Stories of Impact

Being With Our Community

Being "With" Our Community

Love INC of Greater Hillsboro has opportunities throughout the year to be with our community in various ways. Check back often as we continue to connect with our community.

December

December 7, Jolene attended Westside Bible Fellowship’s  Women’s Ministry Christmas party. In addition to Jolene speaking about Love INC, Carla – whose story was shared at the Night of Vision – was also able to talk about her Love INC experience.

Read Carla story here.

November

For the past several years, New Life Baptist Church has chosen Love INC of Greater Hillsboro as one of the local ministries they sponsor to share in a portion of a special offering in November. On November 24, Jolene had an opportunity to share information about Love INC at New Life’s Thanksgiving Dinner. 

On November 8, approximately 176 people came together for our 2024 Night of Vision. God blessed us with more than $32,000 in donations and pledges!

During the program, the various ways Love INC works “hand in hand” with our community were shared.  Some of the info included the following Gap Ministry statistics to date for 2024.

  • 90 bedding sets and 100 towel sets
  • 180 bags of children’s clothing
  • 65 babies have been provided diapers
  • 66 families have been provided hygiene and cleaning supplies
  • 10 mattresses, 6 dressers, 3 couches and 2 tables
  • 13 pair of work boots

Please take a look at the Night of Vision Recap for more details.

October

October 6, Hillsboro First Baptist Church held a women’s event. Hillsboro First Baptist maintains the King’s Closet Gap Ministry which “fills the gap” providing hygiene, cleaning and paper products.

Love INC had an information table at the event. Executive Director Jolene, along with Anne Caravone, Kings Closet Gap Ministy leader, and Bobbi Ackerson, King’s Closet volunteer, answered questions and provided information about Love INC. Anne is on the left, Jolene is center, and Bobbi is on the right in the image.

October 5, Jolene shared about Love INC at the Helvetia women’s luncheon. Jennifer DaBay, a Clearinghouse volunteer, was the teacher. Jolene and Jennifer are pictured here.

That evening, Jolene and Erin Sansom (Interim Clearinghouse Coordinator ), were blessed to be able to attend the annual benefit banquet for Abuse Recovery Services (ARMS). It was such a moving night!

We are thankful for ministries like ARMS with which we can partner as we seek the flourishing of the people we serve.

 

October 2, National Love INC’s Developing New Affiliates Interim Director, Daniel Walker, was in our area for a conference. He invited several executive directors from Oregon to join him for lunch and conversation. Our executive director Jolene, and the executive director of Love INC of Clackamas County, Stuart Smith, were able to join him.

What started as a lunch and conversation turned into lunch and an afternoon of conversation. The topics ranged from the process of starting a Love INC affiliate to how to be successful as an affiliate.

During the conversation, the two directors learned that Love INC National receives about 500 inquiries per month regarding how to start a Love INC affiliate. From that initial inquiry to the opening of a new affiliate takes an average of about four years. Of course, not all 500 of those inquiries result in a new affiliate. In the greater Portland area, there are currently two new affiliates under development.

We are grateful for the ongoing training and support of our National organization.

August

On August 27, Love INC of Greater Hillsboro hosted a Church Community Conversation: Loving our Unhoused Neighbor. The goal of this event was to provide church leadership a safe space to learn about houselessness and consider how to best serve unhoused neighbors at their doors.

Twenty-two leaders from 10 partner and non-partner local churches, along with Love INC staff and board members, gathered to engage in dialogue. Leaders of local organizations/ministries serving the unhoused were also in attendance to share information – Kim from Project Homeless Connect Washington County and Cynthia from Salvation Army HOPE Center.

This event was a great gathering. One attendee said, “Very informative on how to help our neighbors dealing with issues showing them compassion and kindness. Connecting them with resources that can help them.”

PLEASE NOTE: On Tuesday, September 17, at 6 p.m., the Salvation Army Washington County HOPE Center is holding an open house. Join them for dessert and to hear the stories of success and opportunities for growth in Washington County.

July

On July 12, Washington County’s Project Homeless Connect hosted a One-Day Event at Sunset Church in Beaverton. Executive Director Jolene and volunteers Richard and Harley manned an information table as well as distributed hygiene items, lap blankets and children’s socks. Before 11 a.m., over 100 people had visited Love INC’s booth. 

At the event, Jolene was also able to make connections with community resources regarding the possibility of a “Conversation about Homelessness” discussion. Watch for more details.

June
The 8th Annual Golf Event was Saturday, June 1 – a great day of golfing, fellowship, and helping neighbors. Take a look at the Wrap-Up for all the details.

On June 12, twelve Executive Directors, Vision Carriers, and leaders from ten Love INCs located in Oregon (and one from SW Washington) came together at the Love INC of Greater Hillsboro office. They enjoyed a lovely meal and a great time of prayer and conversation.

Our Love INCs may cover different sizes of communities, be different ages, and have different budgets, but many common themes appeared as we shared challenges and highlights, such as fundraising, resisting missional drift, and “continually maturing in our capacity.”

Thankful for Love INC National’s provision of funding to make this event possible.

May

On May 2, Love INC participated in a Partner Resource Fair, hosted by Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) and the OHA Community Partner Outreach Program (CPOP). The goal of the fair was to bring together partners and community organizations serving Washington County families and residents to share information on their services with other community partners and organizations.

Over 40 vendors, including Love INC of Greater Hillsboro, shared about their programs and services. More than 220 attended from across Washington County.

Jolene Snow, Executive Director, and Lila Young, Board President, were at Love INC’s information table while Jeff Snyder, Clearinghouse Coordinator, gathered information from other participants.

Jolene Snow was blessed to join Zion Lutheran Church in Hillsboro for worship on May 29, Pentecost Sunday. During the coffee hour, following the service, strawberry shortcake was served while Jolene presented and took questions regarding Love INC.

 

April

Administrative Professionals Day is observed annually in April. To express our gratitude to the administrative staff of our partner churches as well as several other churches within our community, goodie bags were hand-delivered to them by teams made up of volunteers along with Jolene.

A total of 23 bags were delivered. 

We appreciate all the administrative professionals at the churches with which we interact.

March

Love INC was invited again this year to join the ministry fair at the “Ignite” Women’s Conference on Saturday, March 9 at Village Church in Beaverton. Executive Director Jolene Snow represented Love INC of Greater Hillsboro. This conference was attended by 450+ women from across the Portland Metro area.

We always appreciate the opportunity to visit and worship with partner churches. In March, Love INC was invited to join Laurel Community Church for their Mission Sunday. Jolene and Debbie were available at the information table to answer any questions. At Trinity Lutheran Church, Jolene and Board President Lila Young answered questions at the information table in the lobby.

Debbie Mundell and Jolene Snow
at Laurel Community Church.

Lila Young and Jolene Snow
at Trinity Lutheran Church.

February

In February we honored our volunteers with an appreciation breakfast at Hillsboro First Baptist. Board member Mike Ware and his crew served a great breakfast.

Several partner churches extended invitations for Love INC to visit for special occasions. Jeff Snyder, Clearinghouse Coordinator, and Ginger Hollis, volunteer Restoring Hope Coordinator, joined Laurel Community Church for their Young at Heart luncheon. Jeff and Ginger were able to share with the group and answer questions. At Harvest Community Church’s Mission Sunday, Jolene Snow was available to answer questions at an information table (photo at the right).

On February 23, Love INC again participated in Washington County’s Project Homeless Connect event. Love INC staff and volunteers manned an information table as well as distributed “helpful items” (our designation at the event) such as hats and socks.

Jolene Snow, Executive Director,
with Debbie Mundell, Board Member/Treasurer.

Jeff Snyder, Clearinghouse Coordinator,
with volunteer Joy. 

Jolene and Jeff with volunteer Susan ready to answer questions and distribute helpful items.

Foot cardigan (socks) were distributed.

January

Mission Connexion Northwest was January 19 at Sunset Church. Love INC of Greater Hillsboro shared an information booth with Love INC of Clackamas County. Executive directors Jolene Snow and Stuart Smith worked with each other to represent Love INC.