Looking ahead..

Special thanks to Midwest Food Bank in working with us to relocate our space in 2013. In the spring, we will be moving to a new location in South Peachtree City that will provide much needed parking and a great place to serve our families! Our NEW Real Life Store in Fayetteville will continue to reach out for volunteer help and donations as we get established. Come shop, serve and donate to make a difference! Our Real Life Store in Tyrone will continue to be creative in raising additional funds for the Real Life Center. Look for new sales and ways to be involved! The Harvest for Real Life Orchard will begin producing fruit to be distributed through our food pantry. Come be a part of a whole new way to get involved and make a difference!

December 2012

Volunteer with us!

The rewards of volunteering are often worth more than we give. Come join our growing team! We have a variety of times and positions available at the Center and the Stores.

Highlights of 2012

Real Life Center CenCeterCeCen CeCC

NEIGHBOR...
I grew up in the country, and it seemed that even though our neighbor could be a mile away we still somehow knew when they were experiencing a tough time. Today my neighbors are right next door and even though we visit from time to time, I would most likely not know if they were experiencing hard times. Most of us dont sit out on our front porches anymore. We are busy; come home and pull into the garage - closing the door behind us. Yet, I know that many of us are more than willing to help, when we know how.

This Issue

Power of Helping your Neighbor P.1 Behind the Statistics P.2 Jasons story P.3 Looking Ahead P.4

We are grateful for the help of so many. Thank you for your part in this ministry! * Over 1100 Shoeboxes received.

For information on volunteering, please contact Vicki Troyer at: vtroyer@reallifecenter.org

* Back to school program to provide coats and supplies. *Our Mobile Food Pantry touching the lives of many each month. *We have celebrated our

THE POWER OF HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOR

Our Mobile Food Pantry consistently serves over 200 families each month and we have recently been able to open our new Fayetteville store! I marvel as I remember the two rooms in the trailer that we started out with. I marvel when I see so many hands working together to provide for needs and offer encouragement, hope and love. I marvel at the endless letters and cards we receive, and stories we hear, of the difference that has been made in the lives of our neighbors. I marvel because I have had the privilege to see what it means to love your neighbor! As we celebrate the Christmas season may we remember the ultimate gift of our Savior and the sacrificial love that was demonstrated for each of us. May we be encouraged to love others! Thank you for your part in making this happen. I am grateful for each of you!

oftware opportunities.

Our Strategy is Fourfold:

first fruits in the Orchard! *The Real Life Store

Focus: We provide a safe place to build relationships Address: We care for the whole person with a holistic approach Develop: We assist the individual and/or family with setting goals, developing an action plan, and
connecting him/her to resources within the Real Life Center and the community

bringing in an additional $90,000 after expenses.

*Our second Real Life Store in Fayetteville opened December 6. *Numerous businesses,

Achieve: We achieve success by investing in the individual for a one year period to provide
accountability, encouragement, networking, resources, encouragement and hope

schools, groups and churches provided more food and support than ever before!

The Real Life Center is a place to come and help out your neighbor. No matter what walk of life they are from, it is safe for anyone to come when they need help during those rough times. It is the place where we can gather together to help each other. It may simply mean donating items you no longer need, volunteering your time, providing financial support, or praying. No matter how you are involved, you are making a difference in the lives of your neighbors. It is all of us working together to make a difference. I have watched God provide incredibly through each of you. Our main center is able to meet and invest in families daily (averaging 450/month). The food pantry has never run empty, even though we have given away record amounts. The Tyrone store is on target to provide $90,000 this year to put back into helping our families. The Harvest for Real Life Orchard will provide fresh produce beginning in 2013.

Real Life Center | 770.631.9334

382 Senoia Rd. Tyrone, GA 30290 www.reallifecenter.org

Tyrone Real Life Store | 770.632.3590 992 Senoia Rd. Tyrone, GA 30290 Monday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm Fayetteville Real Life Store | 770.719.0880 400 North Glynn Street Fayetteville, GA 30214 Tuesday - Friday 10:00am - 6:00pm Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Accounting for Success:

Total families assisted through November 30: 5,901 Total lbs of food given: 301,554

Monday - Thursday 9:00am - 12:00pm Thursday Evenings 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Cathy Berggren, Executive Director Real Life Center

The Real Life Stores great places to shop!

When you stop in, you notice the decorated tables, many put together by a local designer, and you see the difference. This Christmas, several folks even gave back by donating hand-made ornaments. If you havent been to the Real Life Stores you have been missing out! If you are expecting a typical thrift store, you will be pleasantly surprised. It really is a testimony to the community we live in when you see the great things that are donated to us says RLC Director, Cathy Berggren. People donate because they understand that what we sell means money raised directly for those in our community who are struggling. One hundred percent of our profits go back into helping others locally, continued Berggren. Their goal is an additional $100,000+ profit each year to give directly to families in need. Your donation and your time is truly a gift that keeps on giving! I'm writing to say thank you for the help you have provided my family and me during a difficult time. Through the grace of God, the kids and I are at a stable place in our lives. Though times may be tough -we're making it. RLC Client

Real Life Center Staff

Executive Director Cathy Berggren Assistant Director Dana Eisfelder

J a s o n s S to ry a s a fe p la c e
I watched as he stood quietly in the back of the lobby. He looked down as he was waiting, not wanting to be noticed. At the time he came in, there wasnt an open chair to sit in, as the lobby was filled with others waiting. I stopped to visit with him and he began to share that he needed medical attention and wasnt sure where to get help. His words were, I knew if anyone could help me you could. We connected him with other resources and gave him some food to take home. *Jason returned because he had something he wanted to share with us. It turns out that he has had a pretty tough road to the point where he just didnt want to go on. As he was contemplating those thoughts, he received a call from us. It was one of our follow up calls to see how he was doing and how we could pray for him. At that moment, he realized that someone cared and with that came a renewed hope. Jasons life was changed because of your help. He experienced love, prayer, encouragement, financial assistance, food and a hand up during his toughest time. Most of all he received hope to keep him going and he was reminded of Gods faithfulness. Jason represents only one of over 5,000 visitors to the Real Life Center this year from people all across our community. Each visit was with someone in our community asking for help as they experienced an unexpected crisis in their life. Thank you to each of you for your part in this ministry. Thank you for playing a role in the life of Jason and the many, many others. Thank you for being the body of Christ together making a difference in the lives of families, making a difference in our community. *name has been changed

Client Care Coordinator Jan Fender Food Drive and Volunteer Coordinator Vicki Troyer Operations Manager Norm Dunkin Bookkeepers David Howard Jeanie Harrier Store Managers Leslie Camp Lisa Shaw Kem Williams

B e h in d th e sta tistic s .w h a t d o e s it lo o k lik e ?

"Its real people with real stories

Behind the Statistics.

Sarah came to the Real Life Center, NEVER thinking she would be someone who needed help. She is a hard worker and had always managed on her own. Sarah, a single mom with a little one, was doing everything she could to make it. She worked very hard to make ends meet on her own, without any government assistance. Not only did she work full time as a Certified Nursing Assistant, she was also going to nursing school full time. It was incredibly hard for her to have to come in and ask for help, but with an unusually high utility bill, she simply was unable to cover all of her rent. She did not qualify for food stamps, so even getting enough food had been tough. When she finally had the courage to ask, she felt led to come here first, as she had heard great things about the Center. We were able to assist with the rent, as well as with food and clothing. When she did come in, she was overwhelmed at how loving and kind everyone was to herinstead of judgmental like she expected. She knew God had "led her to where she needed to come. Her experience at the Center has not only helped her to get back on her feet, but has changed her familys lives. She is now back into her local church and involved. Sarah's experience is not unique. So many families struggle with the unexpected with nearly 40% of our families this year coming in because of unexpected health issues. Getting through those moments of crisis are critical long term, and without help they can get so far behind it is difficult to make it. At the Real Life Center we have the privilege of walking alongside families like Sarahs, helping through the crisis, building relationships, connecting them to resources, encouraging, praying, listening and providing accountability along the way. Your support of the Real Life Center has made a difference in the life of Sarah and her child, as well as many others!

2012 Program Directors

Auto Exchange and Repair Mil Brown Daily Bread Karyn Rankin Food Pantry Donna Cox Beth Willingham Furniture Barn Ken Brackett Clothing Closet Kathy Cook

2012 Events
Dragon Boat Races: For the first time ever, the Real Life Center participated in and placed in the top 10 of the Peachtree City Rotary Dragon Boat races.

T JosephM o n th s Q & C3 is a formal o lo g y T ip s to meet the total needs of h is Green Award: The A Te c h n collaborative designed

families in the county. The collaborative won the Joseph Green Award for their commitment to improving the quality of the health care of those families served in Fayette County. Shoeboxes: In partnership with the United Way, 1100 shoe boxes containing toiletry items were collected to give out to the homeless and those in need. Mobile Food Panty: The mobile food pantry has grown tremendously this year. We are so thankful to Grace Fellowship Church for hosting it and helping provide volunteers for us. We serve an average of 200 people a month at this event. Rocks Ride and Run: On June 23rd Rocks Ride and Run, a 5K run and bike ride, raised money for a new cancer fund that was started to help families with cancer costs.

2012 Board of Directors

John Warnock Tom Beal Ray Redlich Carla McMillian Dennis Parman Dan Rankin Kathy Gloer

For more information on getting involved at the Real Life Stores please contact: 770.632.3590 or rlstore@reallifecenter.org