Story number 5 for 6 Dec 2000

And, New Focus National is changing the face of charitable giving throughout the United States. One program at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Indiana is going one step beyond the traditional Christmas baskets to the needy this year. The church is giving New Focus families money to apply toward bills, with the remainder to be used for Christmas. New Focus’ Janie Gruen. “These families in New Focus, have a real desire to be responsible with their spending, to learn how to use God’s resources, and that’s why we’ve chosen a different track for those families.” Gruen says this outreach has opened the door for evangelistic outreach to the community. “We have had some receive Christ as their Savior through this. And I could see this ministry revolutionizing the way that we do church, the way that we encourage the low-income people in our community.”