Nancy Lear is a devoted volunteer and Della Lamb board member. As a retired lawyer, Nancy brings a strong sense of organization and strategy to both her volunteer efforts and board meetings. She first got involved with Della through Country Club Christian, a KC church that has provided significant support over the past 10 years. While COVID-19 has been an obstacle for our dedicated volunteers from Country Club Christian, the group has continued to support financially and we are so excited to have them back soon!
The first time I volunteered at Della Lamb was several years ago around Thanksgiving. I volunteered for a couple of hours with other members of our Sunday School class filling grocery bags that would be given out to families Thanksgiving. It was just a one-time thing. The next year, I volunteered getting bags ready for Operation Santa. The process for putting together the bundles of clothing together was pretty disorganized, and I like to organize things. I was hooked.
About that time our congregation, Country Club Christian Church, began partnering with Della Lamb, and one of the projects we partnered on was readying houses for newly arrived refugees. A group of us began working regularly on this project. We wash dishes, make beds, clean bathrooms and do whatever else is needed for an apartment or house to be a welcoming place for incoming refugees. In time, it became a regular Tuesday morning gig. On Tuesdays that there were no homes to prepare, we continued to work inventorying and preparing clothing for Operation Santa.
During COVID, I have tried to pitch in when I can. After being fully vaccinated, I have been working a couple of hours each week in the food pantry.
Members of our congregation have interacted with Della Lamb programs in a number of ways: tutoring; ESL; painting classrooms; providing food and other items for the food pantry; working in the food pantry; securing, inventorying, and securing donations for refugee homes; preparing homes for refugees; securing, inventorying and distributing clothing bundles for Operation Santa/Holidays; helping refugees prepare job resumes; volunteering during distribution days at Operation Holidays; volunteering in food drive at a local grocery store. In addition, we established a joint choir with members of our congregation and Della Lamb clients, although this project ended after a couple of years. In one recent year, Country Club Christian members volunteered more than a thousand hours with Della Lamb.
An important part of our partnership is the continuing education of our congregation about Della Lamb and its programs. We have had representatives of Della Lamb talk to elementary children at vacation church school, interact with youth and make presentations to various adult groups. We try to involve congregants of all ages in appropriate projects. For example, children sorting toys for Operation Holidays and preparing clothing bundles, while learning about refugees. We had an all-church project to furnish an entire refugee house for a family of six, which has resulted in older church members continuing to donate furniture and other household items when they are no longer needed.
Finally, partly because of our in-person volunteering, our congregation has continued to provide financial support to Della Lamb on a regular basis.
Country Club Christian Church has a long history of outreach in the Metro area, including service to Della Lamb. About 10 years ago we decided to be more intentional in both our service and monetary support of local agencies. We determined to identify agencies in the Northeast who shared our vision of partnership and service, and Della Lamb was identified as one of those agencies. The partnership has proved rewarding, and we hope to expand the scope of our partnership.
At least 2 years. The role of the board is to make policy for the staff to carry out and to be supportive of the staff in putting those policies into action.
Just your basic board member who asks lots of questions. I have also participated in interviewing potential staff members.
Because I have worked mainly with the refugee resettlement program and clothing for Operation Holidays, I guess I am most proud of those programs. But I am also proud of how many church members have learned about the programs of Della Lamb and have volunteered their time and treasure to further those programs.
I would just say, come and see what Della is doing and you will want to support its programs.
