Lionel considers himself a walking miracle.

Lionel is a person with a very positive outlook. He is thankful for Jesus, his wife and his life. He worked hard his whole life and moved to Florida, which is a dream.

Lionel reached out to Love In the Name of Christ to ask for a ride to medical appointments. Clearinghouse Volunteers listened to his whole story. Because Love INC wants to know about more than the current crisis, volunteers took the time to get to know his strengths and struggles.

Lionel is on disability due to vision problems he has been dealing with for 20 years. More recently, he has survived five strokes. His movement is hindered by the combination of these two health challenges.

Lionel has to get to his medical appointments, most importantly the physical and occupational therapy appointments. They are six miles away from his home and he has no way to get there. He cannot drive his car. He is able to drive his golf cart but only a short distance safely. He used to own a business and would pay someone to drive him around. Unfortunately that is too expensive for him to afford now. His wife Sandy can’t take him to his appointments because she’s an elementary school teacher. She needs to be at work. Friends help now and then, but not reliably. When he called Love INC, Lionel was out of ideas.

Through Love INC’s network of community relationships, volunteers were able to refer Lionel to Sumter County Transit. Now he has an affordable and reliable ride to his appointments.

Lionel called with a need for a service that Love INC and our Gap Ministries do not provide. When that happens, a relationship is still created. If a need arises that we can meet, Lionel already knows that he will be treated with dignity and respect. He knows that he will be met with a commitment to help him.

Investment in Love INC reaches far into your community. People are impacted whose relationship with Love INC does not rise to the level of client. Partnership with Love INC helps Lionel, and others like him, each and every day.