A Look Back on 2017 | Education, Nourishment, Revitalization
At The Good Samaritan Inn, we create opportunities and improve the lives of our economically disadvantaged neighbors through:
Daily nourishment,
Job training programs, and
Neighborhood revitalization.
And we happily do our work with the support of our community.
We're growing better together.
Nourishing the Community: 120,000+ meals served in 2017
With your help, the Good Samaritan Inn served 120,000 meals to community members in need of a hot meal in 2017. Each month, we fed 980 hot meals to children who - for one reason or another - don’t have access to a hot meal at home.
Like Owen, age 4, who loves Paw Patrol, singing, and the color red. Owen enjoys hot pockets and taking the bus once or twice a week to The Good Samaritan Inn for lunch with his mother, who is currently out of work.
Educating and Training the Community
In 2017, we continued to meet the needs of the community and transition individuals from unemployment to employability. Cindy Jackson, Educational Programs Coordinator at The Inn, led four sessions of The Mercy Program job skills training, including:
A CSA program at HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital: customer service, time management and financial management
Train-the-Trainer Series: goal-setting and working on a team
14 students graduated from Mercy Programs in 2017, including two graduates who transitioned to The Good Samaritan Inn staff members!
Your giving creates change
In the 2017 growing season, we:
Planted over 150,000 seeds,
Harvested much-needed food,
Expanded our hydroponic growing,
Revitalized Old Kings Orchard neighborhood in 2018 to transition vacant lots into urban farms
Expanded the growing space of HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital
and so much more!
This work creates more training opportunities, more work opportunities for community members, and increased production of local food to use in our shop kitchen.
Growing Better Together
More gardens = a more vibrant neighborhood
In 2017, we strengthened partnerships with HSHS St. Mary’s and Crossing Healthcare.
Worked with Mary’s Garden to produce food on St. Mary’s Hospital property.
Worked with the garden at Crossing Healthcare to produce food for a prescription produce program.
Keeping local foods local
Last year, The Inn partnered with Jubilee Farms to bring more local food into our soup kitchen. Jubilee Farms had already been donating its local produce to the soup kitchen.
But late last year we had the pleasure of introducing an official partnership between The Inn and Jubilee Farms. This partnership ensures local food stays local, while also providing delicious, healthy meals for people who need it.
We also partnered with
Richland Community College Culinary Arts
The Salvation Army
Crossing Healthcare
Millikin University Big Blue Backpacks
Ameren Illinois
HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital
Eisenhower High School
U of I Extension
Church partners and gracious volunteers
100+ volunteers at Comcast Cares Day
Your partnerships make us better by sharing the work that can sometimes overwhelm even the strongest individuals.
In 2018 and beyond
In 2018, we are excited to come together with The Salvation Army men’s shelter for a combined job skills training opportunity.
Fiscal Year 2017 Expenses
*Salaries include staff, apprentices, and our garden and kitchen workers.
Support The Good Samaritan Inn!
Your financial support affirms the work we do for our community.
Your financial support helps us buy food, operate our building, provide scholarships for our students, and purchase seed and other garden supplies. We also accept in-kind donations of food, kitchen supplies, and garden items.
Together, as we pray for one another, we are better because we know we have not been asked to do this work alone.
Would you like to learn more? View our full Annual Report here!