Forward
2024 marks two and a half years of Forward’s ministry to families in Lincoln. Forward continues to grow, and God provides new support to sustain our ministry. There is truly no way to talk about Forward without acknowledging God’s blessings and work. Thank you, God, for all the ways You have blessed Forward in 2023!
Looking at the graph below, you can see Forward’s growth is not slowing down! Maintaining the nearly 200 families we served in 2022, we served an additional 243 new families in 2023! Although not every family returns, relationships with families continue to deepen. We celebrated many new babies and older siblings “graduating” from diapers after successfully potty-training. More children attended Forward with their parents this year and they love playing with our dollhouse and toy kitchen. It is so sweet when the Trinity House is filled with the sound of children and when we meet new babies, some less than a week old!
This year we distributed 239,528 diapers/pull-ups and 5,198 packages of wipes, almost 100,000 more diapers/pull-ups than 2022 and over 2,000 more packages of wipes. An increase in families and in the cost of diapers means we are spending around $5,000 a month on supplies. Thanks to your generous donations and support from partner organizations, we have met this growing demand, but keeping up with these numbers and growing more in 2024 will require more partnerships, grants, and donors supporting Forward’s ministry.
Our incredible volunteer team is a vital part of Forward’s ministry! Between packaging diapers, organizing Forward+, and our distributions more than ten volunteers each week are serving multiple hours to make just one distribution possible. We are also incredibly thankful for the financial support of Grace Chapel, diaper donations from No Greater Love, and for the donations of diapers, wipes, and volunteers from Christ Lincoln. Thank you to the many people who requested Thrivent Action Grants for distributions, and to students from Trinity Lutheran School who donated supplies and volunteer hours. Thanks to Connie and the Schelming family for the hours each week they put into Forward+ and to all our new volunteers helping with washing donations for Forward+! Forward would not be able to serve so many families without this growing network of support.
Other highlights this year for Forward included an article on Forward published in the Spring 2023 edition of the “Lutherans Engage” magazine. Forward made the front cover and received donations from individuals across the United States who were moved to contribute to Forward’s ministry. This fall we launched a partnership with EveryLife, a pro-life diaper company. You can use the code “TRINITYLCS10” to receive 10% off your diaper order and 10% of your order total will be donated to Forward! This Christmas, thanks to a very generous donation of toys, we opened the “Forward Christmas Toy Shop” where families were able to “shop” for Christmas toys for their children.
If you would like to be involved with Forward, there are many ways to do so. First, you can volunteer for our distribution hours, to package diapers, or to wash donated clothing for Forward+. Financial support is also greatly appreciated. Requesting Thrivent Action Grants for distributions is another easy way to support Forward’s ministry. All diapers purchased through Trinity are purchased tax exempt and at the lowest costs possible to make our donations stretch as much as they can. If you would like to learn more about Forward and how you can get involved, contact Bethany Gebers at bgebers@trinityoflincoln.org or 402-474-0606. Thank you for supporting Forward!
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:3-6
Pray
- The families who attend Forward would know God’s love for them and their children.
- Thanksgiving for the donors and volunteers who make the ministry of Forward possible.
- For God to provide new donors, grant opportunities, and support so Forward can support our current families and continue to grow in 2024.
Give
Help us fill our shelves! Donations for Forward can always be given by checking the “Forward” box on the Outreach envelopes. For January and February anything given in the Outreach envelopes will be given to Forward to purchase diapers and wipes. Donations of diapers, specifically sizes 4-6 and pull-ups, and wipes are also welcome! These can be left in the barrels in the Narthex or the Fellowship Hall. Please also consider what circles you are part of and who may want to support Forward financially or through a diaper drive!
Serve
There are many ways to serve with Forward! Please contact Bethany at bgebers@trinityoflincoln for how you can get involved!
Please also consider attending the Walk for Life on Saturday, January 27th. Doors at Trinity will be open at 8AM for coffee and donuts and to hear some speakers in the Fellowship Hall. The worship service will begin at 9AM and our group will walk over to the Capitol building by 10AM.