Want to help with something specific?
Here are a few things
we need.
Here are a few things
we need.
- Two Brother MFC-9970CDW wireless laser all-in-one printers.
- 14-foot, dock-height box truck
- More volunteers to help with clothing, food and administration
The needs are endless. But our faith is deep. And every day, we turn that faith into action, meeting immediate needs while giving families the tools they need to build a better life for themselves and the next generation.
Food Pantry
At Salt & Light your donations help fill the cupboards of hundreds of families struggling to make ends meet. Through the Eastern Illinois Food Bank, we purchase food for about a tenth of what it normally costs, and we leverage that difference to supply food to over 350 families every week. Over time, we've become the largest emergency food program in Champaign County dispersing hundreds of thousands of pounds of food each and every year for families who have nowhere else to turn.Clothing Closet
The Clothing Closet is a short name for a big ministry that provides clothing and furniture to families in need. This popular community resource is totally reliant on donations from the community. And that community support has been nothing short of phenomenal. Since opening in 2004, we've handed out over 750,000 articles of clothing along with countless other items — all at no charge to those in need. To learn what and how you can donate to the Salt & Light Clothing Closet, click here.Financial Literacy
Through our thirteen-week Financial Peace University, we give families the tools they need to think beyond their short-term needs and put their financial house in order. Through the comprehensive curriculum created by best-selling author Dave Ramsey, we teach struggling families how to get out of debt, budget their expenses, plan for emergencies and establish a financial future that includes giving to others in need. Through this exceptional program, we also provide one-on-one counseling that addresses a number of related issues, helping participants with their parenting, coping, marriage and employment-related skills.Financial Counseling
In addition to general financial courses, we offer specific financial counseling to help families tackle specific issues like foreclosure, bankruptcy and financial judgments. Because our work is ministry focused, we receive no commissions for the advice we provide. So recipients can relax, knowing that the help we provide has their best interest at heart.Weekly Worship
As a Christ-centered outreach mission, we believe the eternal welfare of the families we serve is just as important as their short-term physical needs. At Salt & Light, we provide a weekly worship service every Wednesday morning that all families are welcome to attend, providing food for the soul.
In addition to weekly events, we host a number of highly anticipated annual events. Some are outreach missions. Others are fundraisers. But each is essential to our mission to serve our local community.
Family Resource Day
Back-to-school season is an exciting time for kids and a daunting time for parents faced with limited budgets and a long list of required school supplies. On the second Saturday of August, we bridge that gap, partnering with area churches through the Christian Mercy & Justice Network to help families prepare for the new school year. With their generous support, backpacks, school supplies, school physicals, food and clothing are all provided to families in Champaign County, free of charge.Underneath the Christmas Tree
To celebrate God's ultimate gift of love and the selflessness it inspires, we created our annual Christmas gift giveaway. Each December, we provide donated gifts, free wrapping, snacks and activities for children as their parents gather to select gifts for each other in a fun-filled, family-friendly event. Signup is held the first Monday and Wednesday after Thanksgiving with the actual gift giveaway taking place sometime in early December. Watch our News page for more details.Can-less Food Drive
Every fall, we put our fundraising cans in action, placing red and white donation cans at over 260 participating businesses throughout Champaign County. Every $10 we receive provides about $100 worth of groceries through the Eastern Illinois Food Bank, enabling us to help far more people than we might normally help through a traditional canned food drive.Saltapalooza
Held early in the summer, this annual benefit bike ride draws motorcycle enthusiasts from all over central Illinois. If you love the rev of an engine and the thrill of the open road, join your fellow road warriors for a fun-filled benefit ride, featuring a hearty breakfast, great raffle prizes and more.
Learn more at www.saltapalooza.org.