Empty Tomb

EMPTY TOMB, INC. IS A CHRISTIAN SERVICE AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES THE CHURCH IN DIFFERENT WAYS, PROVIDING BOTH A FINANCIAL DISCIPLESHIP STRATEGY AND INFORMATION ABOUT CHURCH GIVING PATTERNS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. ON A LOCAL LEVEL IN THE CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, IL AREA, EMPTY TOMB, INC. PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN MEETING VARIOUS NEEDS IN JESUS' NAME.

HELPING WORKS: INCLUDE FREE FOOD, CLOTHING, FURNITURE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER PROGRAMS, ALL FREE IN JESUS' NAME. ARRANGED 587 FOOD DELIVERIES WITH 1,563 PEOPLE IN HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING THE DELIVERIES. DISTRIBUTION OF DRY BEANS AND DRY MILK 17 AND 45 TIMES, RESPECTIVELY, TO FAMILIES IN NEED. SORTED 10,926 BAGS OF CLOTHING TO BE SHARED FREE IN JESUS' NAME. DELIVERED 591 PIECES OF FURNITURE. SHARED 20 PIECES OF FURNITURE THROUGH DISPLAY ROOM. MET WITH PEOPLE TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. VOLUNTEERS DONATED 934 HOURS TO FURNITURE AND 1,452 HOURS TO CLOTHING WORK. HELPING SERVICES PROVIDED 495 GENERAL APPOINTMENTS AND REFERRALS. SHARED 108 BACKPACKS WITH CHILDREN RETURNING TO SCHOOL, EACH BACKPACK FILLED WITH SUPPLIES, A CALCULATOR, AND A BIBLE.

CHRISTIAN HEALTH SERVICES: AN EMPTY TOMB CHARGE ACCOUNT IS SET UP AT A LOCAL PHARMACY. INDIVIDUALS WITH PRESCRIPTIONS CONTACT EMPTY TOMB, TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE WITH PAYING FOR THE PRESCRIPTION. EMPTY TOMB STAFF AUTHORIZES THE PURCHASE AND THE PHARMACY CONFIRMS AND FILLS THE PRESCRIPTION. AN INDIVIDUAL IS ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE WITH A PRESCRIPTION NOT MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ONCE A YEAR. STAFF MAINTAINS A RECORD OF NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THOSE REQUESTING PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE TO MONITOR ELIGIBILITY. OTHER MEDICAL NEEDS, SUCH AS A PRESCRIPTION FOR EYEGLASS LENS, A MEDICAL BILL, OR A MEDICAL ACCESSORY FOR A PATIENT, ARE REFERRED BY LOCAL AGENCIES. THIS NEED IS FILLED DIRECTLY WITH AN APPROPRIATE VENDOR. THE PROCEDURE IS THE SAME. A PERSON MAY BE REFERRED NOT MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE MONTHS. A TOTAL OF 55 PEOPLE RECEIVED ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE MEDICAL FUND. IN ADDITION, 55 CRIBS AND 55 LAYETTES WERE PROVIDED FOR NEWBORNS. ALSO, PEOPLE WERE ASSISTED 255 TIMES WITH DIAPERS OR FORMULA.CLOTHING WORK: CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS ARE DISTRIBUTED FREE IN JESUS' NAME. AN ESTIMATED 10,926 BAGS AND BOXES WERE SORTED BY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. THE CLOTHING ROOM IS SCHEDULED TO BE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY (NOT INCLUDING POSTED HOLIDAYS). DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVITED IN AT EACH OPENING HAS BEEN REDUCED SINCE JUNE 2020.THE CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY IS ANOTHER ACTIVITY CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE CLOTHING WORK. MOST ITEMS ARE DONATED. PARENTS/GUARDIANS SELECT GIFTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AGE 12 AND UNDER. 108 PARENTS/GUARDIANS WERE PROVIDED WITH TOYS FOR 264 CHILDREN, AND A GIFT BASKET FOR EACH FAMILY.ALSO AS PART OF THE CLOTHING WORK, IN AUGUST 2023, 108 BACKPACKS DONATED BY ONE CHURCH AND TWO INDIVIDUALS WERE SHARED WITH CHILDREN AS CHILDREN RETURNED TO SCHOOL. EACH INCLUDED SUPPLIES, A CALCULATOR, AND A BIBLE.FREE FOOD WORK, FOOD DELIVERIES: THE MAIN ACTIVITY IN THIS AREA IS COORDINATING WITH AREA CHURCHES TO ARRANGE DELIVERIES TO PEOPLE REFERRED FROM AGENCIES BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF A FOOD DELIVERY. CHURCHES MADE 587 DELIVERIES TO HOUSEHOLDS IN NEED.IN ADDITION, THE FREE FOOD WORK INCLUDES DIRECT DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD ITEMS. SOME ITEMS ARE DONATED AND SHARED WHEN THE CLOTHING ROOM IS OPEN. IN ADDITION, DRIED BEANS AND DRIED MILK ARE PURCHASED FROM LOCAL GROCERY STORES. WHEN EMPTY TOMB IS OPEN IN THE AFTERNOON, A PERSON MAY REQUEST ONE POUND OF DRIED BEANS A DAY, AND ONE BAG OF DRIED MILK A WEEK. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WRITE THE NAMES OF THOSE REQUESTING THE FOOD ON A LIST, TO MONITOR FREQUENCY.FURNITURE WORK: VOLUNTEERS DRIVE THE EMPTY TOMB FURNITURE TRUCK TO PICK UP AND DELIVER DONATED FURNITURE; 591 ITEMS OF DONATED FURNITURE WERE DELIVERED TO PEOPLE ON WAITING LISTS.

THE NATIONAL MONEY FOR MISSIONS PROGRAM: THE MISSION MATCH PROGRAM FOCUSES ON REQUESTS FOR CONGREGATIONAL PROJECTS TO HELP CLOSE THE "PROMISE GAP": THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL GLOBAL UNDER-AGE-FIVE MORTALITY RATE IN 40 COUNTRIES AND THE GLOBAL GOAL LEVEL FOR THAT REDUCTION. IN FYE 2022, APPLICATIONS FROM TWO CONGREGATIONS WERE RECEIVED AND ONE OF THE TWO PROJECTS WAS COMPLETED. A CONTINUING INTEREST OF EMPTY TOMB, INC. HAS BEEN INTERACTING WITH CONGREGATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS THAT PRODUCE THE CURRENT TRENDS IN CHURCH GIVING AND MEMBERSHIP. THIS UNDERSTANDING INFORMS THE RESEARCH/EDUCATION WORK OF EMPTY TOMB, INC. THE NATIONAL MONEY FOR MISSIONS PROGRAM IS THE UMBRELLA WORK FOR EMPTY TOMB, INC.'S EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND, AND CHALLENGE CONGREGATIONS TO GROW IN AWARENESS OF, AND CHANGE, THESE DYNAMICS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF GLOBAL MISSIONS SUPPORT. THIS WORK CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

RESEARCH & EDUCATION: INCLUDES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR USE BY CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS, AND PUBLISHING A NATIONAL STUDY, "STATE OF CHURCH GIVING" - AN ANNUAL SERIES ON DENOMINATIONAL GIVING REPORTS, AND RELATED ARTICLES.RESEARCH/EDUCATION - LOCAL: COPIES OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN ARE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO BE TAKEN BY PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING THE EMPTY TOMB, INC. BUILDING FOR ONE OF THE SERVICES OFFERED.