A Little Change Makes a Big Difference: Trinity Lutheran Donates to MorningStar

in New Lenox made a little bit of change go a long way this month.

Organized by member Kim Blecke, the church collected coffee mugs and loose change—small, everyday items—and donated them to the MorningStar Mission homeless shelter in Joliet. In total, the church collected 204 mugs and $1,419.16.

Members of Trinity Lutheran volunteer twice a month at MorningStar to serve meals to the homeless. Blecke filled in a few months ago, and while she was there she was impressed that non-disposable items are used.

"I thought, 'Gee, they use coffee mugs and I bet you they get broken,'" Blecke said. "You can close the cabinet door with coffee mugs and they multiply in the dark."

She took that small household item and decided to fill the mugs with loose change. Blecke keeps a ginger jar at home for loose change and was sure other church members would have something similar.

"All we did was give out of what was leftover," she said. "It can be such a small thing that can make a difference. Imagine what you could do if you actually put you mind it."

Members from Trinity Lutheran traveled to Joliet on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a great day for service-oriented work and volunteerism, and delivered the $1,400 check to executive director Marilyn Farmer.

"Instead of just sending you a check I wanted to see more about all you guys did here," Jeff McDonald said. "This has been eye-opening."

Blecke and McDonald were joined by Ginny DeCarlo, Madelon Meents and Judy Wilmsen to tour MorningStar's facilities, including the drop-in center, classrooms, family rooms, men's emergency shelter and the dining hall.

Farmer said MorningStar served about 200,000 meals in 2011, up from 2010's amount.

"It's been increasing, unfortunately," she said. "I think you've helped with that."

Blecke said MorningStar can feed a person for about $2.05 meal. That means every parishoner at Trinity Lutheran donated about two meals to MorningStar.

Members from the church were interested in learning about more ways to help MorningStar and spreading that word to their parishioners and other churches in New Lenox. Blecke said the mindset of giving small donations is something that can be carried at all times.

"I think it should be done year round," she said. "I found a penny on the ground and thought, 'I need a mug to throw this in!'"

Interested in volunteering at MorningStar Mission? Read about opportunities here.