We’re #1

Aug 3, 2023

A few weeks ago, Mita & I had a meeting with one of our Impact community partners.

It’s an amazing nonprofit organization called San Diego Youth Services (SDYS) who “believes every child deserves to reach their full potential.” They’ve been serving San Diego for more than 50 years and in that time, have helped improve “the lives of more than 797,000 homeless, runaway and other vulnerable youth.”

That’s nearly 16,000 kids every single year for 50 years. Amazing, right?!

SDYS began in 1970 as “the first (ever!) emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youth in San Diego and one of only three [shelters] in the nation.” They serve youth from infancy all the way to age 25, offering long-term assistance like housing, vital necessities like food, and promoting positive life changes on an individual basis.

Overall, this organization accomplishes an incredible amount of work across San Diego County every single day.

As we talked to the woman from their staff, we were in awe of their holistic approach and accolades. We wanted to hear more and more about how they’ve been able to help so many youth – but you know what she surprised us with instead?!

She wanted to thank us for being their #1 largest in-kind donor!

Here’s what Laura O’Sullivan, Director of Philanthropy and Donor Engagement at SDYS said: “THANK YOU for being our largest in-kind sponsor in the agency. The youth at San Diego Youth Services are so very grateful for the support of your church and the love shared with them.”

Here we are shocked at all of the amazing things SDYS is doing; low and behold, she’s sitting across the table thinking the same thing about our church! I LOVE when God works this way!!!

In Impact, we spend our time and energy focusing on ways to be “good neighbors who go first.” We do this by putting the love of Jesus into action through extending our resources to community members and organizations who need it the most. We pack care kits, donate necessities, and host events where you all write notes and put them together with gifts for our neighbors.

It’s easy to walk away from our assemblies and events thinking it was simply an hour or so spent together with fellow church members and nothing more….

BUT! But, but, but my friends!!!

As it says in Romans 8:28 (MSG):

...we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Even when we’re not sure if what we do through our assembly events, tag drives, and Good Neighbor Days matters, God is working it alllllllllllll together for something good.

His good.

And we were so honored to receive a specific reminder of His goodness from our new friend Laura, at SDYS.

Keep it up friends! In August and September, we’re entering a new Impact season with a focus on supporting the Education system. So be on the lookout for even more ways to continue being good neighbors who go first.