Breakthrough Needs Men's Suits!

Breakthrough is looking for work-appropriate suits for the men of the Breakthrough Ministry Center.  Quite a few of the men have been participating in job fairs and interviews, but the suit collection they currently have is too small.  We specifically need waist size 36, 38, and 40 pants, in a variety of lengths.  If you have sports coats, dress pants, non-crazy ties and/or suits that you no longer wear or could spare, please donate them!



Liz Laird has even offered to come pick them up if that would help!  


Here's her info:
Liz Laird

Volunteer Coordinator
Breakthrough Urban Ministries

402 N St. Louis Ave

Chicago, IL 60624

773-346-1771

Kitchen Needs - Target Wish List

Breakthrough staff have recently created a Target Gift List for all of Breakthrough's kitchen utensil/pans/item needs.  If you've served with us lately, you probably know that the serving utensils, pans, etc., aren't the best... 

If you or your group might be interested in purchasing something for the Breakthrough kitchen, you can find the list at http://www.target.com/registry/landing?ref=nav_registries and search first name: Breakthrough, last name: Ministries.  You'll see the list as "Kitchen Needs."  Anything purchased through the list should ship directly to Breakthrough Ministry Center: 402 N St Louis Ave, Chicago, IL 60624.

Greeting Cards Make Great Crafts!!!

... and even better gifts!!!

We were finally able to make greeting cards with the ladies staying at Breakthrough's Joshua Center, many thanks to Melissa and Joann!  We did this prior to September's monthly meal and it was a huge hit!  The ladies were able to make some really cool cards for their friends and loved ones. I even made a birthday card for one of my best friends! We're hoping to make greeting cards again - this time closer to the Holidays!

Next up - pumpkins!  So grab your sharpies and your best carving tools!  : )

Email - Volunteer Update - October 2010

Greetings, beautiful Breakthrough volunteers!

Here are the updates for October 2010.  Enjoy!

Annual Benefit Dinner

The Annual Benefit Dinner is a huge event for Breakthrough and their big fundraising event of the year. Don and I are hosting a table at this year's Annual Benefit Dinner again so if you haven't yet been able to make it to one of Breakthrough's Annual Benefit Dinners, now is definitely the time! 

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 22, 2010 and plan to join us to hear stories of how God is moving in, at and through those at Breakthrough Urban Ministries. This year's benefit is at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare (9300 Bryn Mawr Ave Rosemont, IL 60018)

Follow this link for more detailed information: http://www.breakthrough.org/general/43/annual-benefit-2010. To register, just follow the prompts - under "Event Information" select "Bratschie, Amanda" as a table host if you'd like to sit at our table. 

Meal Details
And now - without further adieu...
The following meal dates are for October:

• Thursday, October 14th - Men's Facility
  
• Friday, October 15th - Women's Facility (AKA Joshua Center)

Notice that this month's serving dates are during the same week - that doesn't happen every month... it's our happy fun-time special timing month - we usually serve the 2nd Thursdays and 3rd Fridays.  Since it's such a special month - you should definitely sign up...  ;)
Let me know if you'd like to sign up for either or both of these happy fun-time special meal times and I'll make sure to reserve a spot (or two) for you.  If this is your first time, we usually meet between 6:30-7 PM to set-up and prep food, serve the meals around 8 PM and make plates for ourselves - and then take off after dinner, usually by 9 PM.  You'll get a more detailed email with the address and exact times the week of our serving date if you sign up - so be sure to let me know if you're interested.  Also - if you'd like to help contribute to the cost of groceries (NOT required), the suggested donation is $10 - payable to the chef for the week.

Breakthrough's Volunteer Engage Newsletter

There are many more opportunities to get involved at Breakthrough.  Here's a link to their latest monthly newsletter update: http://www.breakthrough.org/article/95/get-involved-sept-2010.  It includes information on prayer gatherings, Arloa's book (The Invisible - awesome read!), the running program and how you can be praying for Breakthrough - as well as more opportunities for serving.

Email - Volunteer Update - September 2010

Greetings, Wonderful Breakthrough Volunteers - 

Here are the updates for September 2010.  Enjoy!  :)

Meal Details
The following meal dates are for September:

• Thursday, September 9th - Men's Facility 
• Friday, September 17th - Women's Facility (AKA Joshua Center)

Spaces are limited, so please let me know if you'd like to sign up for either or both of these meal times and I'll make sure to reserve a spot for you.  If this is your first time, we usually meet between 6:30-7 PM to set-up and prep food, serve the meals around 8 PM and make plates for ourselves - and then take off after dinner, usually by 9 PM.  You'll get a more detailed email with the address and exact times the week of our serving date if you sign up - so be sure to let me know if you're interested.  Also - if you'd like to help contribute to the cost of groceries (NOT required), the suggested donation is $10 - payable to the chef for the week.

Crafting Helps Connect
Crafting continues to be a huge hit with the Women staying at the Joshua Center.  We'd like to have a craft time every month for the women - or at least when possible - so craft ideas are always welcome.  If you have any craft ideas, or would be willing to lead craft time for the ladies, please drop me a line and let me know.

I think we're going to try to make greeting cards with the women this month (it didn't happen in August after all), so let me know if you have any supplies or other goodies to share as we craft our hearts out!  :)

Other Breakthrough News

Check out the newsletter published by Breakthrough for yet even more news and events that you can use to get involved.  http://breakthrough.org/article/93/get-involved-aug-2010#healthy

SAVE THE DATE!  Breakthrough's 2010 Annual Benefit

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 22, 2010 at 6 PM and join us at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.  Don and I will be hosting a table again this year and we'd love for you to sit at our table.  More details to come!  

LuminocityBreakthrough was a huge hit at this year's Luminocity event on Sunday, August 22nd.  A huge thanks to everyone that was able to volunteer and help out to make that event a success!
And as an added bonus, Arloa Sutter (founder of Breakthrough) was interviewed on stage at the beginning of service on 8/22, along with one of our fabulous volunteers, Melissa Hovey.  For those of you that missed it - Melissa shared with our church family about the ways that serving at Breakthrough has blessed her and her family. It was an inspiring interview.