Adapting to Change - Moving Forward Together
In our end of year report for 2019, I quoted John Maxwell who said “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” Little did any of us know just how far we could stretch the word “change” in just a few short weeks. Yet, here we are walking through a historical season as a community.
All of us are adapting and creating new ways to move forward together. Outreach is no different. If you follow our social media, you have likely seen some of these changes.
1. Program Center – As many of you know, two years ago we moved into a new Program Center on East New York Street, with a drop-in center as the focal point. Our team built a beautiful community spot for many of the youth we serve. With the current changes, we have retooled that space into a distribution center for homeless youth to come and receive food, clothing, and basic needs while adhering to the social distancing guidelines being asked of us.
2. Food is Crucial – While we have always worked to ensure the youth we work with are provided food, in this season it has taken on an importance unlike anything we’ve seen in years. We are working with volunteers and other organizations to deliver food multiple times a week. While we are currently delivering to around 100 youth, we expect that number to go up.
3. Community Redefined – At the core of all we do is the idea of Hope. Hope is delivered when someone is loved well. We are working overtime every day to stay in contact with every youth we can, pray with them, listen to them, and extend love to them. Relationships have always been the backbone of Outreach, and we continue to focus intently on developing those relationships in this season.
4. Partnership – We have spoken this past year about the need to grow our partnerships with volunteers and other organizations. As we are finding ways to walk through this time, and planning to emerge on the backside of this, we are digging in even deeper to foster and build strategic partnerships. The ability to work and share with other organizations will be one of the primary markers of a healthy organization emerging from this season.
5. Prayer – Outreach has always looked to God’s guidance to move forward. We are devoting more time and focus than ever to stop and listen to what He has for us.
In short, we are trying to do more than we’ve done before in a season where resources are harder to find and needs are increasing. This is what Outreach has been built for from the day we started. We know that, each day, the work we are allowed to do is vital, and we are grateful to work with the amazing young men and women of central Indiana. Thank you for all of your prayers, support, and generosity. It all matters more now than ever before.
