Article About WINN

    A friend of WINN from Metro Manor was kind enough to write an article about us for the Metro Manor Mirror, April 2004

WINN Ministries

by Corinne Hunt

    Every Friday afternoon the residents of Metro Manor look forward to the arrival of the food bank, delivered by Mountair Christian Church. We've heard the name WINN Ministries in connection with this bounty, but most of us have no idea what those capital letters have to do with the food.

    Now about four years old, WINN (We Involve Neighbors Now) is the brain child of a dynamic man, Hank Salmans. Formerly a third generation law man in Kansas, Salmans was familiar with what neighborhoods can accomplish if people work together. He was starting to write a book outlining a strategic plan to bring communities together.

    He was familiar with Neighborhood Watch programs, but he realized something more was needed. Watch programs of intense interest when first introduced tended to fizzle out over time. He realized the two constants in all neighborhoods were the schools and the churches. Still, when their children left school, the parent's interest in the local school begins to lag. Often the church was not relevant to the needs of the community.

    Hank realized that a church could not fulfill its commitment to "love thy neighbor as thyself" if the members didn't know who the neighbors were. So began a program to coach churches how to be engaged in its neighborhood, to learn what the community needed. By now others were involved and the group set up a data base of resources available to churches to meet those needs. The final step was collecting the provisions that people needed. He calls the volunteers "holy scroungers." They find the "stuff" whether it be food, clothing, furniture or other needs.

    WINN does not provide this aid directly. That's done by cooperating churches, that is, by the people of the church. The aim is to get people out into their communities. "We blast them out of the church," Salmans says. He likens it to Peter telling the Lord that he wants to be with Him and Jesus saying something like "Get out of the boat!"

    WINN now works with about 200 churches in the Denver area and others in Colorado Springs. Not only does it provide the tangibles, but offers training to the people so the church can serve the people, including job training or counseling.

    Until they get involved, most people can identify less than 20% of their neighbors. Using the same tactics he used as a lawman to get to know the people he served, that is, knocking on doors, the involved church becomes acquainted.

    One small step to providing funds and provisions to WINN is a once a month project in some of the churches. People bring one can of good and one dollar one Sunday a month that are donated to WINN. He hopes to build up a fund so that the staff, now all unpaid, can be paid. At present however, all staff and those volunteers working that day are fed lunch at the site.

    On Cable TVC you can tune in to the Denver Community Channel 58 each Wednesday at 4:30PM to learn more about the work being done by the extraordinary ministry.