Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM). The 2024 theme is Powered by Connection, which recognizes the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. Join us in promoting the benefits of connecting with others. Here are some ways you can participate:
Share facts about the mental, physical, and emotional health benefits of social connection and how it contributes to overall well-being.
Promote resources that help older adults engage, like community events, social clubs and volunteer opportunities.
Connect older adults with local services, such as transportation, which can help them overcome obstacles to achieving or maintaining meaningful relationships.
Encourage partners to host a connection-centric event or program focused on older adult mentors to youth, peer-to-peer support or similar efforts.
Challenge professional and personal networks to prioritize meaningful social connections and share the benefits.
Inspire older adults to share what connection means to them on social media using the hashtag #PoweredByConnection.
Are you prepared to serve your community in whatever needs come your way?
A training course in Hands Only CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) brought together fourteen church members of the Pueblo First Seventh-day Adventist and three from Canon City Seventh-day Adventist Church congregation to the Pueblo Outreach and Education building to meet the challenge, January 7. (Article published in Newsnuggets Rocky Moutain Conference) Read More
ACS teams at work making houses homes after Typhoon Mawar.
Represent wherever you go! Written by: W. Derrick Lea, Executive Director, North American Division ACS
It was 6 months ago I received a call from our Federal Government asking if our ACS Rebuild teams were available to help in an effort to get those affected by Typhoon Mawar back into their homes. The Island of Guam had been affected by this event, which was the worst storm in 20 years, and they were struggling to recover.
So, how did we get this call? Well, five years ago our ACS Rebuild Teams out of Northeastern and Greater New York Conferences were asked to assist the island of Saipan in recovery efforts. Two of our ACS teams traveled there and were instrumental in helping many return safely to their homes after Typhoon Yutu had displaced them in 2017. The experience was like no other for our ACS volunteers as well as for the impacted citizens of Saipan. Unfortunately, the program that funded this effort came to an end. I remember feeling disappointed as I listened to the Federal authorities explain how pleased they were with our work, because I didn’t fully believe them when they explained our efforts would not be forgotten and they would pass on a positive recommendation to whatever administration was in charge, should similar work be needed again in the future.
So, I was a little surprised to get a call almost six years later asking if ACS was interested in working again for FEMA. I placed a few calls to our ACS leadership within Northeastern and Greater New York Conferences, and they immediately responded in the affirmative. And two short months later, we were off to Guam.
Because it had been so long, many of our people were new to this work, but they hit the ground running. The first team from the Northeastern Conference showed up and began assessing the situation on the ground. The team met with those working with FEMA and after a day of planning, ACS began repairing the homes of those affected. And it was evident to all that this team truly served as the hands and feet of Jesus! They began each day early with prayer and thoughtful thanks to God for His leading in the effort. And from the word go, the work was nonstop, despite a schedule that accommodated time off, due to the intense sun. Work continued on designated time off. Working not just to ensure the homes were safe to return to but were livable. The conversations overheard were edifying and consistent and peppered with laughter and love.
And the blessings didn’t stop with team one. The next team showed up a week later from the Greater New York Conference, and they went to work on other projects with a similar spirit. They also demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond with the intent of helping our brothers and sisters in a time of crisis.
What an amazing group of people we have representing ACS, and more importantly representing Christ. I recall being involved in a meeting with the leadership of FEMA on site in Guam. They were talking about the tremendous efforts our team was putting in and they wanted to know where do we get these people? I proudly explained that ACS was an organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and that most of our team members were Seventh Day Adventists. I further explained that we serve because Christ has blessed us to be able to serve others.
With that answer the gentlemen sat back and stated, we need more people like this in the world. As I thought about his response I realized as Christians, that we really do have an opportunity each day to represent Christ to others, and regardless of where we are and no matter the work we’re involved in, it’s our responsibility to ensure we glorify Christ so others will want to know the One we serve.
Carolyn Lipscomb, South Georgia Adventist Community Services (ACS) Coordinator, was recognized at the Georgia State Capitol for her work serving the older population in south Georgia on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. State Representative Noel Williams presented the Distinguished Older Georgian Award on behalf of the Georgia Council on Aging.
“I am greatly humbled and honored to be the recipient of this award,” said Lipscomb during the awards ceremony. Every month, Lipscomb oversees the delivery of 25,000 to 30,000 pounds of food to low-income seniors. READ MORE
In Greensboro, NC at the Adventist Ministries Convention, ACS leaders and attendees are giving back to the town by packing supply kits for people experiencing homelessness. This was a group effort with other local partnerships. The Volunteer Center assisted in the prep and 2900 – 3000 kits were assembled. The following local organizations; Greensboro Urban Ministry & Partnership for Ending Homelessness received 50% and the remaining kits will go to the South Atlantic and Carolina Conference to distribute throughout their communities.
ACS teams are continuing to operate warehouses and distribution centers to supply essential items to families and individuals affected by hurricane flood waters in Florida.
There is still a need for cash donations for these and rebuilding activities. Gifts should be given directly to the Florida Conference of SDA at this link: https://relief.floridaconference.com/
ACS teams in Bermuda have demonstrated Christian diligence in serving the vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic whose effects continue to be felt in the community. While there may be some individuals who have regained employment, their earning is not sufficient to cover all their financial needs, considering the debts they incurred while they were unemployed. There is also a rise in homelessness and the Bermuda Housing and Corporation is overwhelmed with requests for affordable housing for this vulnerable population.
ACS leaders and volunteers from the churches below have responded to various calls for assistance from food needs to financial aid through various ministries. Besides serving meals, they continue to provide food hampers or food vouchers during their scheduled ministry day or as needed. Free GED programs have also been made available to those who wished to complete their high school education.
FEEDING MINISTRIES
Hamilton and St. David’s churches – prepare and serve cooked meals every Wednesday
St. George’s Church – prepares and serves meals to the community every Thursday
Pembroke – provides cooked meals to the homeless
Southampton – serves cooked meals to the community once every month. From time to time, cooked meals are provided outside of this schedule.
Rockaway Church collaborates with Hamilton Church to provide cooked meals to the community.
Warwick Church – provides cooked meals to the community every Tuesday
Somerset Church – provides cooked meals to the community every Wednesday.
On a quarterly basis, Buzz provides 500 meals which are distributed to the community. Ten of their eleven churches participate in this program.
GED PROGRAMS
They have three well-functioning centers offering free GED classes. The students are receiving both academic and financial support until graduation.
The churches participating in the GED programs are Southampton, Hamilton, and St. David’s.
FREE CLOTHING
Most of the local churches now offer free clothing to the community from their community center.
GRIEF MINISTRIES
More recently ACS Bermuda joined forces with the Grief Ministry of Midland Heights Church. Under the leadership of Sis Muriel Williams, this ministry is very active in visiting and providing emotional support to those who have experienced loss in any form.
In December 2021, eighty grieving families received fruit baskets delivered to them by the Grief Ministry team members who also prayed with them. The team continues to follow up with the bereaved through the year to provide much needed emotional support.
Adventist Community Services is working in cooperation with FEMA, VOAD, and state officials to open a 250,000 square foot Multi-agency Warehouse in Coral Springs, Florida. ACS leadership from the Florida and Southeastern conferences will form the management team at the warehouse to manage the flow of donated goods and ensure they get to the people who need them most.
Lynell LaMountain, ACS Director for the Southern Union, was onsite this week making sure that the process is moving smoothly. Established partnerships and experienced ACS leaders were able to speed the process along to make this one of the quickest openings of an ACS Donated Goods Warehouse in years. In addition to this effort, ACS will be providing other resources such as flood buckets and gift cards, and will possibly be involved in minor repairs to some of the damaged homes.
If you wish to support our efforts, cash donations are always the preferred method of donation.
The Alaska Conference ACS and Arctic Mission Adventure have been actively involved in the Typhoon Merbok relief in western Alaska. They have formed a team that assessed needs in the hardest-hit villages and mobilized tier-one support to those in need. Individuals, churches, and schools stepped up to support the relief efforts by hosting donation collection sites, food drives in their neighborhoods, and school fundraisers. Donations of canned food, diapers, water, flashlights, generators, batteries, and other essential items continue to pour in. Over 2,000 pounds of resources were collected just in the first week after the disaster struck. With the help of the Alaska National Guard and Mass Care Task Force, the resources are transported to the designated villages. Read full report here.
Thank you for your continued support and being a part of the miracle of giving.
Alaska Conference Adventist Community Services and Arctic Mission Adventure are joining hands to provide relief to Alaskan villages devastated by Typhoon Merbok. Remnants of the typhoon produced widespread damage to communities in Western Alaska on September 16, 2022. The storm reported to be the region’s strongest one in the last 50 years, has flooded homes and businesses, damaged infrastructure, including the power grid and water supply system, and washed away roads and bridges.
The ministries are focusing on providing tier-one support to villages outside of hub areas that need immediate basic survival resources. Items needed are cases of drinking water and canned foods, baby formula and diapers, flashlights and batteries, toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant and body wipes, and feminine hygiene products. Click here for more information!
If you wish to donate some items, they can be brought to the Alaska Conference or to Amazing Grace Academy.
Alaska Conference Office
6100 O’Malley Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
Amazing Grace Academy
2238 Inner Springer Loop
Palmer, AK 99645
Financial support can be provided through this link here.
Hurricane Ian has now emerged into the Gulf of Mexico after striking western Cuba, where it is expected to intensify with the warmer waters. As this takes place, it will cause water surge in cities on the western side of the state in the Gulf, posing a serious danger to the Florida Peninsula. Storm surge, hurricane, and tropical storm alerts have been issued in Florida, as well as extended to Georgia and South Carolina. Tens of thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate.
Each of the three local conferences in Florida state have ACS Disaster Response teams on stand-by awaiting the storm, which will most likely affect the Florida Keys first. Providing food and shelter are the two primary needs early in the event. In addition, there will be a need for clean-up buckets as homes of several residents will be affected by the flooding. These items are currently prepositioned throughout the area and will be used as appropriate.
Please keep those in prayer who are in the path of this storm, as well as communities in Cuba who have been affected by it.
Photo uploaded by: The Weather Channel, Sept. 27, 2022
The Florida, Gulf States, and Southeastern conferences are getting their ACS Disaster Response teams ready to respond to the need surrounding Hurricane Ian, which is headed to the Gulf coast of Florida. Currently, Ian is forecast to be a Category 3 storm and is expected to continue to intensify. Tropical Storm watches have been issued in various parts of Florida. On Saturday, President Biden issued an emergency declaration for the state of Florida. The storm surge is a major concern at this point which could create great amounts of floodwaters.
ACS leadership from the three respective conferences have been engaged in conference calls with the Florida VOAD to prepare for the potential damage Hurricane Ian will cause to communities. “I am confident that our teams are ready, and the NAD ACS will support their efforts throughout this event,” stated W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS Executive Director.
This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Ian over the central Caribbean on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Photo Credit: ABC News.
