Martin Luther King Jr.’s diligence to his dream was the key that permitted him to overcome many obstacles. People opposed him from every side, yet he never looked back. He pressed forward to preach the message of equality for all, and he was fearless in making his dream a reality for everyone. We are called on to do the same, in spite of the inequalities in our communities across this nation.

In the New International Version of the Christian Bible, Isaiah 41:13 says, “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” I think one’s immovable trust and faith in God, combined with one’s drive to live the dream of unity and a steadfast relationship with Jesus Christ, has the power to make the impossible a reality. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

We need many more Dr. Kings in our world today — people who will stand up and fight universally against the negative forces of bias and unfairness. The fight needs to be comprehensive and unrelenting, and it needs to incorporate social networking, physical relief, psychological wellness and spiritual development. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

What we need to overcome negative forces is a prescribed amount of God’s diligence, entrenched in our lives and patterned after the diligence of Jesus who gave up his earthly freedom so that all people could have access to salvation. As “Jesus Loves the Little Children” says, “Red, yellow, black and white, we are precious in his sight.” We can all be the dream that King so wanted for every color, culture and creed.

In celebrating Black History Month, be mindful that many people have gone the extra mile for the cause of freedom and liberty — some have given their life. King knew who he was and who created him, so the fight for freedom was not his or ours, but it belongs to the Lord. As 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

God, through Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, is our freedom maker and spiritual liberator. As you live in the freedom of Christ, others might soon see your brightness and want that same God-given freedom.

When my father punished me for wrongdoings as a little boy, he said that he only wanted to free me from my wrongdoing so that I would choose to do right the next time, and so that I might feel hurt inside for a little while but be set free later on by the truth. Dad was talking about freeing me from wrongdoing, but what he really wanted me to understand was that freedom comes from making a decision about what is right and wrong. For me, that included being put in time out. It might have hurt during that time, but I was free and felt better later on.

The choice to live the dream in spite of injustice is at hand for us all. Do not allow negative attitudes to weigh you down and lower your standards because as my Dad used to say, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” Do not respond with tasteless words or retaliatory actions — discover beauty in everyone. If you have it in you — and I know you do — get along with everyone. Don’t insist on getting even. James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

The road to freedom is a hard one, but like King, we, too, will be faced with things that will zap the life right out of us — things like misunderstandings and unrighteous ways. But do not lose heart. Christ came into this world to relieve us from our transgressions and give us freedom from selfishness, prejudice, discrimination and pride. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

Remember that it is about living each day not in fear, but in faith — that all your wrongs can be made right in Christ, if you only believe. Whom the Lord sets free is free indeed.

1 Peter 1: 13 – 2: 3

Last year at The Salvation Army food pantry in O’Fallon, MO, about 25 to 35 families would come in every month.  This year, that number has increased to 250 to 350 families each month.  It is a sad statistic, one which my husband and I share a lot.  Without fail everyone blames the economy.  While the lack of jobs, the loss of retirement accounts, and the inability to pay off creditors is certainly partly to blame, I have seen another thing.  The food pantry used to be a place of last resort, a place that folks only visited after every other resource was expended, because there was always the hope that things would get better.  Folks would let their cupboards dwindle to nothingness, cut down on meals, spend money reserved for other bills on food because in just a few days, with just the next paycheck, things would get better.  Things were always bound to get better.  Today, this is not true.  For many of our clients, the food pantry is a regular weekly or monthly visit, a part life, because things are not going to get better.  The job will never be found.  The hours lost will never come back.  The bills never seem to get paid.  Although I am not sure we can quantify this so easily, it would seem that the food shelf has experienced a tenfold increase in need because there has been a tenfold decrease in hope.

It occurs to me that the same thing often happens in our Christian walk. We lose hope and as a result, we are not willing to give our all:  unwilling to share Christ with one more person because so many others have not listened, unwilling to give a tithe because we might not have enough left over for our needs, unwilling to take on any other responsibility because we might get burned out.  What’s the matter with us?  We have lost our hope:  the hope that God will be true and faithful to his promises.

Unfortunately, it is during these times of uncertainty and trouble that hope is even more important.  Peter wrote to people like us, people who were not sure what tomorrow would bring.  To those people, he said, “set your hope fully” (1 Peter 1: 13), hope perfectly, hope to the very end.    This was not a polite suggestion or a devotional thought thrown out to his readers.  It was an imperative, a command.  Do not doubt.  Do not waiver.  Hope.  Hope like a child who goes to bed on Christmas Eve with the absolutely certainty that Santa Clause will have arrived by morning.  Hope like the bride who stands at the back entrance of the church knowing that her groom awaits her in the front.  Peter is talking about a brave hope, a hope that creates action.  This is hope founded upon the assurance of our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Since he has saved our very souls, how could he ever let us down?

When we possess this kind of hope, it allows us to throw ourselves with abandon upon Jesus’ promises and to be the Holy people that God wills us to be.  Allow me to be bold here, because Peter certainly was.  If we are people of God, people with an eternal hope, then Holy people need not fear the next step, whatever next step God may be asking us to take:  feeding ten times the number of people that we fed a year ago, witnessing to a friend, giving whatever amount God has laid on our heart to give, agreeing to a new ministry.  Just as Peter challenged his readers to “love one another deeply” (1: Peter 1: 22) and “rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” (1 Peter 2: 1); God is challenging us today.  Will we meet those challenges with a sort of resignation that we will do merely what we can or what we must? Or, will we step forward boldly and declare our hope to the world?

Volunteers assemble a basketball hoop outside the O'Fallon homeless shelter.

By: Danni Eickenhorst, Midland Division

The Salvation Army is doing BIG thing in the St. Louis area and we need your help! From providing shelter to the homeless, to tutoring children in after-school programs that keep them in school and off the streets, we work hard to continue DOING THE MOST GOOD every day, but because we work so diligently to use our resources wisely, we are dependent on the time and money donations of our volunteers and donors to carry out our mission.

Here are some ways we can put you to work in 2012:

• Do you have a gift for teaching or tutoring? Our shelters and corps community centers are always looking for tutors.
• Can you paint or draw? Come brighten up our youth spaces with your pictures!
• Are your gifts in the area of manual labor? We can use your talents in repairing facilities and maintaining our grounds.
• Are you a foodie who finds cooking therapeutic? We can put you to work in one of our kitchens – and our clients will be glad to enjoy your gourmet fare!
• Is fitness your passion? Our Gateway community center is looking for ongoing volunteers to host aerobics classes, or to teach sporting leagues.
• Are you professionally successful in your field and want to share your story with teens considering their career options?
• Are you an accountant? We can pair you with senior citizens to assist with taxes.
• Do you sing or play an instrument? We have several corps in need of musicians to play at worship services. We always need musicians

In short – whatever your gift may be, we can put you to work doing good in the St. Louis area – and we welcome your partnership. Reach out and let us put you to work doing good today!

“It’s received a very positive response here! A local TV station prompted the idea by asking about how people could keep the spirit of giving alive through the year”, she said. “One of our Board members that owns a print shop is printing buck slips for each month that we can have to mail or hand out.”

Want to check it out? Click Here for Jenni’s Calendar!

We liked her idea so much, we decided to create a 12 Months of Giving calendar that can be used by anyone. Keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long and check it out (thanks again, Jenni!):

January: The Salvation Army loves re-gifting! As you clean out to make room for gifts received at Christmas, remember The Salvation Army Family Stores need your gently used clothing, household goods or cars to support the Adult Rehabilitation Program, as well as other Salvation Army services.

February: The coldest month of the year means those without coats are those with the most need. Consider sorting through your coat closet and parting with the unworn – somebody will be very thankful for your donation! With more than 12 sites in metro St. Louis, The Salvation Army can certainly find someone in need. Call us to see where you can deliver your donation at (314) 646-3018 or visit http://www.stlsalvationarmy.org to find your nearest location.

March: Adult residents in Salvation Army Transitional Housing have a variety of needs based on their circumstances. Your in-kind donations certainly help them through this tough time. Common donations include: toiletries, bedding, pillows, gift certificates for food, plates, silverware, clothing and toys.

April: April showers bring…well, flooding! We pray that natural disasters don’t happen, but if they do, The Salvation Army is almost always among the first to respond. By visiting our “Ways to Give” section on our website, you can designate your donation to a specific disaster campaign, helping those who are struggling in the aftermath of natural disasters.

May: Give back in small ways during National Salvation Army week, May 7-13! Click here for a number of ideas as to how you can “Do the Most Good” for everyone in your life during this week and beyond.

June: Send a kid to camp! Salvation Army summer camps offer fresh air, exercise and new friendships to children from low-income families. By donating $175, you can ensure a fun-filled week of sports, camping, arts & crafts, music development and many more adventures, for someone who would otherwise miss out.

July: Donate food! With school out for the summer, we see an increased number of families that need food assistance at Salvation Army food pantries. Help stock our shelves by organizing a canned food drive.

August: It’s back-to-school time! Help disadvantaged children in your community return to school with the right tools for success and confidence in the classroom. Donations include school supplies, backpacks and clothes. Find out what your local Salvation Army needs and then hit up the store to help out a local family in need!

September: School has officially started and Salvation Army afterschool programs will be looking for tutors and volunteers! Lend a couple hours after school, an ear and a helping hand to a child in need.

October: There are many homeless families enrolled in Salvation Army Family Service programs and who reside in temporary or long-term housing because of financial struggles. Consider lifting their spirits through gifts or basic necessities.

November: Ensure a disadvantaged child or senior experiences Christmas joy by adopting an angel through The Salvation Army’s Angel Giving Tree program.

December: Donate your spare change and say Merry Christmas to your local Red Kettle bell ringer! Interested in volunteering your time? Sign up as a volunteer bell ringer through your local Salvation Army unit.

Happy Giving, Everyone!

Reposted from Salvation Army USA blog.

The nation slowly continues the long road of recovery from the “The Great Recession”, or the other assorted names it has been known in news headlines, but average Americans care little of the names used by the media they care about the impact the downturn has taken on the financial security their families.  As the country starts this economic recovery, one of the main areas of damage the average American is trying to repair is the damage done to their retirement plans.  However, uncertainty in the stock markets and low return on investment offered by investment vehicles like, five year certificates of deposits and 10 year Treasurys, both of which currently have rates of return around 2% annual percentage yield, have left many looking for a suitable alternative to traditional investment opportunities.  One such alternative option is a Charitable Gift Annuity, while not an investment but a gift, it can be used to provide a measure of income security during one’s lifetime and leave a charitable legacy.

A Charitable Gift Annuity as the name suggests is a combination of an outright charitable gift and the purchase of a fixed income annuity contract.  The terms of the annuity can be set to either provide immediate payment of income to the donor or defer payment of income for a period of time, for when a donor expects he or she will need additional income, such as during retirement.  Another, important factor to understand about a charitable gift annuity is that in order to qualify as a gift the rate offered by the charity must be lower than the rates offered by commercial insurance annuities. However, when compared to the rates of return of some commercial investment opportunities, charitable gift annuities provide attractive rates, as well as providing the donor the opportunity to donate to a cause in which they believe.  To paraphrase St. Paul’s sermon, “‘tis better to give than to receive,” and by making a gift though a charitable gift annuity you can both give and receive.

While calculating gift annuity rates is individualized to each donor, standardized rates based on age are set by the American Council on Gift Annuities, currently those rates provide a higher (4.7% for a person age 65, 6.8% for a person age 80) annual percentage yield rate than the 2 percent presently received by investing in certificates of deposit and Treasurys.

The current American Council on Gift Annuities rates took effect on January 1, 2012, however, the Salvation Army is still offering the higher 2011 American Council on Gift Annuities rates. Thus, under the current Salvation Army Charitable Gift Annuity rates, subject to individual circumstances, a person 65 years of age giving a single life charitable gift annuity could see a income return of 5.3%, and  a person 80 years of age giving a single life charitable gift annuity could see a income return of 7.5%.

It is important to act quickly to take advantage of the current rates offered by The Salvation Army Charitable Gift Annuities as the rates will be adjusted later this year to match the rates published by the American Council on Gift Annuities.

By taking advantage of the current rates and making a gift to the Salvation Army through a charitable gift annuity you will be able to both give and receive and help the Salvation Army with the mission of Doing the Most Good.

For information concerning current rates and other options related to charitable gift annuities please contact the Salvation Army Midland Division Planned Giving Department at 1-800-533-6865

Are you looking to support The Salvation Army’s work throughout the year with little out-of-pocket expense and even less administrative work? Here are a few ideas for low-effort/high-donation continuous fundraisers:

• The Green Method: Set up recycling boxes for ink cartridges, cans, cell phones and more. Turn them into a recycling outfit that pays cash. You’ll need to check sites monthly to ensure boxes don’t overflow.
• Crowdrise: Set up an online fundraiser through www.CrowdRise.com. Pages can be set up in minutes and can be sleek and simple, or fun, vibrant and viral. Explain why you want to support The Salvation Army, maybe post one of our YouTube videos. Promote it on your personal social media page and watch the donations come in!
• Ongoing Potluck: Designate one day per week or month at your office as “Salvation Army Potluck Day.” Encourage a rotating group of employees to bring in one category of dish (such as entrée or vegetable) each month while you provide the sides and dessert for a donation to The Salvation Army. Contact us and we’ll be happy to send out a Salvation Army representative to attend and share stories of our work in The St. Louis area!
• Tithing: Ask your church to put out envelopes in the pews once per month for donations to the work of The Salvation Army.
• Party Night: Everyone has a few friends that sell Partylite, Tupperware and the like. Offer to host one party a month or per quarter for each of them on the condition that 50% of the proceeds be donated to The Salvation Army.
• Dress Down Day: Let your employees dress down the first Wednesday of every month in exchange for a $5 donation to The Salvation Army.

If you, your family, school or organization choose to take on any of these on-going fundraisers, let us know so that we can help you promote them!

Most of us, given the opportunity, would like to feel that we have made a lasting contribution to a better world. We’d like to leave a legacy that says, “I was here. My life was important. I made a difference.”

Friends who include The Salvation Army in their estate plans enjoy the quiet satisfaction of helping continue all of our work – assisting those who are hungry or seeking shelter or fighting alcoholism or drug addictions. As you plan for both the present and the future, we would be honored if you would consider The Salvation Army as your partner. We pledge to do the most good with your generosity – for those you will help today and for the future generations you will help in years to come.

You have an opportunity to thoughtfully plan the distribution of all you have earned and accumulated from a lifetime of work. Through tax-advantaged gift planning, you can provide a more significant legacy of caring and compassion than you ever dreamed possible. This is your Legacy Gift.

A Salvation Army gift planning professional is always available to assist you, your financial adviser and legal counsel in exploring the options that best serve your family and your financial needs, while fulfilling your hopes for a better world. Your Legacy Gift may be unrestricted or designated for a particular purpose, service of program. Your gift also may be made in memory or in honor of special loved ones.

If you’re ready to begin planning your legacy, or if you have any questions at all, contact our Planned Giving Department at (314) 646-3000 today.

As part of our series on unique and fun fundraiser ideas that supporters can take on to support The Salvation Army all year ’round, we turn to the best meal of the day… breakfast!

Hosting a breakfast event to benefit The Salvation Army can be extremely simple to coordinate and fun for all who attend. Some proven and profitable ideas for breakfast fundraisers are listed below:

• Ice Cream for Breakfast: Partner with a local ice cream shop or host the event in your church’s fellowship  hall. Offer DIY ice cream sundaes for breakfast with a variety of breakfast-themed toppings! Maple syrup ice cream with crispy bacon on top, waffle cones made with real waffles! Have a photo booth set up where people can take pictures with their ice cream creations and hand out prizes for most creative concoctions.
• Breakfast with __________: This perennial theme is popular for a reason – it’s highly attended and those who attend often make it an annual tradition. Serve up breakfast fare of choice with Santa, the Easter bunny, or the whole crew from Sesame Street! Reach out to your local costume store for character options. You can also use this as an opportunity for breakfast with a local celebrity or the mayor. Sell tickets, take pictures and have fun while sharing the work of The Salvation Army.
• Envelope Breakfast: Find a local chain restaurant with a busy breakfast seating and get their permission to set out envelopes that say, “Please support the work of The Salvation Army in Missouri and Southern Illinois by donating generously during this Envelope Breakfast.” Waitresses or managers can check the envelope after each seating and deliver donations at the end of the shift. This can be done for one meal or all day, depending on the wishes of the restaurant.
• Breakfast with the CEO: Auction off a breakfast with your company’s CEO to employees, vendors and the general public. You can go as simple as an internal memo, and as big as a press release, depending on how well known your CEO may be. Social media is an easy promotion vehicle as well! The only out-of-pocket cost for this event is breakfast!

If you, your family, business or organization decide to plan one of these events, email Danni Eickenhorst at Danielle_Eickenhorst@usc.salvationarmy.org and The Salvation Army will be happy to promote your event. Thank you for your support!

Have you ever read the volunteer opportunities listed by an organization and thought, “hmm, nothing here applies to my skills and/or interest?”  For various reasons (often monetary, time and or staff limitations, etc.,) non-profits post what can appear to be generic position descriptions.  Instead of being the end point, I believe these position descriptions can be a jumping off point to match talented, creative volunteers with meaningful projects. However, it will take effort for organizations and potential volunteers to make this happen. 

The next time you come across a volunteer opportunity that doesn’t seem to fit your interests or skills, don’t just move on.  Think about it; maybe the position can be tweaked to better match your skills or maybe the description can be a springboard to another opportunity tailor made for your skill set.  For example an organization has an opening for a food pantry volunteer. Maybe stocking shelves is not your cup of tea, but you have experience as a dietician.  You could offer your services to educate the pantry clients on cost effective ways to make healthy, nutritious meals on limited budget.  An organization lists a position as “youth activities aide”, you may not have experience working with children or teens, but you’re a computer programmer.  You could offer to teach a workshop on Programming 101. Who knows, you may end up inspiring the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.  Let’s say you have experience in Human Resources, you could offer to help the Volunteer Coordinator (hint, hint) update the current volunteer descriptions or create new ones.

Experts call this “skills-based volunteering”, which means leveraging the specialized skills and talents of individuals to strengthen the infrastructure of nonprofits, helping them build and sustain their capacity to successfully achieve their missions.

There are many benefits to skill based volunteering for both the organization and for the volunteer. The nonprofit is able to take advantage of the volunteer’s professional knowledge and business expertise and, at the same time, the volunteer receives cost-effective training and development. For volunteers, skills-based volunteering provides the opportunity to use their expertise to make a measurable impact on issues they care about.

To learn more about skills based volunteering, click here.

To learn more about volunteering with The Salvation Army in Missouri and Southern Illinois, click here.

This year, we’re going to feature fundraiser ideas that you, our wonderful supporters, can organize to support The Salvation Army the whole year through. Today’s idea? (Drumroll, please) The sure-to-be-a-classic VIDEO GAME DANCE OFF!

If you’re the champion of Just Dance 2 in your house; have perfected your “Smooth Criminal” forward lean in The Michael Jackson Experience for Wii; have worn your Dance Dance Revolution floor mats just plain thin, or have mastered the rumba in Zumba for Wii (like this blogger), then maybe your should take your moves public all in the name of do-gooding!

There are several ways you can coordinate a fun video game dance off to raise funds for The Salvation Army:

1 – Dance ‘Til You Drop: Ask participants to get donations for increments of time spent dancing, then let them go to town, dancing until they drop!

2 – Serious Salsa: Get judges – if your event is big enough, get local celebrities – to judge the style of dancers. Songs should be selected randomly, but remember to take the audience into consideration and choose something with appropriate lyrics. Take scores and style into consideration and give bonus points for dressing the part! Charge a participation fee at the door. Crown a champion, or hand out donated prizes!

3 – You Asked For It!: Have teachers at your local school, or news anchors in town, or other local people of note agree to participate in a dance-off in front of an audience in exchange for paid admission at the door – or a minimum amount fundraised.

If you, your family, company or organization decide to take on this idea as your new year project, let us know and we’ll do our best to help you plan and promote! We’ll even come out to take pictures!

Thanks to all of our supporters for being so active all year ’round!