Dear Silent Samaritan:

Everyone has a story. Many of us are blessed with successful careers, caring neighbors, loyal friends, and loving families. We live with purpose and rely on a foundation of strong values and faith to help us through tough and stressful times. There are others in our community who are not so fortunate. Perhaps life has thrown them a curveball. Or perhaps some of them, knowingly or unknowingly, got off track and now find themselves in a dark and lonely place. Many are overwhelmed by difficult or heartbreaking life circumstances, and their outlook on life is not so bright.

The burdens of mental and emotional disorders seem to plague our society. Every day we hear stories of teens struggling with depression and anxiety as statistics continue to show the devasting impacts of social media on their well-being. Suicides and drug overdoses at schools and places of work seem all too common. There is help and there is hope for those experiencing these troubles, and we can all play a part.

Many are familiar with the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The Samaritan saw a man who had been robbed and beaten along the road he was traveling. Two others, a priest and a Levite, passed by the injured man and continued on their journeys. In verses 33-34 the Samaritan saw the beaten man and took pity on him, bandaged his wounds and poured oil on him. While the injuries were physical in this case, the principle also applies to those with mental and emotional wounds. As the parable concludes, Jesus commands us to go out and care for our neighbors.

The Samaritan Center is an expression of God’s love through a ministry of helping people under stress. Many who come to the Samaritan Center for help are uninsured and unable to pay for the services they receive. For these clients, thanks to your generous and continued support, the Center is able to provide fee assistance.

In 1994, Samaritan Center Board members Lois Dusthimer and Bev Croxall initiated the Silent Samaritan campaign. By giving a suggested annual gift of $100, the women in our community unite to help those in need of counseling services. The Silent Samaritan Fund is the most used fund for fee assistance. In 2022, the Center provided a total of $202,599 in fee assistance. Of that total, $101,496 came from the Silent Samaritan Fund, which supported 2,010 clinical hours.

We ask that you join us again this year in supporting the Silent Samaritan Fund and those in need in our community. Your generous gifts will be life-changing for those who are blessed by our services.

Many thanks for your generosity,

Aimee Bontrager

and The Samaritan Center Board

DONATION LINK:   https://samaritan.app.neoncrm.com/donation.jsp?campaign=26&