I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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- Hi, and thanks
for watching 3ABN Today.
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It was Jesus who
summed up the law by saying,
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"Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, soul,
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and mind," and "love
your neighbor as yourself."
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It was also Jesus
who said, "The poor, you
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have with you
always." Today's guest is an
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example of what it
means to love your neighbor
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out of a heart of loving
God, and they are serving
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the underprivileged,
the underserved, the
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marginalized of the
Dayton, Ohio area. It is our
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privilege to have you
here today as our guest,
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Tom Onjukka, executive
director of Good Neighbor
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House. And Frank
Perez is the board member,
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board chair. And
Karl Haffner, pastor of
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Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Kettering. I
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want to first of all
say that I was introduced
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to your ministry in
2018 by accident, actually.
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We were flying
home from Russia, and we
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were getting ready
to board the plane. John
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Lomacang, pastor of
Thompsonville Seventh-day
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Adventist Church on
staff here at 3ABN- he and his
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wife had missed
their plane, and he was
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supposed to come
and do some roll for the
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Thanksgiving special
we did in 2018 on Good
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Neighbor House and
some other ministries. I was
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standing in line
with our general manager,
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Jill Morikone. She was
talking to vice president,
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her husband, Greg
Morikone. So, anyway,
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all these names are
insignificant except
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for the fact that
I volunteered to do
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something that I
thought was going to the airport
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to pick up John, and
Angie, his wife, from
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missing their plane.
Well, it turns out that
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Jill was talking about
this interview that was
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taking place at
Good Neighbor House in
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Dayton, Ohio. I knew
nothing about you all,
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but I volunteered
immediately, and come
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to find out, I
was going to leave the
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plane from when we
landed in St. Louis
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and drive straight to
Dayton. So, I was kind
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of- I threw myself
into the situation without
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knowing what was going
on, but I believe it was
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God who ordained
that, because... Right?
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Providential;
totally, because it was really
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a life-changing experience
for me to experience what
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Good Neighbor House
does, what it is, and
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to be involved in
that. So, we'll watch some of
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that roll that I
did later. But for now,
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Tom, tell me: what
is Good Neighbor House?
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- Yeah, Tim. And I
had a lot of fun when you
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came there; it was
a very enjoyable time
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to do that. Good
Neighbor House is a non-profit,
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charitable organization
that's meant to serve
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the needs of our
local community. Some people
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have called it like
a one-stop shopping. We
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actually have
healthcare services and we also
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have human services.
We have medical, dental,
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eye clinic; we have
special dietary needs
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pantry that serves
people who have some medical
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conditions, and we
provide food for their needs. We
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also have
wellness classes; we have a
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thrift store and a
choice food pantry. So, it's
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really one-stop
shopping. It's a very unique
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situation to have
in that community. - So
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this is different
from a rescue mission. This
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is not a rescue
mission in that you don't house
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people overnight, homeless
people; this is a service
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to the community, and
there is a cost for some
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of these items but
it's based on the income...
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- Yeah. It's on a
sliding fee scale. For
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example, for dental
services, it's based
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on the poverty guidelines
by the federal government,
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and they get up to a
50% discount of already
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decreased fees. We try
to keep the fees as low
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as possible. - So, Dayton,
Ohio, for those who aren't
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savvy geographically,
is where in the state
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as far as the...? -
Well, it's obviously in Dayton,
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but it's on the crossroads
of interstate 70... Is
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that right? 70? And 75.
- Okay. And this is north
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of Cincinnati? -
North of Cincinnati, about
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45 minutes. - West
of Columbus, east of
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Indianapolis. So,
as far as poverty goes,
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what are we
talking about- the rate of
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poverty in that
area? Are you familiar with
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the statistics? -
Well, I don't actually have
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the statistics for
the rate of poverty, but
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one of the
statistics that we're not happy
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about- in 2016,
Dayton was the hungriest city
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in the nation. - Wow.
- And that really is a
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statistic that we shouldn't
be proud of. We've actually
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changed that. It's
actually gone up. With
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the work of a lot
of people and community
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coming together,
we've already made impact. I
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mean, they've been
doing it for years, but that's
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something that they
were specifically looking
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at, trying to change
with many of the other
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pantries in the
community. - Awesome. Wonderful,
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wonderful. Okay,
well let's talk then about
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how did this all
start. And for that, I'd like
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to go to board
chair, Frank Perez, to give
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me some history on
Good Neighbor House.
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- Certainly. Good
Neighbor House was
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conceived in the
minds of the pastors of the
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local churches in
the Dayton area in 1993.
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It was at that time
that Dorcas Services
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were provided at each
of the churches in our
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community, mostly
suburban Dayton area.
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But the concept
evolved of why don't we have a
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community Health & Human
Services center that does
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urban ministry to the
inner city? That's how
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it was conceived. It
was the pulling of all
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of the churches-Dorcas
Ministries-bringing
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them into a site downtown in the
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urban setting to
meet the needs of urban
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ministry that it
was much harder to do
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from a suburban setting
where most of our churches
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are located. So, that
was the start. That was
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the initial
thought: how do we engage in
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urban ministry that
is even outside of our
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immediate town where
we are but bring it into
00:08:05.81\00:08:11.15
the inner city and
the community for the
00:08:11.22\00:08:14.72
working poor? That
was the mission- how do we
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help those that
want to improve their
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situation in all
of these elements of
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Health & Human Service? -
Right. So, now, basically,
00:08:29.67\00:08:34.04
taking the service outside
of the church, beyond the
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walls of the
church, because Dorcas, as
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you mentioned, is the
ministry. Now, is there
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still Dorcas Ministry
involved in many churches,
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or is that
obsolete? You might be able to
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answer that, Karl. Is
that still a thing? - Well,
00:08:52.83\00:08:58.73
the churches in the
Greater Dayton area,
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are all in on the
Good Neighbor House, though
00:09:01.44\00:09:04.24
it is very much a
synergistic working
00:09:04.31\00:09:07.54
together, very intergenerational
and involves, really, the
00:09:07.61\00:09:12.31
support and
manpower, the help of all the
00:09:12.41\00:09:16.22
churches of the
network. We have 9 hospitals in
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the Greater Miami
Valley there, so the Kettering
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Health Network is very
invested. Our Kettering
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College, our local
Spring Valley Academy
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school... We're
all supporting the Good
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Neighbor House, so
this would be kind of our
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Dorcas Ministry on
steroids, exponentially.
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- Right. And so, I guess
that's what I was getting
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to- the fact that, for
the opportunity for the
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church to, again,
go outside of its walls
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as a ministry
inside the church to serve
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as a springboard to be
part of a broader citywide
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ministry... Go ahead,
Frank. - However, there
00:10:00.03\00:10:03.87
are projects that
our churches get involved
00:10:03.93\00:10:07.20
with - both in our
community outside of
00:10:07.27\00:10:10.97
the Good Neighbor
House or international.
00:10:11.07\00:10:13.54
So, there is water
projects; there are
00:10:13.61\00:10:16.58
mission trips.
There are things over and
00:10:16.64\00:10:19.75
above our own ministry
which we are so thankful
00:10:19.85\00:10:23.42
that they support that
they are involved with.
00:10:23.49\00:10:26.19
So, the fact that
this urban ministry was
00:10:26.25\00:10:32.39
concentrated in a site
did not stop the members
00:10:32.46\00:10:37.37
from continuing to
meet needs in their own
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communities, projecting
out to meet those needs.
00:10:41.64\00:10:46.71
- Absolutely. You
made reference to, before
00:10:46.78\00:10:49.84
we began this
interview, to an experience that
00:10:49.94\00:10:53.21
you experienced after
you came to the United
00:10:53.31\00:10:56.89
States, having been
a refugee, yourself,
00:10:56.95\00:11:00.99
where Dorcas was a part
of that until... Remind me
00:11:01.06\00:11:08.26
again of that. - Well,
I came to this country as
00:11:08.33\00:11:12.47
a Cuban refugee-1962.
A little history: August
00:11:12.57\00:11:18.04
of '62, October of '62
was the missile crisis,
00:11:18.14\00:11:22.14
so I came out of
Cuba with my mother and
00:11:22.21\00:11:26.31
sister that had
come before me and came
00:11:26.38\00:11:30.79
to Takoma Park,
because that's where my aunt,
00:11:30.89\00:11:33.49
uncle, that had
claimed us out of Cuba, lived.
00:11:33.62\00:11:38.43
The local pastor took
me to a Dorcas center there
00:11:39.89\00:11:45.90
on Flower and
Carol Avenues, and that's
00:11:46.00\00:11:51.17
how I survived my
first winter! I still clearly
00:11:51.27\00:11:57.15
remember the wool coat
that I got- first one ever
00:11:57.28\00:12:02.62
in my life, because in
my country, I never needed
00:12:02.68\00:12:04.75
it...but it helped
me survive. So, my heart
00:12:04.85\00:12:08.82
identifies with the
work that Dorcas was
00:12:08.89\00:12:13.60
doing in every one
of the churches, and now
00:12:13.70\00:12:16.03
in this enhanced
service to the inner city. - So,
00:12:16.13\00:12:21.17
you experienced
what Good Neighbor House
00:12:21.27\00:12:24.47
does back then. - Firsthand.
- But before it was even Good
00:12:24.57\00:12:27.74
Neighbor House. And then
how did you become involved
00:12:27.81\00:12:30.11
with Good Neighbor
House? - Well, I came to Dayton
00:12:30.18\00:12:35.02
in 1994 to assume
the responsibility of CEO
00:12:35.08\00:12:40.66
of Kettering
Medical Center-two hospitals
00:12:40.76\00:12:43.56
at that time. As the
movement, the thought
00:12:43.63\00:12:49.10
of this Good
Neighbor House was evolving,
00:12:49.16\00:12:53.30
Pastor and elders showed
up in my office and said,
00:12:53.40\00:12:59.31
"This is what we
want to do." We said we
00:12:59.37\00:13:03.61
would support it.
We wanted to understand
00:13:03.71\00:13:05.91
what the greatest need
in the medical area was,
00:13:06.01\00:13:11.35
and it turned out
that, through a survey, we
00:13:11.45\00:13:15.79
found out that
dental care was the greatest
00:13:15.86\00:13:18.76
need-that that population
had no access to. So, we
00:13:18.83\00:13:25.10
encouraged and supported
having dental be an integral
00:13:25.23\00:13:30.57
part of that community
service. And today, it's
00:13:30.64\00:13:36.18
the largest of all the
services that we provide.
00:13:36.24\00:13:38.95
There are some wonderful,
wonderful stories of lives
00:13:39.95\00:13:44.12
changed- and Tom is
better suited to speak
00:13:44.22\00:13:49.32
about that. The young
man that was dropping out of
00:13:49.39\00:13:52.46
school because his
teeth were so bad that he was
00:13:52.56\00:13:57.67
being bullied at
school, and he just was 13 years
00:13:57.73\00:14:02.80
old...a young
teenager, and he was bullied,
00:14:02.90\00:14:07.01
and our dentist took
him. The work was so extensive
00:14:07.08\00:14:14.88
it had to be in an
OR, operating room, under
00:14:14.98\00:14:18.99
anesthesia. Kettering
Medical Center provided
00:14:19.05\00:14:22.36
that for our
dentist, and it was completely
00:14:22.46\00:14:26.13
redone and replaced.
This child AND mother
00:14:26.19\00:14:29.40
were in tears once that
work was completed. That's
00:14:29.46\00:14:33.80
just a life changed
dramatically from this
00:14:33.87\00:14:39.11
ministry. - Tom, speak
to that. Speak to the- what
00:14:39.17\00:14:43.28
the dentist does, how
does that work? - Well,
00:14:43.35\00:14:46.41
dental has... There
are quite a few different
00:14:46.51\00:14:48.62
things that we do that
really impact the community.
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.99
I personally have
had opportunities where
00:14:51.09\00:14:53.46
people's teeth,
just because of, maybe,
00:14:53.52\00:14:56.19
drug use and
addiction to drugs and they've
00:14:56.26\00:14:58.53
had rehab, but their
teeth are just totally
00:14:58.56\00:15:00.86
gone, so we have to
extract the remaining
00:15:00.96\00:15:04.50
pieces of teeth that
are left, and we work
00:15:04.57\00:15:07.94
and get them full
dentures. It never
00:15:08.00\00:15:11.07
changes; it's when you
get the dentures in their
00:15:11.17\00:15:13.81
mouth and you give them
a mirror and they look at
00:15:13.88\00:15:16.58
it, you can see their
whole face is just beaming
00:15:16.64\00:15:19.45
and their eyes get misty
and my eyes start to kind
00:15:19.51\00:15:21.95
of melt, too. It's
just to see that change and
00:15:22.02\00:15:26.19
to see that hope that,
hey, there is something
00:15:26.25\00:15:29.26
better in the
future for them. - We are
00:15:29.32\00:15:31.99
the only service that
provides denture services
00:15:32.09\00:15:36.56
for that
population. Even other centers
00:15:36.67\00:15:39.83
refer to us,
because no other center has
00:15:40.70\00:15:45.07
tackled that
intensity of care. So, it's just
00:15:45.14\00:15:48.64
remarkable. - Based
on the personnel that you
00:15:48.74\00:15:51.71
have that can handle
that kind of a situation-
00:15:51.81\00:15:53.82
the dentist. -
Yeah, and the support from
00:15:53.88\00:15:56.38
the community. -
Okay, the financial support.
00:15:56.45\00:15:59.12
So, you rely... Tell us
a little bit about funding
00:15:59.19\00:16:03.12
for Good Neighbor
House. - Well, it comes from a
00:16:03.16\00:16:06.80
variety of different places.
Funding comes from private
00:16:06.86\00:16:09.86
donors (that's a significant
part), and then we also have
00:16:09.93\00:16:14.04
grants that we get. Just
recently, we had a large-
00:16:14.14\00:16:18.81
it's among the top 5
privately held companies
00:16:18.87\00:16:23.51
in the nation that
they came to- there are some
00:16:23.58\00:16:28.65
facilities in our
area, and the person who is
00:16:28.68\00:16:31.35
over those
facilities in our area came to
00:16:31.42\00:16:33.36
and talked with the
CEO of Good Neighbor House
00:16:33.46\00:16:36.32
and said, "Hey, we
want to do something with
00:16:36.39\00:16:37.89
Good Neighbor House."
They said, "We're going
00:16:37.96\00:16:39.66
to put on a
Christmas dinner for the people
00:16:39.73\00:16:43.33
in Dayton community."
They want to start off
00:16:43.40\00:16:46.27
this year; they were
aiming at 600, and they
00:16:46.37\00:16:48.90
want to get to a
several thousand and they wanted
00:16:48.94\00:16:51.44
to have Good Neighbor
House to be their charitable
00:16:51.51\00:16:54.51
organization that
is their forefront that
00:16:54.61\00:16:57.05
they're supporting as
a way of giving back to
00:16:57.15\00:16:58.78
the community. They
gave a substantial donation
00:16:58.81\00:17:02.98
to Good Neighbor
House. They said, "We want to
00:17:03.05\00:17:05.55
continue this for years
to come." So, that's one
00:17:05.62\00:17:08.32
way we get support. And
of course, Kettering Health
00:17:08.39\00:17:11.86
Network is a big supporter
of what we do. Then, we
00:17:11.93\00:17:17.53
also have golf
outings and different events
00:17:17.60\00:17:21.54
that raise funds.
And we also do get some
00:17:21.67\00:17:24.21
funding from the
Medicaid plans when we do dental
00:17:24.31\00:17:27.74
care, but that's just a
small part of providing.
00:17:27.88\00:17:30.48
It helps provide for the
cost of all the other things
00:17:30.55\00:17:33.35
that we do. - So,
is your dentist paid?
00:17:33.42\00:17:36.92
Bottom-line, I mean,
do you have staff that...?
00:17:36.99\00:17:40.02
- Yes. When they
started, it was just one or two
00:17:40.09\00:17:43.06
days a week, half a
day. And with the need
00:17:43.12\00:17:46.29
that they had, we
had to have some way of
00:17:46.39\00:17:48.23
consistently
providing dental care. So then,
00:17:48.30\00:17:51.10
they took on some contract
dentists and they come on
00:17:51.17\00:17:54.10
a regular basis to provide
that care. So, there is a
00:17:54.17\00:17:57.54
cost involved with
that. - And so that's where
00:17:57.64\00:18:00.01
you base your fee for
the people who need the
00:18:00.11\00:18:04.05
service- you base it
on their income, because
00:18:04.11\00:18:06.65
there is a cost. And
I think they appreciate
00:18:06.72\00:18:10.05
it more, maybe? I
don't want to be... - It's
00:18:10.12\00:18:12.92
an enabler. - Yeah,
absolutely. So, Karl,
00:18:12.95\00:18:16.86
I want to talk to you
just briefly. Each one
00:18:16.96\00:18:20.10
of these points can
be just an interview in
00:18:20.20\00:18:22.80
itself, so thank you
all for being here. But, you
00:18:22.90\00:18:25.13
know, there's a lot
in the church regarding
00:18:25.27\00:18:28.54
social justice. We
have the story in Luke, I
00:18:28.60\00:18:35.28
think it was, where
Jesus broke the bread,
00:18:35.38\00:18:37.78
fed the multitude, and
made that miracle happen,
00:18:37.85\00:18:41.52
and the next day,
the people came back and
00:18:41.62\00:18:43.59
wanted food again, and
that's whenever He told
00:18:43.69\00:18:47.32
them, "You come because
of wanting bread, but I am
00:18:47.39\00:18:51.36
the Bread of life."
So, it's our responsibility
00:18:51.43\00:18:55.10
to teach grace but
to also break the bread
00:18:55.16\00:19:04.54
and make it
happen- just speak to me, I
00:19:04.61\00:19:07.74
guess, basically on
that tricky balance of social
00:19:07.78\00:19:11.85
justice. - I like
your phrase, "It's our
00:19:11.91\00:19:13.38
responsibility to be,"
and we have really been
00:19:13.45\00:19:17.52
careful about our
language around our
00:19:17.59\00:19:19.22
local church. The whole
emphasis has to do with,
00:19:19.29\00:19:23.96
what is the church? We're
trying all to embrace this
00:19:24.06\00:19:28.83
idea that church is
not the building; it's
00:19:28.90\00:19:32.47
not a service that we
do on Saturday morning;
00:19:32.53\00:19:35.14
it's not a place...it's
you and it's me. It's
00:19:35.20\00:19:39.97
all of us. It's
there in Dayton. And so,
00:19:40.08\00:19:45.95
it's this balance
between doing. Yes, we are the
00:19:46.01\00:19:50.85
light wherever we go.
We are salt wherever we go,
00:19:50.99\00:19:54.19
and that's the church.
So, doing and being the
00:19:54.29\00:19:58.93
church... To one of my
favorite stories out of the
00:19:59.03\00:20:02.60
Good Neighbor House
is the woman who came
00:20:02.73\00:20:04.90
through and she made
the observation, "You
00:20:04.97\00:20:06.84
know, in Dayton, it's a
lot easier to get heroin
00:20:06.94\00:20:09.90
than hope." - Mm! -
Oh, wow. - And that just
00:20:10.01\00:20:13.34
struck me that,
really, that's what all of us
00:20:13.41\00:20:17.85
see ourselves- we see
ourselves as hope peddlers,
00:20:17.91\00:20:23.08
that we are providing
hope for teenagers who
00:20:23.15\00:20:29.99
get bullied at school
or for drug addicts that
00:20:30.06\00:20:34.00
need to get back on
their feet again and
00:20:34.06\00:20:38.27
get in the right
direction. So, you know, that's
00:20:38.33\00:20:40.64
what we see ourselves
doing- as peddling hope
00:20:40.74\00:20:43.61
and light in a
really dark world. - Sure.
00:20:43.71\00:20:48.64
So in other words,
volunteering as church
00:20:48.71\00:20:55.02
members, as getting
into the community... Tom,
00:20:55.12\00:20:58.92
speak about the role
that volunteerism plays.
00:20:59.05\00:21:02.86
- A volunteer role is
very big in Good Neighbor
00:21:04.69\00:21:07.03
House. That's how
we work. We have a core
00:21:07.10\00:21:10.37
staff that's paid; but
in large, most of the work
00:21:10.43\00:21:15.14
that's done is done
by volunteers. We need
00:21:15.20\00:21:16.97
up to 70, 80
volunteers a week to fill in all
00:21:17.04\00:21:21.24
the positions and
the tasks that are there.
00:21:21.31\00:21:23.48
The volunteers
are... When they work there,
00:21:24.45\00:21:28.25
you can just see
the caring attitude that
00:21:28.28\00:21:30.95
they have. There's a
story that I'm reminded
00:21:31.02\00:21:33.09
of. There's a lady
that had lost food stamps,
00:21:33.12\00:21:36.86
and she had two children.
It wasn't by her fault;
00:21:36.93\00:21:40.36
it was some glitch
in the system. She was
00:21:40.46\00:21:43.37
at the county commissioners
office yelling and throwing
00:21:43.43\00:21:46.63
things off the desk
and mad as anything. Then,
00:21:46.74\00:21:49.40
one of the board members
who was from the commissioner's
00:21:49.50\00:21:51.87
office gave me a call,
and we were closed already
00:21:51.94\00:21:54.54
for the day. He
said, "Could you see this
00:21:54.64\00:21:56.34
person?" I was kind of
like, "Oh, she's yelling
00:21:56.41\00:21:58.55
and mad..." So he
came with her and brought
00:21:58.61\00:22:01.38
her there, and she was
still angry and she was
00:22:01.45\00:22:03.95
recording
everything that he was saying.
00:22:04.02\00:22:05.85
One of the volunteers
said, "Ma'am, I can take
00:22:05.95\00:22:08.42
you back," and I thought
I better go back with her,
00:22:08.49\00:22:12.06
because I thought, "You
know, she may be a little
00:22:12.13\00:22:13.83
angry and stuff." As she was
back there, the volunteer was
00:22:13.90\00:22:16.90
just saying, "Hey,
would this be good for you?
00:22:16.97\00:22:19.23
Would you like
this?" and she kept putting
00:22:19.33\00:22:20.67
food in her basket.
I watched this lady's-
00:22:20.74\00:22:23.27
the anger on her
face, she was just kind of
00:22:23.34\00:22:25.87
standing there and
it started to melt away.
00:22:25.97\00:22:27.74
All of a sudden, she
just stopped and started
00:22:27.84\00:22:30.28
sobbing. This volunteer,
all she did- she didn't
00:22:30.38\00:22:34.52
say anything. She just
took her arm and pulled
00:22:34.58\00:22:36.48
her close and said,
"It's going to be okay."
00:22:36.58\00:22:39.25
It's going to be
okay. Giving hope and the
00:22:39.35\00:22:42.76
compassion that
Christ in us allows us to do
00:22:42.86\00:22:47.80
that and to see that
in action, even though we
00:22:47.93\00:22:51.93
have many days-sometimes,
there's challenges and
00:22:52.00\00:22:53.74
so forth-but there
are those times that you
00:22:53.80\00:22:55.90
touch a person and it
makes a big difference.
00:22:55.97\00:22:59.01
- So how long have you
been executive director?
00:22:59.07\00:23:01.34
- I came there in
July 2016. - Okay. So, this
00:23:01.41\00:23:05.31
is being recorded in
2019, and that's three years;
00:23:05.35\00:23:10.72
but in public
service, as all of you know,
00:23:10.79\00:23:14.96
those can be like dog
years. They can be like,
00:23:15.06\00:23:18.36
7 years for every
actual year, because that can
00:23:18.43\00:23:21.76
get to you. But to
watch you as you tell
00:23:21.86\00:23:24.77
the story and to see
your eyes glisten over,
00:23:24.87\00:23:28.44
this is fresh to
you. And one of the things
00:23:28.50\00:23:33.81
I would like to ask a
lot of people that serve
00:23:33.88\00:23:37.31
in the ministry...how
do you keep it fresh? How
00:23:37.41\00:23:40.85
do you keep your
heart... You see a lot of abuse,
00:23:40.95\00:23:44.65
I'm sure, of the
system. Any of you are free to
00:23:44.69\00:23:49.92
speak on how you keep
that fire lit, that this
00:23:49.99\00:23:54.30
is, every day, you go
in and know that you're
00:23:54.40\00:23:56.00
going to deal with
people like this- I'm not saying
00:23:56.06\00:23:58.77
"people like this"
in an ugly way; I'm just
00:23:58.87\00:24:00.90
saying the needy.
So, just tell me how you
00:24:00.97\00:24:04.84
keep your heart pure
to it. - When you see
00:24:04.94\00:24:08.48
the change that takes
place in people's hearts
00:24:08.58\00:24:14.05
and lives, when you
see the gratitude that they
00:24:14.15\00:24:18.05
express which you hear so
little of today... Everyone
00:24:18.12\00:24:23.43
thinks that these individuals
are just taken advantage
00:24:23.56\00:24:28.33
of. - Yeah. - They're
just trying to get ahead
00:24:28.40\00:24:31.73
just like I did in
1962. The clothing that was
00:24:31.83\00:24:40.24
given to me just made
a huge difference. I see
00:24:40.31\00:24:44.91
that replicated time
and time and time again in
00:24:44.98\00:24:51.55
the work that the Good
Neighbor House does. One
00:24:51.62\00:24:54.96
of the ministries
that we have is parking
00:24:55.02\00:24:58.23
ministry. Our facility,
as you know, has plenty
00:24:58.33\00:25:04.23
of parking available-
over 100 parking spaces-
00:25:04.30\00:25:08.90
and there is a
Single-A baseball team a block
00:25:09.00\00:25:15.64
away. Well, they
play 71 games in town. If
00:25:15.71\00:25:23.22
they don't make it into
the playoffs... - Right.
00:25:23.28\00:25:26.65
- This is their
20th year and they have
00:25:26.72\00:25:28.59
not made it? times. -
That's another subject.
00:25:28.66\00:25:30.86
- But, but-!
Volunteer men, or women... The
00:25:30.93\00:25:39.33
parking is $5 per-
we raised about $35,000
00:25:40.44\00:25:46.64
in a season to
support the ministry. And time
00:25:47.84\00:25:52.71
and time again,
people bypass other parking
00:25:52.81\00:25:59.32
stations to come
and park for us and make
00:25:59.42\00:26:04.76
their donation,
because they believe we gave
00:26:04.86\00:26:08.66
them a flier per car.
Well, that flier is like
00:26:08.76\00:26:12.43
a testimonial of a
ministry that God has
00:26:12.50\00:26:15.54
commanded us to do.
35,000 fliers to 35,000 cars
00:26:15.64\00:26:23.35
every season for
$35,000. Is that a deal or not?
00:26:24.05\00:26:29.08
[laughter] - That's
wonderful! It's just,
00:26:29.18\00:26:31.22
what an exciting way
to see that there are so
00:26:31.32\00:26:33.86
many ways to serve
the Lord, and to serve the
00:26:33.96\00:26:37.63
community in this
case, when you just kind of
00:26:37.69\00:26:40.36
get out of your own
little box and let God kind of
00:26:40.46\00:26:44.00
really work on your mind
and say, "Well, what about
00:26:44.07\00:26:46.97
this? What about
this?" - We had parkers that
00:26:47.04\00:26:49.10
come and say, "I was
homeless, but you guys
00:26:49.17\00:26:52.71
turned me around!" He
was driving his car, he
00:26:52.77\00:26:56.34
had a job, and he
pulled his $5 and then gave
00:26:56.44\00:26:59.58
ANOTHER $5. So,
yeah. We see lives changed,
00:26:59.61\00:27:04.49
and that's to the
glory of God. - Amen. - One
00:27:05.35\00:27:08.02
thing I love about the
parking is to see Frank
00:27:08.09\00:27:10.46
and his grandkids out
there. It's very, again,
00:27:10.53\00:27:14.00
intergenerational; it
just gives an opportunity
00:27:14.13\00:27:16.33
for all ages to help
and serve. - So, Tom,
00:27:16.43\00:27:21.14
speak about the
children that come through Good
00:27:21.20\00:27:26.11
Neighbor House...
Parents bring their children in
00:27:26.17\00:27:29.11
because of the lack of
medical insurance. What
00:27:29.14\00:27:32.61
role is that? - Well,
what we've noticed is,
00:27:32.71\00:27:36.62
because Dayton is a
center for drug epidemic
00:27:36.72\00:27:39.99
and it was on one
of the TV programs some
00:27:40.06\00:27:42.32
months ago; but
we're seeing grandparents
00:27:42.36\00:27:45.79
who should be retired
and being able to support
00:27:45.83\00:27:50.87
themselves. Now, they're
having to take on grandchildren
00:27:50.93\00:27:53.57
because their
parents are no longer in the
00:27:53.67\00:27:55.10
picture, and we're
seeing them coming with their
00:27:55.14\00:27:57.97
grandparents. Some of
them come on a routine
00:27:58.04\00:28:01.48
basis and they've become
almost part of the family,
00:28:01.54\00:28:03.71
because they have
nowhere else to go. So, that's
00:28:03.75\00:28:06.15
where they come and
they take their classes
00:28:06.21\00:28:08.78
on nutrition and cooking
and exercise and so forth.
00:28:08.88\00:28:13.05
Then sometimes, the
children are there besides
00:28:13.12\00:28:14.59
them, sleeping, and
sometimes they listen.
00:28:14.69\00:28:16.52
But we try to have
something for everyone.
00:28:16.62\00:28:19.89
- Right, right. So,
specifically, giving
00:28:19.96\00:28:22.20
some of those classes
some of the topics for...
00:28:22.30\00:28:25.23
- Well, there's nutrition,
we have Bible classes,
00:28:25.30\00:28:28.70
we have exercise classes;
we even have art classes,
00:28:28.77\00:28:31.24
because we don't want
to just say, "HEY, you
00:28:31.34\00:28:32.97
gotta learn to eat
well," but there's something
00:28:33.04\00:28:34.71
that they can do
to just kind of have a
00:28:34.78\00:28:37.38
broader base for them
to learn and just to have
00:28:37.48\00:28:39.91
a time... And during
that art class, one of
00:28:40.08\00:28:43.25
the staff is
actually- she's been a counselor
00:28:43.28\00:28:45.35
for 40 years, and she
uses that time for them
00:28:45.42\00:28:48.29
to just be talking
with them. But that made
00:28:48.36\00:28:51.86
me think of
another thing that we do in
00:28:51.89\00:28:53.53
the dental department.
There's a dentist that
00:28:53.60\00:28:55.23
comes there twice
a month and he does
00:28:55.30\00:28:57.87
tongue-tied babies.
He's one of the few in the
00:28:57.93\00:29:00.74
whole state that does
this procedure, and they
00:29:00.80\00:29:03.61
just do a small
laser procedure. And here
00:29:03.64\00:29:05.94
are parents that
have a few-week-old child
00:29:06.01\00:29:08.64
that is having difficulty
nursing, and the mother
00:29:08.71\00:29:10.98
is going through the
guilt of saying, "Maybe
00:29:11.01\00:29:12.95
it's me; I can't do
this right," and they get
00:29:13.01\00:29:15.38
this procedure. And within
that minute, after they get
00:29:15.42\00:29:18.65
it done, they bring
the mother to a room and
00:29:18.72\00:29:20.56
she nurses and the
baby latches on, and you can
00:29:20.62\00:29:23.46
see the change in
the eyes of the mother.
00:29:23.53\00:29:25.39
It's like, "Wow!"
This is amazing. They have
00:29:25.49\00:29:28.50
people from 3, 4
hours away, driving to come
00:29:28.60\00:29:30.80
for that
procedure. - Wow. You know, I
00:29:30.83\00:29:32.70
remember that procedure.
Actually, we were blessed-
00:29:32.73\00:29:34.94
the dentist that
does that procedure was
00:29:35.04\00:29:36.94
there when we were
taking the roll. In fact...
00:29:37.01\00:29:39.01
- I think he's on the
roll. - He is on the roll!
00:29:39.07\00:29:40.98
So, I would like for
us to just go to that.
00:29:41.08\00:29:43.75
This is a rather
lengthy roll of what we did last
00:29:43.85\00:29:46.88
Thanksgiving, but you'll
really get an idea of what
00:29:46.95\00:29:50.09
Good Neighbor House is
about through this. Enjoy
00:29:50.15\00:29:52.32
this, and we'll be right back.
00:29:52.35\00:29:54.12
- As the fourth
largest metropolitan area in
00:30:10.84\00:30:12.81
the state of Ohio with
an estimated population
00:30:12.91\00:30:15.04
of one million,
Dayton, Ohio has long been
00:30:15.11\00:30:17.91
associated with aviation,
Orville and Wilbur Wright
00:30:17.98\00:30:21.35
having constructed
and demonstrated the first
00:30:21.42\00:30:23.42
powered flight. But in
the heart of the city for the
00:30:23.52\00:30:28.76
past 25 years, a group
of dedicated volunteers
00:30:28.82\00:30:31.56
has committed their
time, energy, and compassion
00:30:31.59\00:30:34.20
to serving the needs
of the underserved in the
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.63
community. This is
the story of Good Neighbor
00:30:36.70\00:30:39.80
House.
00:30:39.90\00:30:41.27
- Getting involved in
Good Neighbor House is part
00:30:45.37\00:30:48.11
of my ministry at
the Kettering Adventist
00:30:48.21\00:30:50.55
Church, right, as pastor.
The first... And we called
00:30:50.61\00:30:55.05
it community services;
we didn't call it Dorcas.
00:30:55.12\00:30:57.32
We called it
community services, and it was a
00:30:57.39\00:30:58.72
little brown house
that the hospital kindly let
00:30:58.75\00:31:00.96
us use. It was treacherous,
because the hallway and
00:31:01.06\00:31:04.39
the stairway up to the
third level was so narrow,
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.56
and hauling stuff
there was a challenge. They
00:31:07.63\00:31:09.96
gave us, also, the
garages right on that
00:31:10.03\00:31:11.63
property. We had a
van that we went around to
00:31:11.70\00:31:15.47
the community, and we
would pick up and deliver
00:31:15.57\00:31:17.91
furniture. I remember
going all over Dayton,
00:31:17.97\00:31:20.98
picking up beds
and settees and chairs
00:31:21.04\00:31:23.81
and bringing them
there. They work on them and
00:31:23.91\00:31:26.38
then taking them
out and delivering them.
00:31:26.48\00:31:27.82
We were the only community
service entity that was doing
00:31:27.85\00:31:30.35
that. We realized that
we'd outgrown the little
00:31:30.42\00:31:33.49
brown house. - After
18 years, the faith-based
00:31:33.59\00:31:37.26
non-profit relocated
to their current 12,000
00:31:37.33\00:31:40.36
square foot state-of-
the-art facility where
00:31:40.43\00:31:42.76
volunteers continue
to provide the neighborly
00:31:42.83\00:31:44.93
care that Good
Neighbor House has been known
00:31:45.00\00:31:46.94
for. - Good
Neighbor House has been here
00:31:47.04\00:31:49.10
for I don't know how many
years. So, I started doing
00:31:49.17\00:31:51.94
it on Mondays and
slowly just...whenever I'm
00:31:52.04\00:31:56.24
here, I enjoy coming
down and working with
00:31:56.34\00:32:01.12
whatever. - Though
Good Neighbor House began in
00:32:01.18\00:32:04.75
1994 by providing
food, clothing, and household
00:32:04.85\00:32:08.22
items to neighbors in
need, they've expanded
00:32:08.32\00:32:10.93
their mission by
not only providing goods
00:32:10.99\00:32:13.03
but teaching how to
make better choices.
00:32:13.13\00:32:15.50
- I started coming
to Good Neighbor House
00:32:15.60\00:32:18.27
first in 2016. I came
for the pantry at first,
00:32:18.37\00:32:24.97
and then I noticed
that they had classes. They
00:32:25.07\00:32:28.94
had different classes
that you could attend,
00:32:29.04\00:32:32.15
and they were interesting,
so I started that. - In 1996
00:32:32.25\00:32:37.59
came the expansion to
offer dental, medical,
00:32:37.65\00:32:40.12
and optometry
services. - When we started the
00:32:40.19\00:32:42.82
medical work and
things like that, we staffed
00:32:43.79\00:32:47.03
almost everything- the
dental eye, everything-
00:32:47.13\00:32:50.93
with all
volunteers. The doctors all
00:32:51.00\00:32:52.47
volunteered, they
brought their staff members and
00:32:52.53\00:32:55.17
they volunteered. We
had volunteer people who
00:32:55.27\00:32:58.11
worked with the paperwork
stuff and everything else.
00:32:58.17\00:33:01.64
And then over the
years, they received a
00:33:01.71\00:33:05.51
number of different grants
that have kind of propelled
00:33:05.61\00:33:09.05
it forward and now,
many of the people that work,
00:33:09.15\00:33:12.69
our paid staff and
paid physicians and doctors
00:33:12.82\00:33:17.13
and people because of
the volume of what we're
00:33:17.23\00:33:19.19
doing now, we can't
just... Staff, and with
00:33:19.29\00:33:21.20
volunteers, couldn't
be sustained that way
00:33:21.26\00:33:22.90
anymore. - As demand
has increased through
00:33:22.96\00:33:26.13
the years, God has
faithfully supplied
00:33:26.20\00:33:28.10
well-equipped workers
in amazing ways, leaving
00:33:28.20\00:33:31.17
them well-aware that
it was truly the Lord's
00:33:31.24\00:33:33.41
provision. - When I
came to Good Neighbor House,
00:33:33.48\00:33:36.21
we were kind of in
the midst of a transition,
00:33:37.75\00:33:41.12
because a
previous executive director
00:33:41.18\00:33:43.28
had passed away unexpectedly,
and they were looking to
00:33:43.35\00:33:47.49
fill that position.
Marcia Ehlers, she's the
00:33:47.56\00:33:50.96
assistant director, and
she kind of is more involved
00:33:51.03\00:33:53.50
in the thrift store
and the food pantry. - My
00:33:53.56\00:33:56.73
background was not in
non-profit, and we were
00:33:56.80\00:34:00.10
always connected, my
brother and I, to Good
00:34:00.17\00:34:01.70
Neighbor House. My
mother was one of our
00:34:01.80\00:34:03.14
founding mothers.
Always, when we would clean out
00:34:03.17\00:34:06.41
a closet, no matter where
we were in the world, it's
00:34:06.47\00:34:08.78
if you get
anything, you give it to Good
00:34:08.88\00:34:10.21
Neighbor House and
that's kind of the way we were-
00:34:10.25\00:34:11.98
kind of brought up to
being involved with Good
00:34:13.01\00:34:16.02
Neighbor House. My mom
was one of our volunteers
00:34:16.12\00:34:18.05
here as well as one
of our founding mothers.
00:34:18.15\00:34:20.76
She worked in our clothing
department for many years.
00:34:20.82\00:34:22.76
A position became available
here and she said, "You
00:34:23.59\00:34:25.99
should apply as the
assistant director,"
00:34:26.06\00:34:27.53
and I thought,
"There's no way. I mean, I don't
00:34:27.63\00:34:29.93
have a social work
background; I'm not
00:34:30.07\00:34:31.73
a pastoral staff member."
And ironically enough, I
00:34:31.80\00:34:34.64
got the job, and
God kind of put me where
00:34:34.74\00:34:37.37
I needed to be as far
as learning how to pray
00:34:37.47\00:34:40.18
with clients,
learning how to understand some
00:34:40.28\00:34:42.54
of the people's temperaments
when they come into visit
00:34:42.68\00:34:45.48
Good Neighbor House.
- Good neighbors don't
00:34:45.58\00:34:48.28
let neighbors go without
food or clothing. The food
00:34:48.38\00:34:51.22
pantry at Good
Neighbor House is well stocked
00:34:51.32\00:34:53.25
with a variety of
healthy food where families are
00:34:53.36\00:34:55.76
allowed to choose items
specific to their dietary
00:34:55.82\00:34:58.19
needs, while the
adjacent thrift store offers new
00:34:58.29\00:35:00.93
and gently used
clothing at affordable prices.
00:35:01.00\00:35:03.40
These basic needs are
at the heart of Jesus'
00:35:03.47\00:35:06.07
words when He said, "I
was naked and you clothed
00:35:06.13\00:35:08.40
me. I was hungry and
you fed me." - But I've
00:35:08.50\00:35:12.11
never actually worked
in an organization where
00:35:12.17\00:35:13.98
they have a thrift store,
a food pantry, and wellness
00:35:14.08\00:35:17.35
classes - and then
they have a medical, dental,
00:35:17.41\00:35:19.45
and eye clinic. And of
course, I found out that
00:35:19.51\00:35:24.32
it's really...
Adventist community services is
00:35:24.39\00:35:28.12
that's how it
started. And to me in my mind,
00:35:28.19\00:35:30.93
as I think of
Adventist community services, as
00:35:31.03\00:35:32.99
a young child, I remember
in our church, there was
00:35:33.06\00:35:36.70
an old house beside
the church. There were some
00:35:36.80\00:35:38.80
old ladies, folding
just some few pair of clothes
00:35:38.90\00:35:41.80
and a few cans of
food. And to me, that's what
00:35:41.90\00:35:44.64
Adventist community
services was. When I
00:35:44.71\00:35:47.68
came here, I was blown
away by the involvement
00:35:47.78\00:35:50.35
of the area churches-
and even the community,
00:35:50.45\00:35:53.85
how they're involved
in supporting the ministry
00:35:53.98\00:35:56.95
that we have here.
- Father, I pray that
00:35:57.02\00:35:59.32
today, we will make
a decision to make a
00:35:59.35\00:36:03.12
difference in the
life of someone. - We've
00:36:03.22\00:36:06.03
always had an Open
Door Policy at Good Neighbor
00:36:06.13\00:36:07.86
House. If people
can buy into the mission
00:36:07.96\00:36:10.90
of Good Neighbor
House, then we'd love to have
00:36:11.00\00:36:13.47
you be part of the
team. You don't have to be a
00:36:13.54\00:36:16.64
Seventh-day
Adventist to do that; you don't
00:36:16.74\00:36:18.41
even have to be a Christian
to do that. I mean, we try
00:36:18.47\00:36:21.18
to grab people from
all over the place who just
00:36:21.28\00:36:23.88
love people and
care about people and we
00:36:23.95\00:36:26.38
put them to work here
in being able to serve
00:36:26.45\00:36:28.58
and do that! It's
been a phenomenal model and
00:36:28.68\00:36:31.39
it's been an outstanding
result that's come out
00:36:31.49\00:36:34.42
of all of that. - A
wise man once said, "Wherever
00:36:34.52\00:36:37.79
you turn, you can find
someone who needs you."
00:36:37.86\00:36:40.36
Even if it is a
little thing, do something
00:36:40.43\00:36:42.46
for which there's no
pay but the privilege
00:36:42.56\00:36:44.50
of doing it.
Remember, you don't live in the
00:36:44.57\00:36:46.84
world all on your own.
- I started volunteering
00:36:46.90\00:36:49.30
at the Good
Neighbor House in August of
00:36:49.37\00:36:52.24
2013. That's when
I started. Now, what
00:36:52.31\00:36:56.54
continues to motivate
me here at Good Neighbor
00:36:56.61\00:36:59.71
House...Jesus. I'm
the hand and the feet that
00:36:59.78\00:37:06.05
He talks about in
His Word. He's trained me
00:37:06.12\00:37:10.89
to be here at such a
time as this, and every
00:37:10.96\00:37:14.33
skill set that He
has trained me has been
00:37:14.43\00:37:17.80
needed here at
Good Neighbor House. He
00:37:17.87\00:37:22.00
has touched my heart
in a way that when I meet
00:37:22.07\00:37:24.21
clients, some will
just come to me and say,
00:37:24.27\00:37:28.08
"Would you have prayer
with me?" I say, "Sure!"
00:37:28.14\00:37:30.91
And then others will
join in. Or I could just
00:37:30.98\00:37:34.82
be singing a song here
at my desk, and someone
00:37:34.88\00:37:37.99
may pick up and hear
me singing. But truly, the
00:37:38.05\00:37:42.62
service of the Lord is
why I'm here; I am here
00:37:42.72\00:37:45.89
for no other reason but
to a servant of the Lord
00:37:45.96\00:37:50.17
and to go ye
therefore and do whatever His
00:37:50.23\00:37:53.10
will is. His will for
me right now is to be here
00:37:53.20\00:37:57.97
at such a time as
this when what He's trained
00:37:58.07\00:38:03.95
me to do is so
much needed. I love it.
00:38:04.05\00:38:06.82
I love it. - But my
connection occurred.
00:38:06.92\00:38:14.92
My wife for 42 years
was a nurse at Kettering
00:38:15.02\00:38:19.09
Hospital. She was in
charge of the behavioral
00:38:19.19\00:38:21.33
health department-
the adult behavior health
00:38:21.43\00:38:23.60
department. So, when
she retired, she came
00:38:23.67\00:38:28.60
down here to volunteer.
Then she said, "Hey, maybe
00:38:28.67\00:38:32.17
that's a good idea.
That's something you might get
00:38:32.24\00:38:34.18
interested in." So,
I followed her down one
00:38:34.28\00:38:36.68
day, and together,
we volunteered for about
00:38:36.78\00:38:39.95
a year and a half. About a
year and a half after that, she
00:38:40.02\00:38:43.02
passed away.
00:38:43.15\00:38:44.99
I'm still working
here as a volunteer in
00:38:52.76\00:38:54.80
honoring her. Predominantly,
I've been helping out back
00:38:54.90\00:38:59.23
in the pantry. What makes
this organization so unique
00:38:59.33\00:39:03.67
is not only do
they have food for those
00:39:03.77\00:39:07.38
that need food; this
is just an incredible
00:39:07.44\00:39:10.78
organization with all
kinds of services that
00:39:10.88\00:39:14.42
just run gamut from
A to Z. - Good Neighbor
00:39:14.52\00:39:17.99
House relies on volunteers
willing to reflect Christ's
00:39:18.09\00:39:21.12
compassion,
unselfish caring, patience, and
00:39:21.22\00:39:24.03
just plain loving
one another. - We get a
00:39:24.16\00:39:26.26
lot of volunteers
at Good Neighbor House
00:39:26.36\00:39:27.96
who may not be people
that are able or willing
00:39:28.03\00:39:30.30
to come into our building
and work at our zip code.
00:39:30.40\00:39:33.07
Instead, they work at
their zip code and then
00:39:33.17\00:39:34.97
they bring their time
and talents to us. It's
00:39:35.07\00:39:38.91
been absolutely
amazing. We have a couple who
00:39:39.04\00:39:41.41
worked together. He
buys the yarn, and his
00:39:41.48\00:39:44.41
wife makes us
beautiful hats, scarves, and
00:39:44.51\00:39:47.18
sometimes, even,
they'll bring in gloves or have?
00:39:47.98\00:39:51.92
It's absolutely
amazing to see these
00:39:52.75\00:39:54.52
beautiful products
going out the door and them
00:39:54.59\00:39:58.33
using their talent.
That's a talent, and
00:39:58.46\00:40:00.66
to say, "Hey, I
might not be able to come
00:40:00.73\00:40:02.66
down there
physically or drive down to Good
00:40:02.76\00:40:04.23
Neighbor House,
but I'm going to spend
00:40:04.30\00:40:05.63
some time every day
or a couple times a week
00:40:05.73\00:40:08.94
just dedicating
myself to making things that
00:40:09.00\00:40:12.07
you can give to your
clients," is just amazing.
00:40:12.14\00:40:14.31
- Going beyond the
basic needs of food
00:40:15.24\00:40:16.98
and clothing, Good
Neighbor House is meeting
00:40:17.05\00:40:19.11
a need in the area of
medical services, as well.
00:40:19.21\00:40:21.85
Good Neighbor
House offers a wide range
00:40:24.59\00:40:26.22
of medical, vision,
and dental services at
00:40:26.32\00:40:28.36
affordable prices
to those who would
00:40:28.42\00:40:30.53
otherwise be unable
to afford them, thus
00:40:30.59\00:40:32.86
improving the lives
of thousands of their
00:40:32.96\00:40:34.83
neighbors.
00:40:34.93\00:40:36.26
Mayline? was born August 14th;
and at her two-week appointment,
00:40:42.84\00:40:47.74
the doctor noticed her lip tie
00:40:47.84\00:40:49.71
and that she
probably has a tongue tie. All
00:40:49.81\00:40:53.25
three of our boys were
lip-tied and tongue-tied.
00:40:53.35\00:40:56.65
- So tonight,
you're getting ready to do
00:40:56.69\00:40:58.02
a procedure. -
It's called frenectomy
00:40:58.05\00:41:02.06
or frenotomy,
treating these tight things. We
00:41:02.16\00:41:05.83
all have these parts.
Sometimes, they're too
00:41:05.93\00:41:08.26
tight to allow us to
use our mouths properly.
00:41:08.33\00:41:11.03
What we're seeing tonight
are infants that can't move
00:41:11.13\00:41:14.77
their tongue to feed.
So, we cut through it,
00:41:14.84\00:41:19.31
give them some freedom,
and hopefully allow them
00:41:19.41\00:41:21.94
to eat better.
Later, speak better; later,
00:41:22.01\00:41:24.81
swallow better, so...
- It's a chain reaction.
00:41:24.88\00:41:28.18
So you do this
procedure how many times here at
00:41:28.28\00:41:32.45
Good Neighbor...? -
I come here one night a
00:41:32.59\00:41:35.69
month to take care
of them. I come after my
00:41:35.76\00:41:38.63
day at work in my own
office, so it's my time
00:41:38.73\00:41:41.56
to come help. - Awesome.
That's great. Well, thank
00:41:41.63\00:41:44.47
you for helping.
And we're going to go to
00:41:44.53\00:41:45.87
the procedure right
now. - Great! [laughter]
00:41:45.90\00:41:49.84
- Lack of access
to quality healthcare
00:41:51.51\00:41:53.41
services is a
growing problem that many
00:41:53.51\00:41:55.61
economically-challenged
neighbors face every
00:41:55.68\00:41:58.01
day. With medical cost
rising, insurance plans
00:41:58.11\00:42:01.38
diminishing, and hard-working
people having trouble
00:42:01.48\00:42:04.02
obtaining the help
they need, the Good Neighbor
00:42:04.09\00:42:06.45
House stands as a
living example of loving God
00:42:06.55\00:42:09.46
and loving each other.
Both paid and volunteer
00:42:09.52\00:42:12.56
practitioners provide
quality care for individuals
00:42:12.63\00:42:15.46
and families who are not
eligible to receive it from
00:42:15.56\00:42:18.67
other sources.
00:42:18.73\00:42:20.57
- So, the procedure
is finished. How do you
00:42:24.24\00:42:26.37
feel like it went? -
It went very well. The
00:42:26.44\00:42:29.24
parents were in the
room; they were totally
00:42:29.34\00:42:31.25
okay. "We know this
is needed," we took care
00:42:31.35\00:42:36.42
of it. They were
the cheerleaders, and
00:42:36.52\00:42:38.79
assistants helped support
the child while I did the
00:42:38.89\00:42:41.06
work. Took 15-20
seconds. And the laser that I
00:42:41.12\00:42:45.79
resealed the nerve
endings- so they really
00:42:45.86\00:42:48.03
don't have much
feeling. And as soon as we're
00:42:48.13\00:42:50.57
finished, we put
them to the breast...
00:42:50.70\00:42:54.00
And in this case,
everything was pretty
00:42:54.14\00:42:56.10
fine right away. The
child has some learning
00:42:56.20\00:42:58.64
to do. Those muscles
that are anchored, have
00:42:58.74\00:43:02.71
never moved, and now
they gotta learn to move.
00:43:02.81\00:43:05.51
Mother nature takes
over. God is so cool
00:43:06.31\00:43:08.52
how He put us together. - Right?
00:43:08.55\00:43:10.82
But the most important
goal of the people behind
00:43:14.66\00:43:17.09
Good Neighbor House is
providing spiritual guidance
00:43:17.16\00:43:19.89
that will lead to a
richer, fuller life of health,
00:43:20.00\00:43:22.70
wellness, and
spiritual fulfillment. Showing
00:43:22.76\00:43:25.23
love to people in
need the same way as Jesus
00:43:25.33\00:43:27.54
Christ did is
their ultimate goal. In
00:43:27.64\00:43:30.01
short, the mission
of Good Neighbor House
00:43:30.11\00:43:32.54
is empowering healthier
communities by fostering
00:43:32.57\00:43:35.61
the physical, emotional,
and spiritual wellness
00:43:35.71\00:43:38.31
of their neighbors.
00:43:38.41\00:43:40.92
- And His will for
me right now is to be
00:43:40.98\00:43:43.62
here at such a time as
this, when what He's trained me
00:43:43.65\00:43:49.52
to do is so much
needed. I love it. I love it.
00:43:49.56\00:43:56.20
- What a great
synopsis of what you do and who
00:44:00.54\00:44:03.10
you are. It was interesting
to hear you talk as we were
00:44:03.20\00:44:07.84
watching that about
the people that are serving
00:44:07.91\00:44:11.85
there at Good
Neighbor House, and that is the
00:44:11.98\00:44:15.75
heart and soul of
what you do, I love.
00:44:15.85\00:44:19.12
So, just
mentioning a couple of those
00:44:19.22\00:44:21.36
people... Kudos to
you who volunteer. And
00:44:21.42\00:44:25.73
that goes for
anyone who volunteers in
00:44:25.83\00:44:28.06
ministries like
this! You are so vital, and
00:44:28.16\00:44:32.00
you don't go by unnoticed.
So, are there any other
00:44:32.07\00:44:36.07
things that you
want to hit on regarding
00:44:36.17\00:44:39.44
anything we've
talked about? - Yeah! You
00:44:39.54\00:44:42.01
know, the volunteering...
It's designed, any age can
00:44:42.11\00:44:45.48
help. One of the
things that we talked about
00:44:45.55\00:44:48.25
during the roll was,
there's a 10-year-old
00:44:48.32\00:44:50.52
girl that heard
about Good Neighbor House
00:44:50.62\00:44:52.85
and she was
impacted. She wanted to make a
00:44:52.92\00:44:55.72
difference. So, one
day, there was a mother that
00:44:55.79\00:44:58.99
came with a minivan
full of toilet paper; and she
00:44:59.09\00:45:03.13
said, "Oh, where can I
drop this off?" And then
00:45:03.20\00:45:05.80
she proceeded to
tell me the story that her
00:45:05.90\00:45:07.50
daughter, who had
her 10th birthday just a
00:45:07.60\00:45:10.44
few days before,
said, "Mom, I don't want to
00:45:10.51\00:45:12.61
have any birthday
presents. I don't want
00:45:12.67\00:45:14.28
to have a birthday
party. I want people
00:45:14.34\00:45:15.88
to buy toilet paper
for my birthday gift so I
00:45:15.94\00:45:19.41
can give it to Good
Neighbor House." And
00:45:19.48\00:45:21.65
it was just
something that just touched my
00:45:21.75\00:45:23.49
heart. It's like,
what a blessing! I mean,
00:45:23.55\00:45:24.89
when you volunteer,
it's a blessing; and when you
00:45:24.92\00:45:26.55
see what it does and
the impact on the community,
00:45:26.65\00:45:30.13
it's a huge
blessing. - Oh, my goodness.
00:45:30.23\00:45:32.23
What a... Yeah. That's
a wonderful story. Yeah.
00:45:32.29\00:45:35.06
Frank. Any closing
ideas or thoughts that would
00:45:35.76\00:45:39.03
encourage our viewers
to be part of ministries
00:45:39.10\00:45:41.67
like this in
their community? - Well,
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.91
when you see the volunteers
also ministering to the
00:45:44.01\00:45:50.18
foundations where they work
or they're involved with and
00:45:50.35\00:45:56.22
draw support to the
Good Neighbor House...
00:45:56.32\00:46:00.56
We, every January 1st,
we pray for this ministry
00:46:00.62\00:46:07.53
because we will need a
million dollars to care
00:46:07.63\00:46:12.00
during that year for
all the ministry that we do.
00:46:12.07\00:46:17.01
It's not feasible.
We thought, "This huge
00:46:17.11\00:46:19.91
support from a
very engaged community."
00:46:20.01\00:46:24.48
So, we are thankful,
we are prayerful, but
00:46:24.58\00:46:27.78
it is a miracle every
year that that ministry
00:46:27.92\00:46:33.66
is so well-supported.
- And a million dollars
00:46:33.76\00:46:36.99
for all that you
do there... To see all
00:46:37.09\00:46:40.00
that you do... I
don't know how you can even
00:46:40.10\00:46:42.36
do it for a million
dollars. - The volunteers.
00:46:42.46\00:46:45.03
- Because it's...yeah.
It's that support. Karl,
00:46:45.13\00:46:48.14
once again, speaking
to the roll of the church,
00:46:48.24\00:46:52.17
being involved in
this- I want you to just
00:46:52.27\00:46:55.38
reiterate how important
it is for us to be involved.
00:46:55.48\00:46:58.71
- Yeah. We usually
send off the people from-
00:46:58.81\00:47:02.58
and we don't call
it "church" because we
00:47:02.65\00:47:04.55
are the church,
so you're not leaving
00:47:04.65\00:47:05.99
the church. But when
we leave our Saturday-
00:47:06.02\00:47:08.22
morning gatherings after
our services, I will usually
00:47:08.32\00:47:12.19
just say, "Okay, go
live and love like Jesus.
00:47:12.26\00:47:16.20
Go and be church."
But I think that's a good
00:47:16.26\00:47:20.04
send-off to our
viewers. Go be church wherever
00:47:20.10\00:47:23.74
God puts you. -
That's great. I've heard it
00:47:23.81\00:47:26.01
said that when we leave
the church service, that's
00:47:26.07\00:47:30.35
when the service begins.
- Exactly. - Tom, mention
00:47:30.41\00:47:34.08
to me about the
way our viewers can be
00:47:34.15\00:47:38.35
involved. This is
not a franchise, Good
00:47:38.49\00:47:41.09
Neighbor House is not; so this
is a locally-started and organic
00:47:41.12\00:47:45.53
thing... So, I
believe you mentioned that
00:47:45.63\00:47:48.96
some of the viewers had
given after watching the
00:47:49.06\00:47:51.60
initial airing of that
piece we did for Thanksgiving.
00:47:51.67\00:47:55.00
How else can they
get involved? - Well, as
00:47:56.10\00:47:58.61
you mentioned,
it's going to be on the
00:47:58.67\00:48:00.31
screen there. They can
go on our website; that's
00:48:00.38\00:48:02.94
probably the easiest
way to get in contact,
00:48:03.04\00:48:05.05
and they can browse
through and see where
00:48:05.15\00:48:07.48
they can, if they feel
led to make a donation,
00:48:07.55\00:48:09.92
that's the way they
can do it. But after
00:48:10.02\00:48:12.25
the Thanksgiving program,
we had a great response.
00:48:12.35\00:48:14.36
We had people from
the West Coast responding,
00:48:14.46\00:48:16.59
we had people from
Bermuda calling, we
00:48:16.66\00:48:19.23
had someone from
Pennsylvania sending
00:48:19.29\00:48:21.56
in a donation, and
they were- I know that they
00:48:21.66\00:48:25.13
support their local
church and the ministries
00:48:25.23\00:48:27.80
locally, too, but sometimes,
there's something else that
00:48:27.90\00:48:30.57
you see and say, "I
want to support that,
00:48:30.64\00:48:31.97
too, because it's making
a difference where there's
00:48:32.04\00:48:33.81
a need." -
Wonderful, wonderful. Gentlemen,
00:48:33.88\00:48:35.98
let's watch the roll
here, go to the address,
00:48:36.08\00:48:39.21
and we can see how
you can get involved.
00:48:39.98\00:48:42.22
- Good Neighbor
House is a multi-service
00:48:45.09\00:48:47.39
operation,
providing community service in
00:48:47.46\00:48:50.19
the Dayton, Ohio
area. Their services include
00:48:50.26\00:48:53.50
a food pantry, a
thrift store, and dental work
00:48:53.56\00:48:56.67
along with Bible
classes, nutritional counseling,
00:48:56.73\00:49:00.34
fitness, and
exercise. If you would like to
00:49:00.44\00:49:03.57
support their
ministry or if you'd like more
00:49:03.64\00:49:06.07
information, please visit:
00:49:06.14\00:49:09.44