A few months ago, several members of the Board met with representatives of the Pastoral Institute to explore ways for FOCUS to expand its ministry. The leadership has felt increasingly led to find ways to aid people in moving from poverty to self sufficiency and realized that guidance was needed on that journey. The Pastoral Institute, with its commitment to “help those in leadership gain vision and develop leadership skills” was chosen to act as consultants.

This initial meeting resulted in the restructuring of the Board from a working to a governance or policy model. Directors with needed expertise and insight were recruited from the community, adding strength and depth to an already committed Board.

On Thursday, March 1, this new Board including the ex officio members will meet with Dr. Ron King and John Adams of the Pastoral Institute for a half day strategic planning meeting. This meeting will begin the process of discerning God’s plan for FOCUS’ future and setting goals and objectives to support that plan in order to strengthen FOCUS to better serve those in need.

This is a very exciting and challenging time in the life of this organization which will require some change, and change is never easy. We ask that you, as Friends of FOCUS, help us in these tasks by giving us your support and especially by praying that we listen to, and be guided by, the Spirit as plans are made.

We will let you know the results of our meeting, and the actions to be taken, in future newsletters.

Sue Halmrast
Chairman

Our home repair project is well underway for 2012. We currently have 4 applicants in process. This year, we’re asking applicants to provide the labor to help with the projects and FOCUS will provide the materials. We realize in some circumstances, this will not be possible and in those cases we’ll try to obtain help from various churches and organizations throughout the county.

The Harris County Rotary Club is currently prepared to build a wheelchair ramp for a disabled 11 year old. Carpenters for Christ, a men’s group from Cornerstone Baptist Church in Ellerslie, will provide manpower for plumbing and electrical repair work for a homeowner who doesn’t have the available funds to pay someone.

We would like to invite each church/organization to sponsor a project in conjunction with FOCUS. In this way, we could help many more of our elderly and disabled in Harris County. Our goal is NOT to remodel homes, but merely to keep the owners safe, warm and dry. Please give us a call if you would like to help with the Home Repair project.

Announcements…
Our Board Members will hold a Strategic Planning Meeting with the Pastoral Institute on Thursday, March 1, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. The regularly scheduled Board Meeting will be Thursday, March 15 at 6:00 p.m. in the FOCUS office. Please note our regular board meetings will continue to be on the third Thurs. of the month at 6pm.

Office volunteers: In order to continue purchasing SNAP food (for families with children), we now need to submit one short story every month about a family we helped and how we affected their life with our food. Please think of one family that you encounter that really touches you and just jot down a few lines about them. There will be a paper in the office on the desk so as the occasion comes up, you can note their name, date, a few facts and your initials. In this way, Julie will have stories to pick from every month when she turns in her report.

We’d like to thank Cub Scout Packs 109 and 315… Their annual food drive provided almost 1400 pounds of non-perishable food items for the food bank!

We had a great start to the new year in the Thrift Shop! We invite you to continue to shop with us as your support allows us to finance FOCUS ministries for Harris County residents. We are pleased to have several new volunteers but we are still in need of two cashiers (only needed on a monthly basis). In addition, we would love to have several more volunteers working in the “back” sorting and pricing. Our goal is to have enough people where each person has a specific job. This will keep the thrift shop operating like a well-oiled machine!

We’d also like to thank Creekside Elementary School’s 4H program for collecting and donating numerous bags of clothing for the thrift shop!

We now have cards available, both “in Memory of” and “in Honor of”, for gift donations.

As always, we’d like to express our continued appreciation for Chris & Jenny Jackson, owners of Jenny Jack Sun Farm located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, for the fresh locally grown produce they donate straight from the farm. www.jennyjackfarm.com The farm is closed for the season but will re-open this spring. We’d also like to thank John & Maria Makin of the Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage in Pine Mountain for donating fresh loves of handmade artisan bread. Please show your support for these wonderful local businesses that so graciously provide food for those in our community.

FOCUS is on facebook! Be sure to ‘like’ the FOCUS facebook page to receive regular updates. Once you ‘like’ the page please share it, and ask your friends, family and neighbors to like and share it too!

In addition, the thrift shop donated items to area nursing homes, the Harris County Senior Center, Park Elementary School, West Central Georgia Regional Hospital in Columbus (a state psychiatric facility), The Ralston ( a low income HUD facility), Loving Care (a personal care home), Open Door (a homeless program), The Closet of Blessings (sponsored by New Life Community Baptist Church), and Hope Harbor (a women’s substance abuse center).
Our new roof is completed and our insurance covered most of expense. We’d like to thank Mike McCain and Ken Frerichs for adding chair rails in our offices to help protect our walls. Ken also repainted the office walls during our break.

Our Board meeting will be Jan. 19th, 7pm at the Philomena house. Please note this meeting is on the third Thurs. of the month instead of our usual second Thurs. of the month. We would like to welcome our new board members and invite anyone who is interested in FOCUS to attend the meeting.

Two copies of the book “ Toxic Charity” have been purchased by FOCUS. This is “required” reading for the volunteers working in the emergency services office. The books are being passed around so be sure you get a chance to read it. Once all office volunteers have read it, it will be available for other volunteers to check out. It’s a great book and helps us keep on target.

The thrift shop is still stocked with a great selection of winter items. Watch for details about our next bag sale prior to Easter! Afterwards, we’ll restock with spring and summer fashions.

FOCUS is on facebook! Be sure to ‘like’ the FOCUS facebook page to receive regular updates. Once you ‘like’ the page please share it, and ask your friends, family and neighbors to like and share it too!

A Note from Beth & Bill…
(FOCUS sent the Searcey family Christmas Eve dinner from Honey Baked Ham.)

Dear Friends,
Thank you for loving us and caring for us in the manner that Christ would. We are told in scripture to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and you have done that with the excellent Christmas meal you brought for our family. And Linda, thanks for being the delivery lady. May God bless your efforts as you continue to care for the needy.
Love,
Beth & Bill

A Note from Sherrie…
Sherrie Mundy, FOCUS Thrift Shop Manager, would like to thank everyone for their generous support through monetary donations, donations of gently used items and volunteer time. The thrift shop brings in a large majority of the funds we use to operate FOCUS and help people in our community. Using the proceeds from the sale of your gently used donated items, FOCUS was able to make a huge difference in a number of lives in 2011.

Sherrie would like to personally thank all the thrift shop volunteers who empty the donation box, bring in donations, sort, price, re-stock the shop, and run the register. This endeavor takes a huge amount of time and effort on all parts and everyone who participates is greatly appreciated. Having said that, more volunteers are always needed and always welcome! Even if you only have an hour or two per week or per month, you can make a huge difference and we would love to have you join us.

We also ask that you please take a moment to check your clothing, shoes, and household items for stains or damage before you donate them to FOCUS. While we truly appreciate every donation, we prefer to offer items in our thrift shop that may be gently used but are still in good condition. It takes our volunteers a great deal of time to sort and process incoming donations and any items that are unsuitable for re-sale are weeded out. While nothing goes to waste, as anything we cannot use is donated to the Salvation Army, it increases the amount of time our volunteers have to spend checking each item for working zippers, missing buttons, tears, stains, etc., and it’s our goal to put our volunteer’s time and efforts to the best use possible.

Please use the donation box on the side our the FOCUS building with care. We ask that you place all items in bags before they are placed in the donation box. This serves not only to protect the items, but also helps us when we have to empty the box and transport items into our sorting area. If the box is full, please place bagged items on the building’s front porch, as things left outside the box are unprotected and may be damaged by rain. Also, please make sure that the donation window on the box is closed and latched after you place your bags inside. Strong winds can blow the unlatched door open allowing rain to blow inside and damage the donations.

Finally, I’d like to mention that it is unlawful for anyone to remove items from the donation box or the front porch at FOCUS. If you see anyone engaged in such activity please report it.

Announcements…
FOCUS is on facebook! Be sure to ‘like’ the FOCUS facebook page to receive regular updates. Once you ‘like’ the page please share it, and ask your friends, family and neighbors to like and share it too!

In order to strengthen the FOCUS board of directors, the number of board members will be increased to 12 members. Attorney Bruce Thompson, Derek Williams of First Peoples bank, and Hilda Jones of Chattahoochee Hospice were voted in as new board members during the November 10th board meeting. Six additional members will be added by January and the January board meeting has been rescheduled for Jan. 19th at 7pm.

The paving work on the back parking lot has been paid for in full. The Thrift Shop reported record earnings for October. The shop is well-stocked with wonderful fall & winter items so be sure to stop by and take a look! The Bargain Barn will remain closed until further notice. The FOCUS office will be closed December 26-31st and the Thrift Shop will be closed December 24-31st.

FOCUS did receive tornado damage on Nov. 16th and will be getting a new roof soon. When the huge cedar tree outside the FOCUS building fell, 12 volunteers were taking shelter in the building and God was on their side! When the storm was over, 4 out of 5 cars parked in the lot had been totally crushed by the tree. The tree hasn’t been removed yet because all the cars have to be towed first but clean up is pending. When the Thanksgiving food drive ended, Lynda received a call from the school district to say that the old Carver building had been condemned and we couldn’t return to the building.

The Rotary Club of Pine Mountain made a generous and unsolicited donation of $2000 for our Thanksgiving food drive and we are truly grateful. Rotary members also assisted during the food drive by delivering food to Harris County residents who could not pick up the food in person.

This year was the 21st Thanksgiving food distribution and FOCUS helped over 450 families, representing approximately 1000 people. Qualified Harris county residents received a Thanksgiving turkey with holiday trimmings, plus an additional week’s worth of food based on their family size.

Program coordinator John Winsness reminds us that it’s important to note the full scope of the FOCUS Thanksgiving Food Drive. FOCUS purchases Thanksgiving food from the federal food bank. Out of the 700 Thanksgiving turkeys the federal food bank receives, FOCUS buys over 460 turkeys, with the next largest food bank turkey order being around 50 turkeys. FOCUS not only provides a Thanksgiving meal, we also provide enough food to feed the families for a week.

We are also fortunate enough to be supported by community donations. We collect a large quantity of food from Harris County Schools. For example, students at Pine Ridge Elementary in Ellerslie collected 500 plus boxes of Mac & Cheese, while students at Mulberry Grove Elementary collected 500 coats for the FOCUS Thrift Store. Several area churches collect food all year and these contributions add to the distributed food we are able to provide. 2011 marked an increase in financial contributions to help FOCUS purchase food from the food bank. One example of that generous financial support is the Pine Mountain Rotary Club’s donation of $2,000. Other local organizations have provided similar financial support and the most amazing thing is that these donations are totally unsolicited.

In reality, the FOCUS Thanksgiving Food Drive has become “The Citizens of Harris County Thanksgiving Food Drive”, for without community donations and tremendous volunteer support, FOCUS would not have the capability or the manpower required to provide a Thanksgiving food program on this scale. We had an amazing 269 volunteers that actually signed in to work and helped make this event happen. People give more than food and money to this program, they give their time and their labor, real gifts that come from the heart.

John would also like to point out that this year’s food drive story has an extra chapter, centering around the tornado that struck Hamilton on Wednesday, November 16. All roads providing access to the Old Carver Middle School were blocked by downed trees and power lines. Thanks to the efforts of Hamilton Mayor Becky Chambers, Buddy Walker, and Georgia Power, access to the school gym was provided for both Nov. 18 & 19. After the food distribution, all access roads to the school were closed so that Georgia Power could complete necessary repairs.

With over 500 cars needing access to the school and tornado damage blocking 40 percent of available parking, just getting vehicles through the area posed a potential catastrophic situation. Thanks to Impact 360, the Harris County Key Club, and the Harris County High School JROTC, we were able to begin the food distribution half an hour early. The early start allowed us to open parking spaces and the JROTC handled a nightmare traffic jam with amazing precision.

Most importantly, the FOCUS Thanksgiving Food Drive demonstrates the generosity and caring of Harris County citizens. How fortunate we are to live in such a community!

As always, we’d like to express our continued appreciation for Chris & Jenny Jackson, owners of Jenny Jack Sun Farm located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, for the fresh locally grown produce they donate straight from the farm. They also supplied greens and sweet potatoes for the food drive, and the Callaway Vegetable Garden provided greens. www.jennyjackfarm.com The farm is closed for the season but will re-open this spring. We’d also like to thank John & Maria Makin of the Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage in Pine Mountain for donating fresh loves of handmade artesian bread. Rose Cottage Please show your support for these wonderful local businesses that so graciously provide food for those in our community.

In September, we served 114 clients in our office. We distributed 254 bags of food to 73 families, comprised of 169 individuals and 33 families with children.

Previous monthly numbers:
August- 118 clients/297 bags of food/80 families (191 individuals and 30 families with children
July – 86 clients/243 bags of food/64 families (167 individuals and 29 families with children)
June – 86 clients/245 bags of food/64 families (145 individuals and 18 families with children)
May – 94 clients/291 bags of food/78 families (190 individuals and 34 families with children)
April – 63 clients/198 bags of food/50 families (125 individuals and 23 families with children)
March -82 clients/214 bags of food/57 families (201 individuals and 18 families with children)
February -74 clients/190 bags of food/54 families (120 individuals and 19 families with children)
January – 79 clients/244 bags of food/ 66 families (156 individuals and 19 families with children)

As part of our ministry, we often share donated items with other facilities in Harris County where they are most needed. In May we gave an adult potty seat, walker, quilting material and picture frames to the Senior Center. We donated stuffed animals to the nursing homes and book bags and suitcases to the women’s abuse shelter. In June we gave used glasses to an optometrist in Columbus who will clean them up and give them to those in need. We also gave used cell phones to the abused women’s shelter where they’ll be refurbished for the ladies. In August, we donated craft items to the Senior Center, stuffed animals to a nursing home, and book bags and suitcases to an abused women’s shelter. We also donated clothing to new foster parents.

In April, in conjunction with the Board of Education and DFACS, volunteers from FOCUS held a puppet show on Child Abuse prevention titled “It’s All Right to Tell” for all 2nd graders in Harris County schools.

Harris county residents may apply for Thanksgiving food at the FOCUS office from Monday, October 31st through Friday, November 4th from 10am-2pm, and Saturday, November 5th, from 10am-12pm. In order to qualify, applicants must present a Picture ID, and proof of income or a food stamp card. Applicants will then receive a food ticket which must be redeemed when they return to pick up their groceries.

Families will need to pick up their groceries at the Performance Learning Center (in the old Carver Middle School gym) in Hamilton on Saturday, November 19th between 9am-12pm. Applicants that are unable to pick up their food will be able to apply for delivery to their homes.

FOCUS relies on dozens of volunteers to provide labor for this annual event. “We have lots of volunteers every year, but never enough,” said John Winsness, coordinator of this year’s program. There are numerous tasks and errands that need to be completed before the food distribution can begin. FOCUS invites and encourages community members to participate by volunteering.

Volunteers are needed Monday, November 14th and Tuesday, November 15th from 10am-2pm to set up and move food for our Thanksgiving food program. Wednesday, November 16th and Thursday, November 17th volunteers are needed at 9am to inventory and prepare for bagging food. On Friday, November 18th, FOCUS needs volunteers from 9am-12pm to sort the bulk food and package it based on family size. Food will be distributed on Saturday, November 19th and volunteers are needed to arrive between 8am-8:30am to prepare for crowd and parking control, and to help the elderly take food to their cars, and clean up after the event. If you’d like to volunteer please call the FOCUS office at 706-628-9955.

The Thrift Shop is stocked for fall & winter so be sure to stop by and take a look! The Bargain Barn will be closed until further notice.

We’d like to express our continued appreciation for Chris & Jenny Jackson (right), owners of Jenny Jack Sun Farm located in Pine Mountain, Georgia. They generously donate fresh locally grown produce straight from the farm! Visit their website at www.jennyjackfarm.com.

We would also like to thank John & Maria Makin of the Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage in Pine Mountain for donating fresh loves of handmade artesian bread. Visit their website and be sure to stop by to dine at Rose Cottage when your in the area!