Operation: Quiet Comfort

The mission of Operation: Quiet Comfort (OQC) is to honor and comfort our U.S. Military Men and Women who are serving overseas. We do this by sending 20-40 large care packages each month to troops stationed around the world. The packages include mainly hygiene and food items. We also send quilts and shower shoes, and we do our best to fill any other special requests. All packages include notes of encouragement and appreciation from people around the country. OQC is 100% volunteer with no paid staff. We rely solely on donations to keep these packages going. At Christmas we send over 2,000 stockings filled with goodies. We serve them while they are serving our country. Anything to make their days a little brighter. Our average monthly postage expense is $1,200.00.

David’s Courage

Our mission is to have a lasting change of spiritual, emotional, physical and financial health of those who are struggling with addiction. We will provide a therapeutic community where a safe, consistent and caring environment creates an atmosphere that is conducive to recovery and change.

Our program is a one-year recovery program for men recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Included in the program are three phases in our transitional residency facility. Our home provides a safe and supportive environment to support growth in recovery and a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our program is partnered with rehabilitation programs and provides individuals the opportunity through discipleship and assisted living to reintegrate into the community as productive citizens.

Kids Hope

Kids Hope is a mentoring program run by Crossroads Church in Plymouth, IN. They have 28 volunteers who spend one hour a week with one child at Jefferson Elementary School. The program has been at Jefferson for the last nine years and Crossroads hopes to begin providing mentors at Washington Elementary School in the fall of 2024.

Operation Lend a Hand

In December of 2023, devastating tornadoes in hit regions of Kentucky, Tennessee & Alabama. After hearing of the storms, Reese Weil, a high school senior at the time, jumped into action. He worked quickly to organize a campaign, raise funds, and collect donations for the thousands of individuals affected. Through this campaign, Reese was inspired by another non-profit, YAIPak, who strives to meet the needs of those who are neglected, hurting, or affected by disaster, wherever they may be. Those words spoke to Reese and he made it his mission to start his own organization to help the cause. By the spring of 2024, his dream became a reality and Operation Lend A Hand became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization…all before he graduated high school!

Operation Lend A Hand, Inc., or OPLAH for short, wants to continue their efforts for those impacted by disaster all over the country. Disaster, no matter how big or small, can hit anyone at any hour of any day. OPLAH has many different areas in which they impact the community, including The Closet of Grace, Disaster Relief Team, School Partnership Program and more.

The Closet of Grace was established to support families in the community who are facing hardships and challenging circumstances. Its mission is to provide essential resources and assistance to those in need, helping them navigate through tough times with dignity and hope. Located in Walkerton, IN, The Closet of Grace aims to serve individuals in the counties of St. Joseph, Marshall, Starke and LaPorte counties.

The Disaster Relief Team jumps into action following any major natural disaster, such as the tornadoes that recently touched down in Marshall County. The team’s goal is to assist first responders safely clear a scene, understand the needs of those impacted, and establish a a relief center to distribute needed items. The team also promotes storm awareness through education social media.

Just like state before, no disaster is too small for OPLAH. The School Partnership Program allows school clubs or other youth organizations such as 4-H, church groups, etc. to give back to their community. These group volunteering their time and effort through events planned, organized and hosted by OPLAH.

Special Olympics- Marshall Starke County

Special Olympics provides year round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Over the past 23 years that I have been involved I have seen positive changes in the lives of many special needs individuals both in skills and abilities in their sport but also in other aspects of their lives which makes them better members of our community. The Marshall-Starke program restarted several years ago and they have been growing since. They have more athletes, sports, volunteers, donors and community involvement then ever before and have plans for more. The program is led by a strong management team with very dynamic leaders.

Tyner IOOF #821

We are a 501C3 Nonprofit charitable origination based in Tyner Indiana. We run a Mobile Fish fry Bus, and are looking to help fund a building to be able to the bus when not in use. We just obtained and outfitted this new bus and want to be able to keep it covered when not in use.

As an organization, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows aims to provide a framework that promotes personal and social development. Lodge degrees and activities aim to improve and elevate every person to a higher, nobler plane; to extend sympathy and aid to those in need, making their burdens lighter, relieving the darkness of despair; to war against vice in every form, and to be a great moral power and influence for the good of humanity.