2021 REPORT
LIFE-CHANGING CARE
QUALITY CARE IN TIMES OF NEED One morning, an employee asked me to pray for her teenage daughter who had recently left home and had gotten involved with drugs. I asked the employee if she had a community support system in place like a church or other strong support like extended family. She said she used to go to church but doesn’t much bother with it since COVID. With permission, I prayed for God’s protection over the daughter and that God would provide a way for help to reach the employee’s daughter. The employee asked if I would call the daughter and try to offer help. After rounds were completed that morning, I called the daughter and introduced myself as a chaplain for Sara Lee Frozen Bakery. She asked what a chaplain was and I over-simplified it by explaining that I was something like a community caregiver wholly devoted to loving and serving others. I asked if it would be all right to listen to her story and see if there was a way I could offer any help. She began to tell me about the struggles and challenges in her life. I listened for about an hour. I offered some community resources that could help her and let her know that I would always be just a phone call or text away if she needed any help. Over the course of that week I received many phone calls from the family member and eventually linked her with an addiction recovery support group. The following week the employee approached me and was overjoyed with tears rolling down her cheeks when she said that her daughter came back home and asked for help and recovery. I asked the employee if she had ever heard about the parable of the lost sheep. She said that she had, and in that moment she asked to pray with me to renew and recommit her life to God for the blessing of bringing home her lost sheep.
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In that moment, she asked to pray with me to renew and recommit her life to God for the blessing of bringing home her lost sheep.
THESE ARE THE DATES CHAPLAINCY STARTED FOR EACH SARA LEE FROZEN BAKERY
LOCATION. THE NUMBERS THAT FOLLOW ARE SINCE INCEPTION BY LOCATION. TARBORO, NC: 1/9/2020 CHICAGO, IL: 1/9/2020 TRAVERSE CITY, MI: 1/15/2020 SOUTHBRIDGE, MA: 2/25/2021
TYPE OF CONTACT
MA
MI
NC
IL
TOTAL
Visits to business location
12
125
207
55
399
Visits with owner/CEO or Site Manager
8
30
97
6
141
Contacts with employees
2,010
20,625
40,856
1,330
64,821
Specific care sessions with employees
63
1,887
6,574
261
8,785
Number of times gospel was presented
0
36
180
28
244
Employees making faith recommitment
0
17
83
4
104
Employees making faith decision for Christ
0
7
15
1
23
Non-employees making faith decision for Christ
0
5
1
0
6
Incoming communication from employees and families 0
79
576
100
755
Outgoing communication to employees and families
0
92
691
2,836
3,619
Number of funerals attended
0
5
2
0
7
Hospital visits
0
9
0
2
11
4 LOCATIONS 8,785 CARE SESSIONS 29 FIRST-TIME FAITH DECISIONS 104 FAITH RECOMMITMENTS
RECOMMITTED & CHANGED During rounds one evening, I visited a section of the plant where there was an employee who normally was in high spirits, but on this occasion, he was rather quiet. I asked how he was doing, and he began to express concern over how he was acting at home. He was working 12 hour days for 6 days in a row for the last several months and was tired and irritable with his family. He wanted to have more selfcontrol with his speech and be an encourager to them. I asked him for permission to share what God says about our speech, need to listen and have self-control. He gave me permission and I asked if he had ever heard about the great lengths God has gone to be our support, foundation in life, and our encouragement. With permission, I showed the employee what God said about our words, our need for patience. I shared with him how to love selflessly like Christ did for us and by doing that we can be strengthened and feel renewed. I asked if he would like to renew his faith and follow once again the King of the Universe. He recommitted his life that night and after work I taught him how to pray for his wife and children. His relationships have since improved and his faith is much stronger now.
NUMBERS SINCE INCEPTION MA
MI
IL
TOTAL
%
5,770
4
127
109
6,010
33.7%
Stress and Anxiety
2,575
4
192
89
2,860
16%
Health
1,902
3
94
40
2,039
11.4%
Work
1,431
23
213
20
1,687
9.5%
Relationships
1,177
0
92
22
1,291
7.2%
Children
879
5
45
18
947
5.3%
Finances
845
0
212
3
869
4.9%
Anger
516
0
104
1
621
3.5%
Grief
407
0
54
36
497
2.8%
Addictions
387
0
43
1
431
2.4%
Aging Parents
258
1
25
16
300
1.7%
Other
130
23
25
23
201
1.1%
Suicide
70
0
5
2
77
0.4%
TYPES OF CARE
NC
Spiritual
CARE IN TIMES OF CRISIS An employee’s family member was scheduled to have surgery that had significant risk but was also necessary to extend this family member’s life. The employee was extraordinarily stressed, as could be expected given this very critical situation. The Chaplain had multiple care sessions to help the employee discuss their fears and anxieties. As part of those discussions, they discussed eternity and what happens when a person dies. That discussion created an opportunity to talk about what it means to have a relationship with God. The Chaplain was able to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and the employee chose to put their trust in Jesus. The Chaplain also walked with the employee through her family member’s successful surgery.
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That discussion created an opportunity to talk about what it means to have a relationship with God. The chaplain was able to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and the employee chose to put their trust in Jesus.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT BUILD CARING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE HOPE OF GAINING PERMISSION TO SHARE THE LIFE-CHANGING GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST IN A NON-THREATENING MANNER.
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