About

What is Love INC?

Love INC was founded in 1977 as a way to encourage churches to become more engaged with the poor and to inspire a greater number of Christians to put their faith in action.

Love INC's founder, Dr. Virgil Gulker, was a social worker and outreach director in Holland, Michigan in the late 1970's. Deeply committed to helping people trapped in poverty, he was certain God had called others to the same mission. As he talked to church members and pastors, Dr. Gulker came to understand that Christians did indeed want to help the needy, but they had few ideas about how to do so. Many times people did not even recognize that they were gifted in ways that could have a positive impact on someone else's life.

It was clear to Dr. Gulker that if churches were to better serve their communities, they needed leadership, organization, training, encouragement, and prayer. He developed the Love INC model to fill these critical roles. Love INC taught churches to assess their capabilities, and it unified local congregations so that, working together, they could more effectively aid their neighbors.

Today Love INC has over 120 affiliates in 30 states, representing a network of more than 8,000 churches and 5,000 community agencies, and 160,000 volunteers helping nearly 1 million people in need each year. As long as there are people in need, Love INC has work to do.

Love INC of Benton County was established on January 15, 2001 by CitiChurch of Corvallis, Oregon, a network of 40 local evangelical churches who are working together to have a positive impact in our community.

How does Love INC work?

1. Individuals in participating churches fill out volunteer surveys, indicating the type of assistance they can provide. Assistance can include anything from help with computer skills to driving someone to an appointment to weeding a flowerbed.

2. Requests or referrals for help are received at the Love INC office from individuals, churches, or agencies.

3. Needs are screened for legitimacy and referrals are made to the most appropriate source of help (i.e., a local social service agency, a helping organization, or a Love INC Coordinator in a participating church).

4. The Love INC coordinator at a participating church identifies an available volunteer based on information from the volunteer surveys from their congregation. The need is met, the volunteer reports the results, and the Love INC office provides a follow-up call to the person who received the help.

5. If an individual or family needs additional assistance, a request is made to Love INC and the process begins again.

A Note from Wilma Van Schelven, Love INC Executive Director

"Love INC is moving Christian volunteers into the helping services arena of the community. Together, through the cooperation of agencies, churches, businesses, and individuals, we can make a big difference!"

Board Members

Jim Reynolds - President - Corvallis Evangelical Church
Pastor John Stone - Vice-President - Crossroads Christian Fellowship
Ruth Nelsen - Treasurer - Westside Community Church
Betty Ferren - Secretary - Grant Avenue Baptist Church
David Coulombe - Director - Grant Avenue Baptist Church
Beka Dorr - Director - Doxology
Beth Lambright - Director of Promotions - The Well Covenant Church
Terri White - Prayer Mobilization Coordinator - Northwest Hills Community Church

Participating Churches

Bellfountain Community Church
Calvary Chapel
Calvin Presbyterian Church
Campus Ambassadors
Chinese Christian Church
Circle Church of Christ
Church of the Nazarene, Corvallis
College United Methodist Church
Corvallis Evangelical Church
Corvallis Mennonite Fellowship
Crossroads Christian Fellowship
Doxology
Faith Christian Fellowship
First Baptist Church of Corvallis
First Baptist Church of Philomath
First Door of Faith
Grace City Church
Grant Avenue Baptist Church
Iglesia Cuadrangular Emanuel
Kings Circle Assembly of God
Knollbrook Christian Reformed
Korean Baptist Church
Korean Presbyterian Church
Lifespring Foursquare Church
Living Faith Community Church
Mid-Valley Baptist Church
New Life Fellowship
New Wine Open Fellowship
Northside Church
Northwest Hills Community Church
Peace Lutheran Church of Philomath
Philomath Church of the Nazarene
Philomath Community Church
Philomath First Baptist
Prince of Peace Community Church in Adair
Seventh Day Adventist Church of Corvallis
Servants' Fellowship
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
Southside Community Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church
St. Anne's Orthodox Church
Suburban Christian Church
Cor-Vallis Church of God
The Well Covenant Church
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Westside Community Church
Westwood Community Church

Links

Love INC National Office
WorldVision