggling single mother myself, I understand firsthand the relief these families will feel with these debts being paid. Everything is so expensive right now and makes living life a little harder right now. I hope lifting this burden helps ease some of the weight these children have been carrying weight they should never have had to carry in the first place. My hope is that they can walk into school feeling a little lighter, knowing their parents have a fresh start with lunch fees and school dues. With the weight of the world sometimes feeling too heavy to handle, knowing that Northside chose to love and support our community and directly help our kids was truly a bright light of God shining on all of us when we needed it most. Who doesn’t need something good sometimes? We definitely do here at Scribner, and this has restored a lot of people’s faith. It’s hard to explain, but you and I both know it’s God. I get teary-eyed thinking that even if some of these children are not believers in Christ or do not yet have their own relationship with Him, they have still been seen, loved, and touched by Jesus through all of you. Again, thank you all so much. I truly cannot express how grateful I am for each of you."