At Heavenly Chapel Online Church and Ministry, the funds you donate are used to support a number of causes Close to our hearts. The inspiration to reach out and help dates back to my childhood days. Days in which my mother would help the homeless, which at the time was a relatively small problem at the time, in an area of Baltimore County, Maryland, where we lived. She started out giving them food, and developed a trust between her and the person she was helping. If that trust developed, she would invite the person she was helping to the house for meals. If the trust developed further, she would provide them with a place to live, with the stipulation that they had to be working within a certain period of time, and then she would help them to find work. Once working, she expected the person to pay a share of the bills, but the amount was relatively low because she wanted them to save their money and get a place of their own within say, a year.
She expected them not to overindulge in alcohol, and drug use was absolutely forbidden. Through her system, some never made it to be invited to meals, of those that were invited to meals, some were never invited to use the room she had available for them to stay. She did successfully help a number of people to get back on their feet though, working and getting a place of their own. She provided them with bus fare to get to their job interviews but never gave them any money aside from that. When they got their job, she provided them with bus fare until they got their first paycheck, and then they were expected to pay their way after that, but you get the picture. She helped people the best way she knew how.
Several times she gave juveniles a place to stay because of the situation they were in, which was usually abusive living situations at their own homes. THIS WAS NOT THROUGH THE FOSTER SYSTEM. She never got paid to take them in. She worked to keep them OUT of the foster system. The mothers of these children were usually grateful for the help. They were in abusive situations themselves. But anyway, the point is, she tried, with her own meager means, to help those who wanted help, the best way she knew how.
My wife Marlene and I decided to develop our own way of doing what we could to help, which resulted in this ministry, and registration as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, so that we could collect donations, giving the donors a tax-deductible way of helping out as well. What we have listed here, are several programs we are developing, and we need your help to make it all happen. We are asking for donations for each program as we put it into place, and funds donated to a particular cause will be used in its entirety for that cause. Full transparency will be put into place, with quarterly reports being published and available for download so anyone who wants to see where the money went, will be able to do so at any time. Right now, as of July 12, 2024, the 501(c)3 certification is pending, but we do expect it to be in place before the end of the tax year.
Our Causes
- General Offering Fund – This fund is put into place to handle the general operating costs of the organization. This covers the cost of website operations including server costs The certain taxes that must still be paid, office expenditures and record-keeping costs, accounting and so on and so forth. In other words, this fund covers the cost of operating the ministry business.
- Homeless Outreach Fund – This one will provide limited food to the homeless, but primarily water on the hottest of days, blankets, and maybe some coats for those in need during the cold months. Work with individuals in trying to find them housing and shelter. This program will have the strongest focus on seniors, veterans, and families.
- Senior Citizen Outreach Fund – This program will focus on seniors in need who may need financial help with medications, some extra food to get them through the month or any other need they may have.
- Pet Healthcare Fund – This program is exactly what it sounds like. A pet may be ill or injured and need to see a vet, or maybe it needs medications or it may need to be spayed or neutered and the owner simply does not have enough resources to cover the costs. This would be another program that could help seniors, but it can be applied for by anyone who can demonstrate a need for the help.
- Mobile Ministry Fund – Right now the ministry is focused on Hemet, California, but our goal is to send a team all over California so we have set up the mobile ministry fund to cover the costs involved in doing such a program.
- Utility Assistance Fund – Exactly as it says. Those who can demonstrate a need for the program, primarily seniors, veterans and families with small children can apply and based on funds availability, get a portion of their bill funded by the ministry up to a pre-set limit. Those applying would be expected to seek help elsewhere to cover what this program is unable to.
- Rent Assistance Fund – Like utility assistance, we would pledge to help in a certain amount, but those seeking assistance would need to seek help elsewhere as well.
- St Jude Children’s Hospital Fund – Each quarter, whatever is collected for this program will be sent to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
- Shriners Hospital Fund – Each quarter, whatever is collected for this program will be sent to the Shriner’s Hospital.
- American Cancer Society Fund – Each quarter, whatever is collected for this program will be sent to the American Cancer Society.
- American Heart Association Fund – Each quarter, whatever is collected for this program will be sent to the American Heart Association.
- American Diabetes Association Fund – Each quarter, whatever is collected for this program will be sent to the American Diabetes Association.
As each program is put into place, a page will be created for it, where donors will be able to see reports and make donations, aside from the buttons that will appear on the front page as well. Most will take some time to be put into place, however, as guidelines have to be written that will govern how each program works.
Remember, any earning from advertising that is acted upon on this website also helps to keep things going, so when you act on these ads from places like Amazon and such are funds that go into the general operating fund unless stated otherwise, so when you buy these shirts or other products that have been designed and listed for sale it helps us to keep things going.