Warming Up Our Hearts

Our congregation, St. Johannes Lutheran Church, has partnered with Next Steps of South Carolina and The Navigation Center to support a vital ministry in the Charleston area. The Navigation Center is a non-profit that began by serving military veterans and has since expanded to help anyone in crisis. The Center's mission is to empower our most vulnerable neighbors by helping them navigate the complex system of services needed to rebuild sustainable, independent lives.

By providing a volunteer counselor and financial assistance from St Johannes and Next Steps of South Carolina, we join a powerful, collaborative network of over 70 organizations dedicated to this work. It is through this partnership that we can be part of true, lasting life change. Here are a few more stories of our neighbors who have been helped by this shared work.

Helping Lorrie Find Solid Ground

Lorrie (blonde hair) is 64 years old and lives on Social Security and disability benefits. Over time, she had taken out some high-interest loans and fallen behind on her rent. To her credit, she knows it. She openly acknowledged that she needs help with money management, and The Navigation Center is already working with her on that.

But right now, she was facing eviction. The longer-term work of getting her finances in order is important, but first, she needed a place to stay while that work happens. We were able to help enough to keep her in her apartment for another month. That's what this ministry does. We don't just hand someone money and walk away. We walk alongside them, giving them the time and space they need to make real, lasting change.

Standing by Zennie and Her Little Fighter

Zennie (long black hair) is a mother of two who is partially disabled but normally works part-time. Her one-year-old child is disabled and is fed through a tube in her stomach. That alone would be enough to test anyone's strength. But recently her little one has been ill, which has kept Zennie from working and caused her to fall behind on her electric bill.

On top of everything else, her child keeps trying to pull the g-tube out, which requires constant attention and vigilance. Zennie can pay part of the bill herself, but she needed help to keep her service from being disconnected. We were glad to step in and cover the rest. This is a mother doing everything she can for a child with extraordinary needs. When we help Zennie, we are loving one of God's most vulnerable little ones right along with her.

Advocating for Yancy in a Fight She Shouldn't Have to Fight

Yancy is a grandmother who has legal custody of her two grandsons. She is disabled but normally works part-time at a pizza restaurant to help make ends meet. She is doing everything right. But the government has been paying her less because it claims she was overpaid on her disability benefits, going all the way back to 2003.

When we looked closely at her paperwork, there appeared to be no factual basis for withholding her benefits. And yet she had never questioned it. She just accepted it. That's not uncommon. People in difficult circumstances often don't know they have the right to push back, or they simply don't have the energy to fight a bureaucratic battle on top of everything else.

We met with The Navigation Center's leadership, who agreed to advocate on her behalf. That is exactly the kind of justice work this ministry is about. It's not just about paying a bill. It's about standing up for someone who has been wronged. In the meantime, Yancy had fallen behind on her electric bill, and we helped her avoid having it disconnected. We are hopeful that the advocacy effort will restore what is rightfully hers.

Supporting Susan Through a System That Let Her Down

We didn't get to meet with Susan in person. She was in a meeting with State representatives, fighting a dispute with the management of her subsidized apartment. Management claims she owes back payments because the State retroactively reduced her subsidy and says she must pay the difference. She has been trying to do just that, but the situation has left her on the verge of losing her electric service.

Susan is dealing with a system that changed the rules on her after the fact. That's not fair, and it's not right. While she continues to fight that battle, we were able to pay enough to keep her electricity from being disconnected. Sometimes loving our neighbor means making sure the lights stay on while they fight for justice. We're glad we could do that for Susan.

Walking with Maddie Through Betrayal and a Fresh Start

Maddie (pink jacket) is a 78-year-old disabled woman who is one of the friendliest, most talkative people you could ever meet. She has a generous heart, which is part of what got her into trouble. She had been trying to help her grandson, but he stole money she had set aside to pay her rent. He no longer lives with her.

It's a painful thing to be betrayed by someone you love and were trying to help. But Maddie has come to an important realization: she needs to protect herself and avoid taking on others' financial burdens. We sat with her and went through her expenses in detail. St. Johannes and Next Steps were able to provide some help with her rent. Maddie's warmth and resilience were evident throughout our conversation. We left encouraged by her spirit and glad to have helped her stay on her feet.

Helping Andie and Her Son After an Unexpected Crisis

Andie and her son recently experienced a water leak in their home, and before it could be repaired, they incurred a huge water bill. Both of them have jobs, which speaks to their work ethic and determination. But Andie has not been cleared to return to work after tearing her rotator cuff, which has put real financial strain on the household.

Another agency stepped up and agreed to help, but only if we would contribute as well. We were glad to be part of that collaborative effort. That's the beauty of the network The Navigation Center has built. No single organization has to carry the whole load. When we all show up together, we can meet needs that none of us could handle alone. Andie and her son are hard workers who hit an unexpected wall. We were honored to help them get through it.

If you would like to know more about this ministry or how you can help, please let Tom or Pastor Aaron know.