Last year CLC cried for help, as donations were continually decreasing and debt was continually accumulating. After going before the City of Deltona’s commission, their rent was reduced from $1,000 to $500 a month for the remaining lease term. Media releases brought in a handful of donations from citizens, agencies and one Orlando church. A week later donations once again ceased, causing the agency to continue to fall behind on their financial obligations. So operational costs were reduced by decreasing its part time staff from 6 to 3, only giving mandatory minimum wage increases and utilizing more volunteers (total of 7,546 volunteers hours were given in 2009). Postage costs were cut by using e-mail, re-arranged donation pick-ups to cut cost on fuel, networking computers for inter-office communication to cut cost of paper and printing and collaboration with Center for Business Excellence to provide one staff person to operate the employment department. In the beginning of 2010, Community Life Center again reduced operating costs by reducing part time staff from 3 to 2, cut their operating hours, and obtained reduction of cost for non-profit phone and internet services through Brighthouse Networks.

To date, the agencies debt to vendors and creditors is approximately $38,000 and is increasing every day. “We have given all we have, done all we can, but cannot continue to operate in the red” states Pastor Phyllis Gregory, founder of the agency. Believing in the mission of stopping hunger and promoting self sufficiency in the community, over the years Pastor Phyllis Gregory and her husband Mark, Senior Pastor of Community Life Worship Center, co-signed for CLC’s loans and creditors to keep the mission operating in Deltona.

The charity, which rents space in Deltona’s first Social Service Building located at 1691 Providence Blvd., Ste 102, Deltona helps families and individuals with emergency assistance of food, offers computers, phones and onsite assistance to search for job openings, offers personal assistance with applications for food stamps, cash assistance and Medicaid along with other free services too numerous to list. Gregory’s philosophy comes from an old saying “Give a man a fish he eats for a day, give him a pole and teach him to fish he eats for a life time”. Community Life Center’s goal is to help people not need help, by giving them encouragement and direction of how to achieve self-sufficiency.

Gregory, still hopes for miracles to happen. “We want the mission to continue, but it will have to be by other means.” She and Executive Director, Charity Vickers have spoken to other local non-profits about taking over Community Life Center and its mission in Deltona. “The non- profit agency would need to assume Community Life Center’s debt, which may be a decision breaker. If all debt was paid in full, it would be easier for another agency to decide to take the reins”

Even if that doesn’t happen and the agency closes, Gregory feels the agency has been a success; hope was given to the hopeless, food was provided to the hungry, lives have been transformed and the agency made a difference in our community with the help of thousands of generous people. For that she will be forever grateful. For more information call 386-218-4920. Donations can be given through PayPal on the agencies website www.clcofdeltona.com, and mailed or brought to 1691 Providence Blvd., Ste 102, Deltona, Florida 32725.

In April, the NALC Bulletin read “Trucking Assistance available from Uncle Bob’s Self Storage”
The article then went on to say Uncle Bob’s Self Storage®, is one of the five largest self-storage companies in the United States, has generously offered to help with trucking needs. The company has in the past been helpful to food banks in its home area of Buffalo, NY and in Florida and now has expanded its offer to all 24 states where it has operations.

“I was excited to hear Uncle Bob’s was going to help so many other non profit organizations to ensure the food donations were moved safely from the post office. The non-profits need to work together. We can accomplish so much more when we share information and resources.” Vickers said.

Hats off to Uncle Bob’s Self Storage… who believes in giving back to the community they serve and to Community Life Center who believes in helping other non-profits achieve their missions

On May 8th, Community Life Center filled the 14’ Uncle Bob Storage Truck as well as their Econoline van with the donations from Deltona’s citizens.

“CLC has never received this much. This is double what is usually collected,” says Pastor Phyllis Gregory, CLC’s Founder. “Thank you to all the citizens of Deltona for your generosity.”

If you are interested in helping sort and box the donations, please contact Charity Vickers at 386-218-4920 or email CVickers@CLCofDeltona.org

To find your local Uncle Bob’s Self Storage visit www.unclebobs.com or call 1-800-242-1715.

Wanted!  Do you have what it takes to claim the title of “Chili Master” from the 2009 champion, The Volusia County Sheriffs’ Office?

Sunday, April 18^th, 2010 from 12:00 noon until 5:00p.m., the City of Deltona and Community Life Center of Deltona will be hosting the 2^nd annual Chili Cook off and battle of the bands with a new twist!  There will be an added category, “Best Salsa” which is sure to offer a variety of tantalizing tastes.  Make one or both!  All proceeds will benefit Community Life Center.

Registration to participate in the event can be completed online at http:///clcofdeltona.com and is open to the public and business.  Registration may be done for nonfood entries as well as chili and salsa competitors.  Attendance in 2009 was estimated at approximately 2,000 patrons.

Public admission of $5.00 per person will allow attendees to taste some of the best chili and salsa available in Central Florida and enjoy fantastic music. 

A few early commitments  received are: Publix Supermarkets, Volusia County Sheriffs’ Office, Deltona Fire Department, Deltona Relay for Life Committee, Choice Properties Century 21 and Metro PCS.

“Chef” Rick Demeter of Riverside Bank will be grilling and selling the best hot dogs in Deltona with Riverside Bank donating those proceeds to Community Life. 

For further information contact MICHAEL KIEPERT, Michael@kiepert.net  or 386-789-1092

Deltona’s CROP Walk and Parade of Food  for hunger is scheduled for Sunday, March 21, 2010 at Deltona Christian Church, 960 E. Normandy Blvd, Deltona. CROP Walks are organized and promoted by Church World Service.  The walk and parade of food (non-perishable foods) will raise awareness of the millions of people in crisis who must look to and for help to meet their daily food needs.

Families and individuals, churches and youth groups are encouraged to participate by collecting money through sponsors.  Registration will begin at 1:30 pm at Deltona Christian Church fellowship hall.  The CROP Walk and parade of cans will begin at 2 p. m.  Walkers will walk 2 miles to the Community Life Center located at  1691 Providence Blvd, where they will receive a tour of the outreach center who will benefit from the event, leave their generous donations of non-perishable foods and return to Deltona Christian Church. (Round trip is 4 miles)  

Those who want to participate but cannot walk that far can choose a 1 mile walk around the church.

A $25 gift certificate from Wal-Mart will be given for the most creative vehicle to carry the non-perishable donations i.e. decorated wagons, strollers, wheel barrels, etc. during the walk.   The gift certificate is sponsored by Community Life Worship Center who meets at the Deltona Christian Church Fellowship Hall.  

For more information and “walker forms” call Pastor J. C. Steele, Deltona Christian Church coordinator of the CROP Walk event,  at (386) 574-2431

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Please join Community Life Center in supporting those who help support us.  10^th Annual RiverFest at Gemini Springs on Saturday March 6, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Community Life Center will be hosting our second annual Chili Cook Off on Sunday, April 18, 2010 from 12:00 P. M. to 5:00 P.M. at the Deltona City Hall Courtyard. In addition to some of the best tasting Chili and salsa found in Volusia County, we will also be hosting our second annual Battle of the Bands featuring some outstanding Christian rock and jazz groups. In our second year, we have added yet another competition category, “Best Salsa”, which is sure to offer a variety of tantalizing taste.

Last year’s event had an estimated attendance in excess of 1,500 people throughout the day with 24 different booths. This year, we are estimating between 50 – 70 different groups and hopefully around 3,000 people throughout the one-day event.

Chili Cook Off 2010 Application Information

For some West Volusia charities, aftershocks from the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti have come in the form of reduced donations.

However, that’s a minor part of the tsunami of stress currently affecting local nonprofit agencies.

Besides the earthquake in one of the poorest nations in the world, there is a rising tide of unemployment and poverty on the homefront.

Volusia County, according to official reports, has an unemployment rate of 12.2 percent, while the national rate is about 9.7 percent.

“Our donations have not increased. It’s not just Haiti,” said Charity Vickers, executive director of Community Life, a faith-based charity in Deltona. “The economy’s just a really bad thing right now. I’m glad people are helping Haiti.”

Vickers said Community Life’s contributions are down 50 percent so far this year, in comparison to the same period for 2009.

“The people that were giving $5, $10 or $20 a month lost their jobs,” Vickers said.

Deltona, with an epidemic of home foreclosures, has more people sliding to the brink of poverty. Community Life has rendered aid to 3 percent, or about 2,500, of Deltona’s 85,000 residents.

Shortages of money and food are affecting charities and families in these weeks after Christmas, when many people are struggling to pay holiday bills.

Adding to the stress is the unusually cold winter of 2010, which has drained dollars from households.

“Our utility bills have increased quite a bit, primarily electric,” Faith at Work Director Dennis Weir said.

Faith at Work is the outreach ministry of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in DeLand.

“The bills are higher this month,” Weir said. “They’re having difficulty paying this month’s bill.”

Susan Clark, executive director of The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, echoed Weir’s comments, and said county government is helping.

“The bills are astronomical,” Clark told The Beacon. “The county has received some stimulus money for what is called the winter crisis. We’re working colIaboratively.”

Faith at Work, The Neighborhood Center and First Assembly-DeLand all said the rush of donations to help Haiti has not significantly reduced their income — at least, not yet.

“We don’t see any effect from the Haiti situation. Everything seems to be typical in terms of donations,” Clark said.

First Assembly maintains a pantry for the needy made possible by a faithful flock of givers. Pastor Mike Modica said the church has had enough to share.

“God has been gracious to us,” he said. “We received a special offering the first Sunday after the Haiti earthquake, and we sent it to Convoy of Hope.”

While donations to support the food pantry are holding up, Modica said the demand for help is clearly rising.

“We have seen an increase. We are giving away 4 tons [of food] per month,” he said. “Beside our own needy from this area, we are seeing more people from the North, and it’s traumatizing our system. People say, ‘Let’s go to Florida, because at least it’s warm down there.’”

Capt. Vilma Rodriguez, of the West Volusia Corps of the Salvation Army, reported a similar rise in the tide of requests for help. She also said donations are beginning to slow, in the wake of the Haiti disaster.

The DeLand unit of the Salvation Army has a shortage of food. Coupled with increasing demand, that means more careful rationing.

“We may give them whatever we have left, but it’s not as much as we used to,” Rodriguez said.

http://www.beacononlinenews.com/news/daily/2425

On January 12^th, 2010, a totally devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked the island of Hispaniola while bringing total destruction to the Sovereign Nation of Haiti.  With a death toll that could reach 200,000, hundreds of thousands homeless, water and food a scarcity, the nations of the world have come to their aid led by the Americans.

Fund raisers are being held, supermarkets collecting at checkout, benefit concerts on local and national levels, churches with special collections.  But are we forgetting something?  Our own people, our neighbors, your neighbor who is in need of assistance and you are not aware of it.

Many American families live from pay check to pay check and the loss of one pay could be devastating, leading to late or nonpayment of a mortgage, utility bill, the foregoing of a desperately needed prescription.

Area nonprofit organizations are the same, only we live from donation to donation to provide for those less fortunate.

I am certain that we are not alone in this situation, and many local nonprofits are sharing the same unfortunate experience.  Since January 12^th, when appeals for assistance to Haiti began, donations to this charity have dropped to almost nothing.  Operational expenses for rent, insurance, communications and fuel are all paid by donations, which have dropped to near zero, our ability to continue operating is, once again, becoming doubtful.  Although we are revamping our website, http://www.clcofdeltona.com ,  the Pay- Pal link was never disrupted, but has not been utilized since January 12^th, and our mailbox brings only bills.

In 2009, Community Life Center of Deltona distributed the equivalent of 141,097 meals to clients in our community, double of what was served in 2008.  In the tax year ended December 31st, 2008, free tax preparation and filing for clients returned in excess of $225,000 in refunds, donations cannot be accepted for this free service.

We have been blessed with many new volunteers through the Disney “Give a Day-Get a Day” program, primarily by helping us distribute and then collect food distribution bags door to door.  We must purchase the bags $1,200.00, to last three months.  Hunger, misfortune, hopeless and homelessness, requests for rent and utility payment assistance, food stamp applicants, job seekers, young families and elderly couples are the daily occurrence at Community Life Center of Deltona.

Please do not neglect our own.  Community Life Center of Deltona would cherish, and needs, your contribution but this appeal is being made on behalf of all local non profits benefitting our community.  Whether it is us or your favorite local charity, please contribute.

Bill Tavernier

Pastor Phyllis Gregory, founder of Community Life Center, received the Second Annual Gus I. Dowels Humanitarian Award from Deltona Dream Keepers on January 16, 2010 during the Martin Luther King Breakfast celebration.

The award was given to her in recognition of the 14 years of service to the citizens of Deltona.  Upon receiving the award Gregory was asked to give a short history of the outreach center.  She stated “It is said great things start from small beginnings and we started small with a couple of loaves of bread donated by Publix Supermarket and a few cans of food donated by a few of my friends to help a couple of families in need in our community.  Two years later my home looked like a warehouse full of food, furniture, and clothing.  Why?  We saw a need and had to do something about it”.  When speaking to Gregory she continued “I still remember the first news article about the work we were doing, it was printed in the Orlando Sentinel in September, 1999 and read “Minister’s cupboard – and her garage – runneth over with goodwill”.  She laughed and smilingly declared “that was an understatement, at that time, the only rooms in our home that didn’t house supplies to help families in need, were my two daughters’ bedrooms and my husband and I’s bedroom.” 

Today the Community Life Center, located in Deltona’s Social Service building, is known as one of Deltona’s premier charities, helping families in crisis regain self sufficiency through a multitude of free services and supported only through the generosity of the citizens, churches, organizations and businesses of the community, the center receives no government assistance.  Gregory who in the last two years has had major health issues has turned the daily operations over to  Executive Director, Charity Vickers, whom she consults with daily.  She still holds a position on the charities’ Board of Directors, helps with raising funds from home and speaks to local organizations and churches about the work she loves – helping families through times of crisis back to a life of self sufficiency and success. 

Gregory shared with this reporter that the agency is struggling to continue to operate because “donations are down, but the number of families the agency serves daily has tripled”. She is asking the community in which she has given the last 14 years of her life to serve, to step up and help local families who have been hit by unemployment and under-employment due to the economy by sending financial donations to the charity.   Pastor Gregory’s final statement before exiting the stage of the Martin Luther King event was “We at Community Life Center believe like John D. Rockefeller…Giving is not a duty, but a privilege.” 

To support this charity, bring or send your tax deductible donations to Community Life Center, 1691 Providence Blvd., Ste 102, Deltona, Florida 32725 or log onto their website at www.clcofdeltona.com and donate through Paypal. To Schedule a Speaking Engagement call 386-218-4920 and ask for Charity or contact Gregory personally at PGregory@clcofdeltona.org

URGENT NOTE: Since the tragedy in Haiti, CLC has not received one check or Paypal contribution.  Community support is the only way CLC survives and going only one week without contributions puts the center in peril.  Please help those who help the community.  Any donation is urgently needed ,appreciated and is tax deductible.

http://www.swvolusia.com/?p=4617