Thank you for your continued support which allows us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We pray for God’s will in this ministry to reach the vulnerable within the community. Matthew Barnett, Director of the Los Angeles Dream Center, recently summarized the needs of the homeless and which organizations are best suited to bring about change.
Those facing homelessness need more than just housing to build an independent lifestyle and thrive. They need community. They need mentors and friends. They need the genuine love and support that we all need when challenges come our way. In short, they need to be treated like human beings.
Churches and other faith-based organizations are often well-equipped to provide the type of nurturing environment that focuses on restoring whole beings. When organizations like these work hand-in-hand with the other agencies, the root causes of what leads to sustained homelessness are better uncovered so the pain and trauma that leads victims into a downward spiral can be addressed.
At Grace in Action, we provide that nurturing environment by continuing to serve hearty lunches in a welcoming atmosphere of conversation and relationship building. We offer bicycle repairs; provide laundry vouchers, haircuts, and bus passes; serve communion; and invite guests to the prayer corner. We also collaborate with community organizations and government agencies to assist our guests.
Your contributions help Grace in Action meet the needs of people we serve. Please consider a donation by sending a check to our address listed in the sidebar, or you may scan one of the following QR codes. The first will take you to our Big Day of Giving Edge, and the second will take you to our PayPal site.
Thank you again for your time and support.
Sincerely,
Edward Johnson
Executive Director
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Grace in Action is a Christ-centered community ministry equipping the churches to serve homeless individuals and those of low income by providing compassionate care, spiritual companionship, daytime respite, and referrals to local agencies. Building relationships in order to serve the most vulnerable individuals in Yolo County is always at the forefront of our activities. Grace in Action is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between our community of giving and local agency programs.
During 2023, Grace in Action returned to full indoor lunch service at two locations. On Mondays, lunch is served in the Fellowship Hall at United Methodist Church. On Wednesdays, lunch is served in the Fellowship Hall at Pole Line Baptist Church. At both churches, volunteers brew coffee, set out juice and water to drink, and fill the serving table with sandwiches, soup or salad, chips, fruit, dessert, cheese sticks, and other items that are offered on different days. The soups and salads are donated and prepared by our amazing volunteer Patti Miller. In addition, Patti brings chips, juice, and desserts along with special meals for those on restricted diets.
In addition to serving hearty lunches, our guests are offered on-site haircuts twice a month at United Methodist Church. Communion is offered most Wednesdays at Pole Line Baptist Church. Both sites offer prayer time at the dedicated Prayer Corner. John Castlefranco offers Bible Study sessions on many Mondays. Guests may obtain laundry vouchers and bus passes during the lunch hour. Bike repairs are also offered. Representatives from Legal Services of Northern California counsel guests once a month.
2023 was the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the formation of Grace in Action as a non-profit. The ministry was founded by Cindy Burger when she began giving water, sandwiches, and new socks out of the trunk of her car. United Methodist Church and University Covenant Church started welcoming guests indoors and the ministry grew from there. The 20th year celebration was held at United Methodist Church on October 7th. Board members provided brunch foods including quiche, breakfast breads, croissants, muffins, coffee, tea, juice and a delicious celebration cake. Nugget Market provided a large fresh fruit tray. Our weekly guests and our donors along with friends of the ministry were all invited. The participants enjoyed hearing several speakers share about their experiences with Grace in Acton. The highlight was hearing from all four directors of Grace in Action including founder Cindy Burger.
Steve Smith, Mary Lou Rossetto, Cindy Burger, Edward JohnsonBoard of Directors/staff-Edward Johnson, Lorell Hardaker, Rita Mt. Joy, Sue Ann Finley, Patti Miller, Nick Bua, Ann Marie McNulty. Not pictured Cindy Cherry
Three memorial celebrations were held in 2023 for Edward Whisler, David Peralta, and David Breaux at the Grace in Action Memorial Garden in the Grace Garden at United Methodist Church. The new memorial bricks were painted by volunteer artist Kristen Higgins. Kristen also refurbished many of the memorial bricks in the Memorial Garden. Volunteer David Mojica repainted the chairs and tables in the area and the Grace Garden crew extended the pathway.
At Christmas Pole Line Baptist Church donated Taco Bell gift cards for the gift bags. Grace in Action included hats, gloves, and hand-warmers in the gift bags. On many Saturdays in the fall, Grace in Action had an information table at the Davis Farmer’s Market which Patti Miller and Edward Johnson set-up and monitored with the help of some of our regular guests. Church service visitations were started in November with University Covenant Church. More visits will continue in 2024
137 unique individuals were registered with Grace in Action in 2023. During the year, more than 2260 lunches were served. Usually there were more guests at Pole Line Baptist church with an average of 24 guests although on many days over 30 guests were served. At United Methodist Church an average of 21 guests were served each day. The lunches were provided by volunteer lunch providers from several churches along with what Patti Miller donated. There were usually three or more volunteers at each site for 2 ½ hours each day. A minimum of 765 volunteer hours were donated just at the sites but many more hours are given through the haircut volunteer, lunch providers, transportation volunteers, Bible study and Communion leaders, etc.
During the 2023 fiscal year, Grace in Action received a $1000 grant from Soroptimist International Davis for our Direct Services portion of the budget. Yolo Federal Credit Union contributed $500 towards the Direct Services portion of the budget. Renova Solar gave 100 solar battery chargers to our program. A private donor gave a generous donation to buy gift cards for the Davis Police Department to use when encountering people on the street in need of services. Grace in Action participated in the Big Day of Giving for the first time in May 2023 and received $2605.36 in donations. Additional income sources were: churches gave $17,028.56, individual donors gave $35,058.16, plus our grant and miscellaneous funds from interest, etc. Total income for the 2023 fiscal year was $55,865.62.
Expenses during the year included $14,978.99 for Direct Services including emergency housing, guest supplies, food, health related issues, transportation (bus passes etc.), and laundry vouchers, bike repairs, and haircuts. Operational expenses totaled $5,580.62 for liability insurance, office and publicity needs, telephone, Quickbooks, advertising, etc. Personnel Expenses totaled $39,219.96. Total expenses for the 2023 fiscal year were $59,779.57. Our reserves were used to cover the shortfall of $3,913.95. Board Members included Nick Bua, President, Lorell Hardaker Vice President, Sue Ann Finley/Scott Heald Secretaries, Rita Mt. Joy Treasurer, Ann Marie McNulty, Patti Miller, and Cindy Cherry. Audrey Haverstock provided part-time bookkeeping services and Edward Johnson served as Executive Director.
In this fall season, Grace in Action continues to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve those without shelter or basic needs. Your giving allows us to continue our work as we tackle the issues associated with homelessness.
The reality is that in a broken world with broken systems, we continue to see more broken people coming forward. The silver lining is that God is faithful and never disappoints. He shows up time and time again. My hope is that God will continue to allow us to steward abounding love, grace, and guidance pointing back to Him.
Since returning to full services after the pandemic, we have served more than 100 individual guests, and new people continue to come. We are finding that our time and resources are requiring more funds than ever before. I will be honest—we need volunteers and donations. Do you know of other churches or organizations that would be willing to donate to this ministry? Grace in Action would greatly appreciate your help. The truth is that we need your gifts in this season
Grace in Action seeks to be God’s vessel of change in how people view themselves as we serve lunches made each month by our amazing lunch providers, assist with parts for bike repairs, give vouchers for clothing and laundry, provide haircuts and hygiene kits, offer bus passes, and participate in community partnerships for larger items like car repairs or emergency housing. Most importantly, we continue to offer conversation, community, and an opportunity for prayer, Bible study, and communion for each guest who wishes to participate.
Grace in Action is supported by amazing volunteers, individual donors, and several local churches. We participate in the Big Day of Giving (Giving Edge) and also accept donations through Pay Pal and of course through our local post office. Our PO address is Grace in Action, PO Box 4393, Davis CA 95617. Our Pay Pal and Giving Edge connection is listed in the How to Help section of the website.
We pray for God’s will in this ministry to reach the vulnerable within our community. We greatly appreciate your help with this mission God has put before us.
Grace in Action is small but awesome. When David came up against Goliath he had a few stones, faith and a mighty God. As a nonprofit we are very much like that young
boy – facing huge challenges with little more than a director, two dozen dedicated volunteers and some faithful donors. Facing homelessness can be overwhelming and seem insurmountable. It is like confronting a giant, but we have a God who does not leave us alone in the battle. He does amazing work through His humble servants and reveals small and large miracles often. Many times when a guest has given up hope of ever changing their life’s direction, God can step in and show us that through Christ all things are possible.
We live in a community overflowing with material abundance, but too often spiritual destitution. Many charities offer a meal or short-term relief from life on the streets. At Grace in Action, in addition to providing food and other services, we see our guests as sons and daughters of a loving Father in need of His grace and love. With each interaction, we seek to be His hands and feet. We work to show them who they are in God’s eyes, loved and treasured and worthy of more.
Grace in Action’s director and volunteers take time to sit with our guests and to get to know them as individuals with unique stories. Trust develops as we walk alongside these men and women who are facing difficult challenges.
Recently there has been a growing focus on the foster care system and the collateral damage caused by broken families. Statistics are bleak for youth raised in foster care. One in five individuals over eighteen will become homeless. We work with a number of individuals who grew up here in Davis as foster children and now are homeless. Some of those individuals have children and sadly their children are now in the foster care system. We need your help to assist those who are trapped in cycles of systemic oppression. God’s love leads to transformation and a new identity. Grace in Action is more than a place to get lunch. Our guests find a healthy community where basic needs are met and love and acceptance abounds.
It is with thanksgiving that I pray for continued blessings for Grace in Action. Please join us in supporting this exciting, essential local ministry. God multiplies every gift of time, energy, in kind donation and money. Together we will continue to battle giants.
In His Name,
Mary Lou Rossetto
Director, Grace in Action
Comments Off on Grace in Action Summer Ministry Update 2014
The members of the Grace in Action Board of Directors would like to share exciting updates about this ministry with you. We also have new ways you can learn about our activities through published interviews with our Ministry Director, Mary Lou Rossetto. Enjoy reading the updates, and click on the links below. Also, please let us know if you would like more information about how you, too, can be involved.
Our laundry ministry has been a huge success, with vouchers given to some guests each month to clean their clothes and other belongings. Your donations and a grant from Soroptimist International of Davis fund this ministry, along with the generosity of the Laundry Lounge.
Several guests have benefited from the services of a local optometrist who provides eye examinations and glasses at a reduced rate paid by Grace in Action thanks to the support of our partner churches and individual donors.
Donations to Grace in Action allow guests in need of clothing to go shopping with the director at local thrift stores.
Some guests who have stepped away from homelessness and into jobs and housing continue to visit Grace in Action to encourage others.
Recently a guest was given several nights in a clean motel room while recovering from a hospital stay, thanks to funds from a grant from St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and emergency funds from other churches.
Thank you for your continued interest in Grace in Action as we strive to reach out to those without shelter and basic needs.
During this Thanksgiving season, we are so grateful for God’s provision for this ministry and for your part in helping those who are facing difficulties. I’d like to share with you a glimpse into a “typical” day at Grace in Action.
As the day begins, volunteers come to the host church site to prepare for our guests. The volunteers represent many churches in Davis but we all have a common goal- to feed the bodies and souls of those struggling with homelessness and to provide a place of rest and respite. After coffee is made and the tablecloths are laid out, we gather to pray. We praise God for His goodness and for His love and thank Him for His blessings: for a place to gather, for food, for dedicated volunteers and supporters and for changed lives for many of our guests. After saying “Amen”, we put out the purple and white sign letting folks know we are open. We provide a warm welcome and the love of Christ to each person entering the door. Everyone is greeted by name and invited to sit at the long tables to eat. There are smiles as we take time to sit and talk with each individual.
New volunteers are often surprised by the pleasant atmosphere at lunchtime where there is acceptance and community. Besides getting a hearty lunch, guests may get a new pair of socks, a bus ticket to access services in Woodland or a voucher to do their laundry at the local laundromat. Other services our guests may receive are haircuts, legal aid and appointments for optometric care. I meet with individuals to help them with referrals or arrange to meet with them on another day to help them with specific needs.
A man who is a veteran shares that he is extremely grateful for Grace in Action because he feels loved and knows that people care about him. During the last few months he has shared his hopes and dreams, triumphs and struggles. We provided for some of his practical needs- clothing, a tarp and comfortable, size 13, double-wide shoes. He says living without shelter has been incredibly tough but that we have helped him survive. He explains that we gave him more than “things”; we gave him a place to feel comfortable and belong.
It is through our service that we see the depth of God’s love not only for us but also for those who are on the margins of society. Whether you are a donor, a lunch maker, a pie baker, a soup chef, or a minister of hospitality, every contribution (great or small) is important and we are very thankful.
With an overflowing heart,
Happy Thanksgiving,
Mary Lou Rossetto
I have been contemplating the words to one of my favorite songs by Mercy Me: I Can Only Imagine. It says “You are beautiful in His eyes.” I dream of a world where people know that they are truly loved and are able to extend love to others.
Recently I drove by a thin woman carrying heavy bags. She limped as she trudged up an overpass. I recognized her as a Grace in Action guest who had previously shared her struggles with me. When I first met her, I wondered how she had become homeless, when she has a master’s degree and has taught at a local college. Those with mental illness often don’t realize their need for services and those over 18 may refuse treatment.
I pulled into a parking lot and tried to flag her down. She cowered and continued talking to herself as she attempted to avoid me. I called out her name and she looked up, recognized me and smiled. She greeted me by name and gave me a warm hug. We chatted for a while and I told her I had a pair of tennis shoes her size. The ratty shoes on her feet had huge holes in the bottoms. She explained that bunions were causing her pain but that she had to keep walking because she didn’t have anywhere to go. Someone had thrown away her sleeping bag that she had carefully put in a plastic bag and hidden in the bushes. I gave her a tarp and sleeping bag to keep her warm and dry during the impending storm. She shared her dream of going back into teaching and also her fear of going to the temporary winter shelter. Because she had a trusting relationship with me, I was able to encourage her to get temporary shelter the following week. How many people pass by her when they see her disheveled, dirty clothes and notice that she has not showered? This beautiful woman who is struggling with mental illness is vulnerable and is not able to advocate for herself. When she comes to Grace in Action she is valued and loved.
People often distance themselves from someone who appears to be homeless or is exhibiting signs of mental illness because they don’t know how to help. Grace in Action strives to be a caring community that reaches out to those struggling with mental illness as well as those who are without shelter and basic needs. We want to continue to reach out to those unable to access the resources that are available. Through our lunch program, laundry ministry, referrals, and other services, Grace in Action is able to develop trusting relationships so we can assist in reintegrating people back into the community. We are being moved to action to serve those who are often ignored!
Thank you for joining with us through your financial support, your gifts of hearty sandwiches, and your gifts of time through volunteering in this ministry. Thank you for joining in this important work of giving compassionate care to lonely, broken children of God.
It’s no coincidence. God is connecting the dots of His plan.
Who is my brother or sister? How can we love those who are alienated, isolated, unloved, unseen and avoided? Who in our community are “the least of these?” My heart breaks for those who suffer from mental illness, are homeless and aren’t accessing available resources. One woman facing these circumstances is named “Sue” (name changed). Sue has yet to access our lunch program, legal aid services, or Bible studies. I keep praying for opportunities to make meaningful contact with her and for doors to be opened to better her circumstances.
Each Tuesday I do outreach to homeless individuals in town for several hours. Greeting people by name and caring about them lifts their spirits. It’s an opportunity to visit with folks and get to know them better. Recently, I saw Sue sitting on a cement bench downtown. She was wrapped in a dirty, grey blanket, with bare legs showing and only sandals on her feet – despite 60-degree temperatures. Sitting next to her was another woman who was warmly dressed in a blue sweater. As I watched, I could see that they were deep in conversation. My heart leapt with joy because I knew someone had made a connection with Sue. I knew God was at work! Someone in our community was connecting with this person who had consistently shunned assistance. I did not want to interrupt their conversation, so I placed a jacket, rain poncho and some basic toiletries on a bench nearby in hopes that Sue would take the items. As I left I said a prayer for Sue and the other woman. I would probably never know that other woman, but I prayed for her.
After talking with several other homeless individuals, I drove my outreach assistant back to the church where he had parked his car. I reflected on the past two days. Because of Grace in Action an elderly man got a tarp to keep his sleeping bag dry. A couple was able to wash their clothes for the first time in months at a local Laundromat, thanks to our Laundry Ministry. Hand warmers were distributed to help keep men sleeping outside more comfortable. Bus tickets helped guests get to appointments. “Gifts” like these were possible because of donations to Grace in Action. When I give out these items I often get something in return – smiles, hugs, thanks and tears of gratefulness. It is important to continue to develop relationships with folks who are homeless, to offer God’s love and hope, and to connect folks in community.
After waving good-bye to my outreach volunteer, I looked across the parking lot. Who was walking in front of me? The lovely woman in the blue sweater who had been sitting with Sue! I ran after her and introduced myself. I explained to her that I’d seen her sitting with Sue, and told her about the Grace in Action ministry. She said she was a psychiatric nurse and was a member of a Davis church. She expressed concern about the plight of people like Sue, and she shared that her heart also breaks for our most needy neighbors. We exchanged phone numbers and vowed to keep in touch. What might develop out of this relationship? I’m excited to find out.
What are the chances that I would see this lady and run into her again across town on the same day? Coincidence…? A wise Christian woman I know told me to look for dots to connect as I do God’s work. I thanked God for connecting the dots of His plan. God continues to bring people together to demonstrate His love. Thank you for supporting Grace in Action with financial help, in-kind donations and your time. You are blessing individuals each day, and for that I am extremely thankful.
