Sharing is at the heart of Christian Care Ministry’s Medi-Share program, a national health care sharing ministry headquartered in Melbourne. In celebration of 25 years of members sharing each other’s medical bills, last year Christian Care Ministry (CCM) committed to sponsor an annual Day of Sharing on the first Saturday of every October. This event is an opportunity for its employees and members to extend sharing into their local communities by partnering with local non-profit organizations.
CCM’s CEO, Scott Reddig, explains the “why” behind this movement. “We want to see Christian Care Ministry go beyond Christians helping Christians and impact our local communities. We want to show God’s love through acts of service.” The theme for Day of Sharing is, “Find a need, Fill the Need, Impact the Kingdom.”
This year, CCM employees served non-profit organizations in Melbourne, FL, and in Colorado Springs, CO, their secondary location. CCM also has a number of remote employees and a group from Illinois volunteered at a local homeless shelter. A total of 420 volunteers served at 27 organizations, including 310 in 15 different Brevard County non-profits.
Keith Gee from the Children’s Hunger Project was overwhelmed by the efforts of the volunteers who packed 1620 backpack meals in two hours. “It is unbelievable what the Christian Care Ministry team accomplished on Saturday! I always look forward to CCM volunteers supporting Children’s Hunger Project.”
Another team partnered with Love, INC. to paint the outside of an elderly couple’s home. They completed everything but the trim work on the Day of Sharing and returned the next weekend to finish the job. Sam Abraham, the CCM team captain for this project said, “I don’t like to leave a project partially finished. We wanted to complete the job. It was an incredible blessing to help this family and experience their joy in having a newly painted home.”
The Brevard County non-profits that benefited from CCM’s efforts were: Brevard Rescue Mission, Brevard Zoo, C.I.T.A. Rescue Mission, Children’s Hunger Project, Habitat for Humanity Brevard, Holy Trinity Thrift Store, Liberty Bell Museum, Love, INC., Marine Resource Council, Nana’s House, Salvation Army, South Brevard Sharing Center, Space Coast Seafarer’s Ministry, The DOCK, and The Haven for Children.
Not only did CCM team members support area non-profits with their service on October 5th, but in preparation for the Day of Sharing they hosted “Sharing Fridays” in September, bringing in requested items for four area non-profits such as food, diapers, and toiletries. Shari Hoover from Brevard Rescue Mission expressed the sentiments of the recipient organizations, “Our mothers are so grateful for the generosity of your CCM employees. I brought back a car full of items that will last for several months.”
Christian Care Ministry’s commitment to service and the local community is evidenced by the generous offering of up to 24 hours of paid time to volunteer in the community for all full-time employees. “Christian Care Ministry is at its heart, a service organization,” said Stephany Eley, civic affairs liaison for CCM. “We serve our members by facilitating the sharing of their medical bills. Our team members have a heart for service, not only in their work at CCM but in their local communities. More than 50% of our employees volunteered their time on a Saturday for Day of Sharing which is truly remarkable and shows the heart of who we are and what we do.”
