Gabe Short, the director of development at Shepherd Community Center, talks about how he worked with a partner church and others to assist a neighbor in need:

Gabe: “I met this person several years ago, and we quickly became friends. I now have the honor of serving as her Paraclete (mentor and advocate) and walking side-by-side with her through life’s challenges and blessings.

“Last year was one of those challenges that turned into a blessing. She lost her job, and due to an acute bipolar disorder, decided to apply for disability. However, after several months of applying, she still hadn’t received any word back about her application. Out of fear that it would hinder her chances of receiving disability, she didn’t work, and her mom helped cover expenses, such as rent, while she waited to receive news.

“The weeks turned into months, months turned into six months, and her mom could no longer cover her rent and utilities. After still no word back about disability benefits, she returned to work but was struggling to balance her medications and emotions in this new role. I talked with her about the challenges and connected her with Family Engagement to help cover her utility bill, and then we connected her with Shepherd’s financial and employment coaching, which walked alongside her to help find the right option.

“In the middle of all this, she also applied for rent assistance with one of Shepherd’s partner churches. The only hiccup was that she needed to find transportation to the north side to meet with the church’s care pastor in person, and because the church was outside of the bus route, she didn’t have transportation. Rideshare would cost her over $50, and she just didn’t have the funds to get there. In my role at Shepherd, I called the partner church, and we arranged for them to come to Shepherd and meet with her and me onsite. The partner church not only covered her rent for the month, but they also took the time to listen and care for her right where she was.

“This rent assistance gave her the breath of fresh air she needed, giving her enough time to start her new job, save up, and begin the road to self-sufficiency once again.

“I am thankful we get the incredible opportunity to walk alongside our neighbors and our partners to care for every need. We are truly partnering together for the Kingdom!”