My wonderful friend Susie Wiberg, who has her heart on the pulse of needs in the community, gave me a quick tour of Iredell Christian Ministries this morning. Awesome to see the vibrance of this organization, as people can come by to get food and other things they need to take care of their family.

One of the big needs at the moment is dog food. I know some folks are a bit judgmental of people having pets while struggling to feed themselves and their family, but before judgment think of how many people are one paycheck away from being in their circumstance. Also think of where strays are often dumped (often near low income neighborhoods.) Think of how much comfort your pets give you, when sadness or illness or struggle hits. I know a lot of compassionate people, so I know we can meet this need.

You can either drop off a donation at ICM (Monday or Tuesday 9-12 a.m.,), or even order on Amazon and get it shipped right there. Big bags are good….they break them down to about 10 lb. bags for the people.

Also if you have clothes or toys or household items you are getting rid of, or extra personal items you cannot use, they have a “free for the taking” section where you can drop things off. I had a couple of blood donation T-shirts (I never want them myself but get the largest sizes available for just this purpose) in my car and when I hung them I I noticed that there wasn’t much there. (One thing I usually tell people….donate new or gently used items, not your rags. Use those for rags! People deserve items of dignity.)

Address for ICM is:

752 Old Salisbury Rd

Statesville, NC 29677

They are located behind the Partnership for Young Children.

If you’re not in our community, you can still donate, but look for a like-minded organization who is serving the poor in your area. This is a universal need.