ENRICHING LIVES THE CAFE OF LIFE INC.
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
ENRICHING
LIVES
THE CAFE OF LIFE INC.
SPRING 2021
Marietta Bala, Board Chairwoman: Enriching Lives
Dear Friends,
The past year has been a struggle for many but we have survived, thanks to the goodness and
generosity of people in the community who gave of their time and energy to help those less
fortunate to have their basic needs met. The Café made sure that those who came to the site
had a hot meal and groceries to take home as well as other essential needs as clothing, hygiene
and household products. These things were delivered to poor neighborhoods where people
could not come, as well as to migrant camps and to needy Senior’s homes.
The Café’s mission is more than meeting basic needs. Our goal is to enrich lives and provide
empowerment. Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better life. We want to empower
the community’s poor to lift themselves out of poverty. Poverty is not just poverty of money. We
see poverty of self-esteem, hope, opportunity, and freedom. People trapped in a cycle of despair
often don’t realize their lives can be changed for the better through their own activities. Once
they realize this, it is like a light gets turned on. We can help be the light to their world.
We see these changes through the Women’s support groups where the women can talk about
their problems and support each other in their accomplishments. There is a sense of pride in
learning a new skill in the sewing class and in making something new for their homes. Some
have achieved skills that enable them to have a livelihood. There is a satisfaction in learning
cooking skills that help keep their families healthy. Clients appreciate the help that they get and
like to give back. Some now show leadership in helping with the operations at the site. Others
help with preparing and delivering groceries to migrant camps. Children are enriched in the
music program as they learn a new skill with piano or guitar lessons. Parents are happy with
their children’s opportunity and are proud of their accomplishments. There is pride with getting
through the immigration process to become a US citizen and being able to vote for the first time.
Others have been helped with a health crisis, to find housing or a job.
We want to help people be more than what they think they are. We can do this by removing
obstacles when listening to their needs and by providing opportunities when hearing their
dreams.
This is made possible through the loving service and support of our volunteers and donors.
Thank you for being a part of our mission to help better lives and our community.
“Therefore encourage one another and build up
each other as indeed you are doing”
1Thessalonians 5:11
Gratefully,
Marietta Bala, Chairperson
Board of Directors, Café of Life
®
Partner agency
THANKSGIVING
As with most everything, COVID-19 required us to change the way
we celebrated Thanksgiving – gone was our traditional sit-down
meal. However, carryout from the Park plus delivery of meals to local
neighborhoods worked out very well due to the outstanding support of
volunteers from the Copperleaf community and others. In addition to the
242 traditional Thanksgiving hot meals distributed on Thanksgiving Day, 33
Seniors received a hot meal earlier in the week and 350 frozen turkeys with
side dishes were distributed to families, thanks to Estero United Methodist
Church, DeRomo’s Gourmet Market and Fresh Market.
DON
ONLIANTE
E
OUTPOURING OF GENEROSITY
The generosity of our wonderful community has always been outstanding,
but COVID-19 magnified it. Even more people/communities/organizations
wanted to help the most vulnerable who were, and still are, the hardest hit
with job losses. The result of this generosity for the Café was a surge in
donations of food, hygiene items, paper products, diapers and more, for
which we are very appreciative.
THE HOLIDAYS COVID-19 TESTING
Our holiday events were bigger and better than ever thanks to our MANY & FLU SHOTS
supporting partners. Although COVID-19 would not allow us to have The Café hosted its first ever Flu
our traditional big gift distribution event, this season’s process enabled Vaccination and COVID Testing
the Café to provide “holiday cheer” to even more. Over 2,500 gifts were event with 78 vaccinations and 46
donated and distributed over several days, and not to just children, but tests completed. This was done in
seniors, parents and single adult clients. partnership with the Lee County
Health Department who did a
fabulous job of supporting this event.
PORTRAITS OF SUCCESS – OUR CLIENTS SPEAK ALS BED
Eli came from Mexico 10 years our English, cooking, and sewing A client of the Cafe
ago to pursue the goal of offering classes. After expressing a desire struggling with ALS was
a better life to her family. She is a to become a US citizen the Café in serious need of an
wife, and mother of 5 children. Eli helped with the complex process adjustable bed. Board
had dedicated her time to taking and with preparation for the required member Theresa jumped
care of her children, going to doctor’s test. In March 2020 she acquired her into action and negotiated
appointments, meeting with teachers, US Citizenship, and in Nov. Eli cast a good price with City
helping her kids with schoolwork, her vote for the first time. Mattress and The Bridge
and being a home maker. Her life is Fund helped the Cafe
her family. Her oldest son was born with covering the cost.
with microcephaly. He was 9 years Eliza from our Operations
old when they came to the US and Committee provided
he passed away 7 years later at mattress pad and sheets.
age 15. She had spent most of her What a great team effort!
time taking care of her son and his
immediate needs. Dealing with the
pain of losing a child was hard to
Eli (on the left) with another Café client we assisted
learn to live with.
A few months after Eli’s son passing, Eli’s story is very inspiring, the
the end of year holidays were here. knowledge she is acquiring through
The family was not in the mood to the classes has empowered her;
celebrate anything, so they decided she is now able to help other women
just to take the children to eat at the who are going through rough times,
Café’s Thanksgiving dinner. While
there Eli was invited to attend a
she has become an active outreach
volunteer at the Cafe. Eli is so grateful
THANK YOU
support group sponsored by Café. God placed her at the right time and DONORS AND
Since that day Eli has been attending place on that Thanksgiving Day. VOLUNTEERS
Martina was only fourteen in 2004 week to help keep the cost down on Café donor, for our assistance with
when she arrived to this new country her family’s basic needs. Martina is their first mortgage payment, and for
with not much more than a dream to both a client and a volunteer for if sponsoring their children for swim
start a better life. She immediately you’ve ever seen her at the Park she lessons and summer bible school.
found work as she was expected to is always “giving back” by working. She expressed how proud it makes
help support her mother and family Her Spanish language skills and her feel to “give back” to the Café
who remained in Mexico. At the age familiarity with the other clients of Life which assisted her so much,
of eighteen, Martina married and makes her invaluable to the Café. especially in those early years which
started a family which now consists In 2019, Martina and her husband’s presented many challenges.
of a husband and four children. hard work paid off as they became
Even at the young age of fourteen, first-time homeowners just a block
she had goals to improve her life and from the Café’s feeding site. She
that of her future family here in the is an inspiration to other clients
United States. While working two through all her volunteering, as well
jobs she had the determination to as, the success she is experiencing.
learn English and started attending Martina is also very thankful to the
classes. Martina feels very fortunate
Find us on Facebook Badge RGB / .eps
Café for providing music lessons
to have found the Café for she to her two children, and to have
attends the services 3-4 times a received a piano from a generous
CARINGSHARINGSERVING
P.O. Box 367794
Bonita Springs, FL 34136 Local
P.O. Box 367794 Postal Customer
Bonita Springs, FL 34136 Local
Postal Customer
RESTORATION OF SERVICES Café of Life Contact
The Café’ was able to restore several services in Information
the late fall/early winter which were suspended due
to COVID-19. These include the health and fitness
Café of Life, Inc.
classes, sewing classes, music lessons and shuttle bus
P.O. Box 367794
services. These services provide significant benefits
Bonita Springs, FL 34136
to our clients and the Café thanks the volunteer OFFICE & DROP OFF LOCATION:
instructors and drivers who make them possible. 10540 Childers Street, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
PHONE: 239-495-9325
WEB: cafeoflife.org
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/caringsharingserving
The Café of Life is a faith-based institution, believing in the
teaching of all great religions that one must love and assist one’s
neighbor in times of need. The Café is not affiliated with any
particular religion nor denomination. Our mission is to provide
basic human needs to the very poor and hungry people of Bonita
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL
Springs and surrounding area, in a manner that preserves the
INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION
dignity of the client in a respectful environment.
OF CONSUMBER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE
1-800-HELP-FLA OR ONLINE AT www.FloridaConsumerHelp.
com, REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT,
APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. “
REGISTRATION #: CH25732
You can also read
