Mission
To partner with the church the church to transform lives and communities in the Name of Christ.
Local History
Love INC of Columbia opened its doors on April 1, 2008, after two years of support base development among churches and agencies. Local founders Jane Williams and Pat McMurry both had invested years developing church cooperation for various projects including benevolence ministry, pastor support, and city-wide worship events.
In 2006, Hurricane Katrina provided needed catalyst for the concept of Love INC locally. Jane Williams (Christian Fellowship and Columbia social worker) and Peggy Kirkpatrick (Central Missouri Food Bank) were instrumental in networking churches to provide relief services for Katrina victims relocating here. Their efforts and others culminated in the development of Boone County Partnership's Disaster Relief Center and laid the foundation for Mid Missouri Furniture Bank. Columbia's churches response to the influx of refugees brought the realization of the importance of intentional, ongoing cooperation and coordination of benevolence ministry.
Organization History
The first Love INC was founded in 1977 by a Christian social worker in Holland, Michigan. Within ten years, there were 50 Love INC affiliates in 14 states. In 2001, Love INC became a division of World Vision serving as its domestic benevolence program. Love INC now has over 140 affiliates, in 30 states. Several years later, Love INC's growth required a separate board and structure and moved into a partnership role with and funding from World Vision.
There is strong national leadership under the direction of Executive Director Robert Odom who has taken Love INC from its initial role as a citywide clearinghouse of services to also include relational ministry and community development.