Family Life Center (FLC) began with months of weekly prayer. There were 15-20 people meeting weekly to pray about how to serve families in the community.

 

January 1998, FLC rented a small room on a strip mall for mentoring, tutoring, supervised visitations, Bible studies, and winter coat distribution. The first year FLC distributed 80 new winter coats to children. The ministry quickly outgrew it space, and prayer began in search of a larger space for future services.

 

August 2000, FLC moved to the ‘Bloomfield Hotel’. A store front was leased in 2000. In 2001, we expanded to the second floor for clothing, shoes, and toys. Later in ’01 FLC expanded to additional storefront for group meetings. 2002 brought additional expansion for youth group activities and distribution of cleaning supplies. 2003, FLC assisted in beginning Soup on Saturday at the neighboring Bloomfield United Methodist Church. By 2004, The Ministry was occupying the entire city block.

 

In 2003, BackPack Bonanza was started in a storefront. From 2003 to 2021, 7483 backpacks full of school supplies have been given to Greene County students.

 

June 2004, The “Hotel” was sold to an apartment investor. July 2004, the town’s people volunteered to renovate the Pielemeier Drug Store top to bottom. Working 24 hrs 7 days a week for 4 weeks, FLC was ready to move.

 

August 14, 2004 was slated as Move Day. Bloomfield Sr High School moved all the large items (furniture, desks, computers, apartment appliances & furniture) from the Hotel to the Drug via truck caravan in the morning. In the afternoon, Bloomfield Jr Hi moved all the boxes and supplies via a bucket brigade for 2 city blocks. The whole day was a party atmosphere, with balloons, band, food, gifts, and water guns for cooling. The community calls it the Miracle Move.

 

2006, the local Bible Book Store transferred its inventory to FLC. LivingWord Ministries is an outreach to churches by serving church supplies. LWM also sells Bibles to the public.

 

2008, another local Bible Book Store transferred its inventory to LWM. Currently LWM is the only locally owned and operated Bible Book Store in southern Indiana. Due to increased digital presence in publications, LWM ceased as a Bible Book Store in 2020.

 

In 2008, a hardware store was gifted to FLC. This hardware store is called FLC South. It distributes furniture, appliances, household items and building supplies to families. FLC South gifted the building to another ministry in 2019. FLC refocused its outreaches to the original mission of Matthew 25:40: givng food, water, clothes and building relationships with those’ imprisoned’.

 

A bus was also donated to FLC for the purpose of traveling to remote areas of the county to distribute clothes, coats, cleaning supplies, and school supplies. The bus served remote areas for a few years. It was gifted to an individual.

 

2010 brought a donated van into the ministry. The van is on the road every day serving families through the ministry.

 

2011 and 2012 brought internal growth with board of directors. Social media became a focus of communication. The “Drug Store” facility continued with remodeling for more service outreaches.

 

January 2015, Family Life Center moved to 2093 West State Rd 54, Bloomfield, Indiana. This facility is free standing on 2.5 Acres. This move was an additional act of faith within the ministry and within the community. FLC sought to purchase the “Good Times Restaurant”.

 

FLC saw tremendous growth because of improved parking, improved facility, and improved donation loading docks. This growth resulted in expanded services to the community. In 2014, 1563 families were served at “The Drug Store” location on the town square. In 2015, at the “Good Times Restaurant”, 4506 families were served. In 2016, 5215 families were served. Growth in direct services of clothes and food to the community continues.

 

This move was facilitated by the community. The community built a small kitchen, updated electrical wiring, moved all lighting to LED, replaced a roof, improved the HVAC, and updated the communication services.

 

November 2017, Family Life Center was able to receive a clear deed to the mortgage.

 

In the years of 2017 to 2019 Family Life Center worked to streamline all outreaches to the mission of Matt 25:34-40. “If you see someone hungry, feed them-if you see someone without clothes-clothe them-if you see someone imprisoned-visit them and make a relationship. If you do these things, you will be doing them to Me.” Implying Jesus is the Bread of Life, Jesus wears the Robe of Righteousness, Jesus sets the imprisoned free. FLC is a vehicle that Jesus uses to love people.

 

May 2020 did not change the mission of FLC. The Covid virus brought changed the method of feeding people and clothing people.

 

FLC moved its food pantry outside to the sidewalks. The refrigerators were available 24hrs a day. It is now a self-served food pantry operating as an on- need basis’ for families. The food pantry continues to serve families 24 hrs a day. In 2021, 86,533 pounds of food was selected by 7,046 families to feed 17,291 individuals from birth to seniors.

 

Likewise, Clothes were brought to the sidewalk to serve those in our community. This was a tremendous supports to families needing clothes, coats, shoes.

 

March 2021, FLC reopened the to served families clothes and a hot meal within the facility. The food pantry continues to serve families 24 hrs a day. 

 

FLC continues to hold a presence within the community.