PRAIRIE GROVE -- LIFE Ministries in Prairie Grove has joined the World Wide Web.
Its new web address is www.lifeministriesnwa.org.
The ministry, which helps those in need, was selected to participate in GiveCamp NWA, a weekend-long event where technology professionals work together to create and build websites for local non-profit organizations.
The camp was held April 11-13 at Shewmaker Center for Global Business Development at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
"The big idea is we take media developers from across the region and come together to build a website for non-profits," said Pablo Arellano Jr., chairman. "Usually, it takes three months to do this type thing. We're saving them thousands upon thousands of dollars."
The developers, who volunteer their time, build the site and then turn it over to the non-profit organization to manage.
Phyl Amerine volunteers for LIFE Ministries and helped to organize the 2014 GiveCamp event. She said about 30 such camps will be held across the country this year.
LIFE ministries does not have the money to pay someone to build a quality website, Amerine said. The ministry, located on Stills Road, operates a resale store from half of its building and uses the other half to meet with clients who need assistance with food, clothing, utility bills, gas and prescription costs.
The ministry is 100 percent volunteer based and all proceeds from the resale store are used to help those who need assistance.
LIFE Ministries is seeing more people who need help to make ends meet, said Cindy Dobbs, director.
"January was out the roof," Dobbs said. "We're seeing a lot coming in who need utility assistance because of the high cost of heating and the rise in propane costs."
She said LIFE Ministries served 757 families in January. Families are only allowed to come once every 90 days so she suspects there were probably double the people who needed help in January but couldn't come because of the organization's policies.
Dobbs said a website will help get the word out about LIFE Ministries, its mission and its needs.
"I feel a website will widen our horizon as far as more people becoming aware of who we are," she said.
She hopes a website will bring in more donations, whether it is money, food or items for the resale shop. She said she also believes a website will increase the number of people who come to LIFE Ministries for help.
The organization serves Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Farmington, Greenland, West Fork, Winslow and rural areas in southwestern Washington County. It doesn't serve residents of Springdale, Fayetteville or Elkins.
Amerine said a website will allow the ministry to show viewers all the good it does.
"No one is doing exactly what we do and seeing the amount of people we serve. That's why we need more support. Our boundaries are so far but donations are slim," Amerine said.
Dave Robins, chief executive officer of LIFE Ministries Board of Directors, said he wants a website to give information about the ministry, its mission, its needs and contact information. He also wants to highlight the ministry's spiritual side. The organization is supported by Prairie Grove Ministerial Alliance.
"We're a faith-based and non-profit organization," Robins said.
In addition, a website will bring LIFE Ministries into the electronic age, Robins said. It still operates basically without a computer and most of its volunteers are older and not as much into new technology. A website will help the organization reach younger people, he said.
"We're honored to have been selected for the weekend," he said. "This is a great organization as far as helping people and this will give us more awareness in the community."
General News on 04/23/2014