The ABCs of Lowell History is back for another round. This popular series explores a wide variety of topics in Lowell area history in weekly online articles and is written by volunteers and staff from the Lowell Area Historical Museum.
Y is for Yes, Flat River Outreach Ministries!
This is the obvious answer to the question, does the Lowell Community have a community hub where hope, resources, and gifts are shared? Yes, Flat River Outreach Ministries! This is exactly the mission of Flat River Outreach Ministries, known locally as FROM. Their vision is to provide “equal access and opportunities to meet basic needs with an emphasis on learning and advancement for all.”
It all began in 1997 when several members of local churches met to discuss the unmet needs of Lowell. They wanted to design a service organization that could effectively meet the needs of poverty and hunger. The first building that FROM operated from was offered to them at a drastically reduced rate by owners Norm Borgeson and Judy Straub. The building was the old Baptist church building at 519 E. Main. With a grant from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, started from a bequest by the late Harold J. Englehardt, along with hundreds of volunteers from the community donating labor and finances, FROM was able to purchase and overhaul the 5,000 square foot building and establish a food pantry and thrift shop.
The work of FROM thrived and by 2005 the building had become too small. The work of searching for a new location began. In 2007, FROM was able to purchase the former Cumberland Manor nursing home, again, far below its value.
It would be impossible to list every service provided by FROM, but the common theme is helping. One way FROM helps everyone in the community is through the Treasurers Thrift Shop and Farm Market. Great new and used treasures can be found at the thrift shop. Not only does the shop save the community money, but the sales make up 40% of the funding for FROM. The farm market aims to make healthier food more affordable. All of the produce is purchased from local farmers and producers.
The gardens at Main Street Housing has become an example of how generosity can grow and bloom. The gardens were started as an Eagle Scout project and the residents of Main Street Housing have kept the gardens going, tending and harvesting the fresh bounty. Not only have they provided for themselves, but they have also been able to help others by donating to the food pantry, local churches, and individuals.
FROM also helps by providing a food pantry, transportation, housing, and even has a medical equipment loan program. The FROM food fight is famous locally, annually pitting north and south sides of Main Street in a battle to fight hunger and raise funds for FROM programs and services. In the last food fight, over 11,000 food items were donated.
The work of FROM is accomplished with the help of over 300 volunteers. These volunteers log an average of 3,800 hours each month. One way FROM has succeeded is by providing the opportunity for neighbors to help neighbors. One volunteer shares her family’s motivation to volunteer and help, “we do it to be kind, and to share a mission of hope.”
In a testimonial of one woman impacted by FROM she emphasizes that FROM helped fill the gaps at a hard time in her life. “The mobile food pantry and other food programs helped provide food. The Backpack Distribution and Christmas Toy Store and Food Basket helped fill other gaps.” She says that she always “felt kindness, not pity. We received a warm greeting with smiling faces. There was hope that life would get better. It meant a lot to not feel alone or defeated for a while. We kept working and learning and, eventually, life did get better.”
The goal of FROM is to help. They have made a huge difference in the lives of many people in Lowell.
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