When Jennifer and her husband, Peter, decided to extend their family of three some years ago, they desired to do so with the hope of spreading the gospel as well. A friend of theirs had journeyed through the foster-to-adopt system in Los Angeles County, which prompted the idea for them to look into doing the same.
Scrip is a program that enables you to purchase gift cards to hundreds of the stores, restaurants and gas stations that you frequent, with a percentage of each purchase going back into Eastside’s Compassion Department to help families in need.
“We appreciate the clothing and we appreciate the food, but more than anything, we value your friendship,” said Larry, the first ‘friend without a home’ that Tyler and Hughie made years ago. The non-profit organization Povertees was founded in 2007 when CEO, Tyler Patterson, began sewing pockets on shirts to sell to his fellow college …
Let’s Talk About Poverty, Part II: Gaining Perspective Read More »
Poverty. Poor. Living under the Poverty Line. These terms and phrases we hear on a daily basis to describe a person in need–but what do they necessitate exactly? Food? Shelter? Different clothing? Perhaps, but when we lean in to take a closer look we find that lacking physical objects is hardly the only reason why …
Let’s Talk About Poverty, Part I: Breaking Our Expectations Read More »
“I see souls and I love people, that’s all I do well,” claims Mark. This passionate Eastsider began serving in his home of Orange County upon returning from living abroad in Romania at age 24.
Eastside Christian Church’s Local Compassion team met with Anaheim native, Shanelle, to learn first-hand about her life; one that has been marked with different waves of obstacles and perseverance.
Growing up, Jesse was taught by his parents to respect the local Police Officers they’d pass by on the street. That respect grew to admiration as TV shows like SWAT and Adam 12 enhanced his perception of the officers protecting his city. “That’s what I wanted,” Jesse explained, “and that’s what the majority of cops want as they enter the force: to do good, to be the heros we grew up thinking so highly of.”
“I got hit in the head on the job site, started having seizures and such. That’s when I got put on medicine and no one wanted to take a chance on me.” Wesley is a 52 year old man who migrated from Louisiana to California in 2013 after receiving no help after a work injury. When Eastside’s Local Compassion crew met with him at his newly acquired apartment, he began to unveil his story.
May is National Foster Care Month, a time set aside originally in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan to offer appreciation to foster parents. Since being initiated, the National Foster Care Coalition has worked to expand the goals of this month to focus on awareness of the issues at hand and to encourage willing citizens to get involved with the foster system.