Crisis hits, and we want to help those who are in the middle of that crisis. Ministering during these times can best be accomplished by multiple people, but coordinating the efforts of many can be a challenge. There are meals to organize, care visits, helping with chores, giving rides to doctor visits, and numerous other opportunities to minister. Needs may change based on whether the person is in the hospital or at home.
How do you quickly communicate the changing needs, invite people to help, and coordinate the response so schedules can be managed and people serve in the best way possible?
Recently a friend of my wife went through a difficult time with a health related matter. She was in and out to the hospital numerous times. Being a single person, she did not have anyone living with her who could help with some of the most basic of daily tasks.
There were a lot of people who wanted to help, several of whom did not know each other. So one of her friends set up a community of care through a site called Lotsa Helping Hands. Through this site, this person's friends and co-workers were able to coordinate their efforts to meet her many needs.
Below is a video from the CEO of Lotsa Helping Hands describing this free service.
Some of the features provided by Lotsa Helping Hands that help build community, extend care, give encouragement:
- Announcements
- Calendar where people can volunteer to meet a need
- Message Board
- Photo Gallery
- Well Wishes area to encourage the person
- Blog for the person being cared for
Great for ministering to:
- People with illness or recovering from surgery
- Giving caregivers a time to rest
- Helping military families during deployment
- Parents with newborns
- Victims of storm damage
Overall, this is a great tool for coordinating the efforts of several people in caring for individuals and families in times of need.
What are some other ways you see this tool being used to organize your ministry volunteers? Have you used this site or others like it?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”