Non-profit Spotlight: Lake Wales Care Center
Lake Wales Care Center is a faith-based community service organization that demonstrates Christ’s love by building bridges between people in need and people with a desire to serve. The center’s main office is located at 140 East Park Ave. in Lake Wales. In addition, the center operates two thrift stores, which aid in its efforts to connect with the community at large.
Like most American cities or towns, Lake Wales has needy people – for whatever reason, they need food, clothing, medical help, shelter, homebound care, or mentoring. However, Lake Wales also has compassionate people — people who recognize and honor the Biblical instruction to help a neighbor in need. They are willing to give generously of their time, their resources, their talents, and their expertise.
Between these two groups, however, there exists a wide gulf. How does one group reach the other without the risk of lost time, wasted resources, and misplaced effort? That is where Lake Wales Care Center functions by bridging the gap, enabling one group to reach the other. Staff at the Care Center and volunteers give of their time and talents in a most practical way — they become the ‘people helping people helping people.’
Lake Wales Care Center is a dynamic ministry providing a holistic approach by meeting the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs of area residents.
Physical… assistance with tangible goods, financial needs, housing, etc., is provided to help meet immediate needs and provide on-going care.
Emotional… one-on-one and group activities help individuals strengthen their self-esteem and attitude.
Relational… assist individuals in becoming self-sufficient, productive members of their community.
Spiritual… communicate God’s love to meet the most important of all human needs.
The Lake Wales Care Center serves as a local “clearing house” for mobilizing community resources. Area churches, businesses, service clubs and families are able to channel their resources and energy through one central agency in order to meet local needs.
Volunteers are a vital part of the programs offered through Care Center. During 2016, nearly 2,200 volunteers served an astounding 92,102 hours of service, bringing the cumulative hours to 1,097,754 hours. These remarkable people help with everything from home repairs, delivering food, organizing and displaying donated items in the thrift stores, assisting in the office, wrapping gifts, packing food boxes, picking up donations, tutoring, mentoring youth, serving meals, sponsoring families, evangelism, and home visits, just to name a few. We consider our volunteers local missionaries as they serve their community.
Our Lake Wales Thrift Store is located at 201 N Scenic Hwy. in Lake Wales. The phone number is 863-678-0245. Our second thrift store is Dundee Thrift Store and it is located at 27889 US Hwy 27 in Dundee. The phone number is 863-439-6000.
For more information about Lake Wales Care Center or how to become a member of the “caring” team contact 863-676-6678 or care.lwcc@gmail.com, or visit LakeWalesCareCenter.com. Follow us on Facebook on the following pages: @Lake Wales Care Center; @Lake Wales Care Center Dundee Thrift Store; @Lake Wales Care Center online sales; and @KPAchristianbookstore.