Mission and Services Offered:

Salt & Light is a nonprofit Christian organization which seeks to provide those in the Champaign County area who are at or below the poverty line with their basic needs. This is accomplished mainly through their food pantry and clothing closet, which take donations from the community and provides free access to those they serve on certain days of the week. The organization also offers financial literacy education, using Dave Ramsey’s thirteen-week course, Financial Peace University. One-on-one counseling is also available for those with specific financial issues. Computer instruction programs are also offered in the organization's computer lab. More information on their programs and services can be found here: http://www.saltandlightministry.org/our-services/

History

Salt & Light was founded in 2003 and opened its doors in 2004 to serve the public. The three founding members are still involved in Salt & Light. The organization is Christian based, as the mission is to “share the love of God by helping those in need.” The name Salt & Light comes from Matthew 5:13–16,  which is where Jesus tells his disciples to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Although Salt & Light has seen steady, and sometimes overwhelming, growth ever since their doors opened, the biggest turning point for the organization came in 2009 when a member family was chosen to be on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In the process of building the family a new home, the crew of the show also performed major renovations of the Salt & Light building and facilities. The publicity of the event also rapidly increased community awareness of what the organization does and their need for volunteers and donations. Since Extreme Makeover, Salt & Light has seen rapid growth of the number of people lining up to receive help. In addition to their weekly hours of food and clothing distribution, Salt & Light has hosted special events to help the community, such as filling backpacks with the necessary back-to-school supplies for the families they serve and serving Thanksgiving dinner.

Volunteer Opportunities

Salt & Light welcomes volunteers, and provides a volunteer application on their website: http://www.saltandlightministry.org/volunteer/.   Volunteers perform a variety of tasks, including sorting clothes, emptying collection bins, assembling food bags, cleaning, and performing administrative tasks.

Hours of Operation

Volunteering: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Clothing Distribution: Mondays, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Food Distribution: Wednesday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Ministry Services: Worship Service on Wednesdays, 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

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