Starfish
Bethlehem strives to be present and make a difference in our community. Our partner, Starfish, is a ministry that reaches out beyond our walls to meet needs where people are at in their lives.
Starfish Ministry
Bringing HOPE to the community, one person at a time.
In January 2011, two South Minneapolis churches, Bethlehem and Judson Memorial Baptist, began a new ministry called Starfish. The purpose of this ministry is to help families who are experiencing financial crises. Often the need involves shelter, such as help paying rent for a current month; transportation issues, such as car repair; utility bills; and/or food assistance. Since granting the first gift in 2011, Starfish has almost provided 1,000 individual households with grants exceeding $ 700,000. These gifts represent hope for our neighbors – one person at a time.
Starfish is operated by volunteers. Each month on-duty volunteers receive phone calls from community members in financial crises. Meetings are held and decisions are made about what Starfish can do to help and how much financial help Starfish can offer.
Usually, the requests received in the first several days of the month exhaust the ministry’s budget for the month and the Starfish phone is “shut down” until the beginning of the next month.
“Starfish is of value to our community because…
It provides emergency funds to individuals at risk of losing housing and utilities. Starfish is one of a few resources that will make rent payments directly to the landlord or the utility company to keep the individual housed and living with working utilities.
Often individuals are in temporary need of financial assistance due to change in employment, medical expenses, death in the family, or other event that has affected their level of income or expenses. Starfish provides financial assistance to one person at a time to bridge the gap to financial stability and provide hope to that individual and family for the future.”
—Mary (St. Joan of Arc Care Fund)
The story behind the Starfish name:
“The word Starfish is derived from a story where a devastating storm had just occurred on a coastal town and was in need of recovery. This man was walking on the seashore after the storm aftermath. He saw a young boy throwing starfish that were washed up on the shore back into the ocean. The man tells the young boy to stop since there are too many starfish to throw back in to really make a difference, but the boy proceeds to pick up another one and throws it in. The boy responds to the man by saying that it mattered to that starfish. It mattered to the ones that made it back home in the ocean.”
Ways to help bring hope to our neighbors through Starfish
REFER/SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT: To refer or schedule an appointment, call 952-686-4124.
VOLUNTEER: We would like volunteers to sign-up for a year. Volunteer duty is generally one month, two times per year. There is training on how to meet with the requester. Volunteers always work in pairs when meeting requesters and making decisions. Volunteers and donations make the work of Starfish possible. Click here for the Starfish Volunteer Application. Once complete email to [email protected].
DONATE: Starfish grants – made possible by the generous donations of individuals like you – enable grant recipients to: Remain in – or acquire – a home, have their car repaired or filled with gas in order to get to work, or go to bed without an empty stomach
If you are interested in giving to Starfish Ministries, whether that be a continuous gift or a one-time gift, please follow this link to Realm and click the fund dropdown and select ‘Starfish Ministries’: Donation Link or you can mail in donations to Bethlehem memo’d for ‘Starfish Ministries.’
If you are in need of financial assistance from Starfish Ministries, contact this number on the first day of the next upcoming month: 952-686-4124.
Our Common Calling
At Starfish, every life is valuable and deserves our grace just as humans were given grace by God and Jesus Christ. This kind of compassion is much needed in our society and culture now. A place where people can find compassion and overall kindness when they might not receive it elsewhere.
Often, it is uncomfortable to acknowledge the struggles and pain others in our community go through. Yet, showing mercy and care to those who need it is the goal of this ministry and the common Christian calling we share.