If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the 988 Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.

More information can be found HERE.

Another great LOCAL organization is UNITED STEPS. They can be found HERE.

If you’re struggling, it’s okay to share your feelings. To start, you could copy one of these pre-written messages and send it to a trusted contact.

Reach out

When you get a chance can you contact me? I feel really alone and suicidal, and could use some support.

Contact a loved one

I don’t want to die, but I don’t know how to live. Talking with you may help me feel safe. Are you free to talk?

Express your feelings

This is really hard for me to say but I’m having painful thoughts and it might help to talk. Are you free?

Check in

I’m struggling right now and just need to talk to someone — can we chat?

MORE RESOURCES FROM UNITED STEPS SITE:

CRISIS RESOURCES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call (800)-237-8255 or 988
• Crisis Textline Text HOME to 741741

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

• Teen Line – Youth Crisis Call (310)-855-4673 or Text TEEN to 839863
• Veterans Crisis Line Call (800)-273-8255 and Press 1 or Text 838255
• The Trevor Project (LGBTQ Youth) Call (866)-488-7386 or Text TREVOR to (202) 304-1200
• Trans Lifeline (Transgender Youth/Adults) Call (877)-565-8860

SUICIDE PREVENTIONS

• Suicide Prevention Resource Center Call (877)-438-7772
• American Association of Suicidology Call (202)-237-2280

MENTAL HEALTH

• National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Call (800)-950-6264
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Call (866)-615-6464
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America Call (240)-485-1001
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Call (800)-826-3632

COPING WITH GRIEF

• The Dougy Center (Grieving Children and Families) Call (503)-775-5683
• The Compassionate Friends Call (630)-990-0010

FINDING TREATMENT

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Call (877)-726-4727
• Mental Health America Call (703)-684-7722
• Mental Help Call (888)-993-3112
• Theravive Call (360)-350-8627

We compiled these ideas to help those who are looking for emotional relief resources and strategies.

Managing Anxiety and Stress

If you are experiencing high levels of anxiety during these uncertain times, that is normal. Your body sends you information to alert you whenever it senses a threat. Know that you are processing your anxiety in healthy ways when you’re able to stay relaxed and make rational decisions without feeling overwhelmed or withdrawing. Anxiety can push us to take care of ourselves, but too much anxiety can become problematic. Below are some resources to help you manage your anxiety and stress levels. We’ve also included some information about how to determine when it might be time to ask a counselor or pastor for help.

Six Healthy Tips to Help You Cope

• Create a routine.​ Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. If you’re working from home, establish a start time and an end time. This can help create a sense of normalcy and predictability.
• Stay connected to others.​ Use technology to stay connected to friends, family, and co-workers by calling, texting, emailing, and videoing with one another. Connect with people who will be present, compassionate, and good listeners.
• Stay connected to your community.​ Actively seek ways to stay plugged in. Use technology to watch church services online or join in person. Support local businesses by buying gift cards for a later date or buying lunch for those on the front lines. Volunteer your time to help your local schools or nonprofits distribute food and essentials to your community.
• Take care of your body.​ Do things that help you feel better and relieve stress. Eat healthy foods, get plenty of rest, practice stretching and breathing exercises, and move your body daily.
• Access reliable media resources in small doses.​ Stay informed, but limit the amount of time you check the news to once or twice a day to prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed.
• Limit addictive behaviors.​ Distracting yourself and finding ways to seek relief from what’s going on around you is normal. However, pay attention to how much time you’re spending on television and social media. Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake.

When Is It Time to Ask for Help?

Often we are able to navigate life’s challenges by ourselves or with help from family and friends. However, there are times when we need to get help from a doctor or counselor. Here are a few indicators that it might be time to seek professional help:

• Struggle is preventing you from functioning in a healthy way or is significantly impacting your quality of life.
• It’s difficult to resolve an issue through your own ways of coping.
• Your current coping mechanisms (e.g., overuse of alcohol or drugs) are potentially destructive.
• You are overwhelmed to the point where negative emotions are dominating the way you feel.
• You are feeling hopeless and/or losing interest in things that used to bring you joy.
• Negative thoughts are preventing you from thinking clearly and making healthy decisions.
• You’re experiencing heightened social conflict or a desire for increased social withdrawal that is difficult to control.

Note that thoughts of self-harm or the desire to harm others require immediate attention, including telling family and friends that care about you and contacting a suicide prevention center and/or other resources listed below. If you feel like you are in immediate danger or are a danger to others, go to your local hospital for an assessment or seek medical attention by dialing 911 or 988 (Crisis and Suicide Lifeline).

If you decide to talk with a counselor, we’ve created a simple way for you to receive a counseling referral. Many of these counselors are able to meet with you virtually. Two locations we recommend include Desert Streams and also Response Care Center at Gracespring.

For those of you with existing emotional health conditions: Please be aware of your symptoms, and keep in touch with your mental health professionals to stay on track.

If you would like to speak with a pastor about your spiritual/emotional health or to request prayer, please reach out to us.

Domestic Violence Hotline

National Domestic Violence Hotline​ Call 1-800-799-7233

Loneliness

The Gift of Loneliness

Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention Hotline​ Call 988

Relationship Difficulty — Stress on Relationships

Choose Love in Difficult Times

This resource has been created to help those who are experiencing financial hardship.

STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT PAYING BILLS*

*Please note what is below is provided simply as thoughts to consider and should not be considered a professional opinion; all choices you make and outcomes are your responsibility.

Budget

If you haven’t looked at a budget in a while, now’s the time to do so. Every Dollar is a great free app to use to get a budget together. Get clarity from your income sources as to what the reality will look like over the coming weeks.

Cut spending to bare necessities. If you can’t pay all of your bills, Dave Ramsey recommends you spend your money on these four items first and in this order:

• Food
• Utilities
• Shelter
• Transportation

Defer Payments

If you’re still not able to cover all of your expenses, identify payments that can be deferred:

• Call creditors to explain your situation. You can ask for temporary relief on your monthly payments. If you offer to still send some money, even if it’s a smaller amount than your typical payment, they might be more willing to work with you.
• If you have federal student loans, you can forbear (interest accrues) or defer (interest doesn’t accrue on subsidized federal loans) your loan payments.
• For student loans, use this questionnaire to understand what options are available to you.
• If you’re paying extra on debt(s) right now and have less than one to two months’ worth of expenses in an emergency fund, it might not be a bad idea to temporarily stop extra payments and then restart them once things settle down.
• Enroll for health insurance, if you can.
• Use this week to get a game plan together and gather information, as there may be more changes coming.

Broad Measures

• Call your bank. Some banks have said that if customers are having trouble making payments on loans (mortgages, credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, etc.) to call them to find out what options are available.
• Check with your loan servicer about Federal student loan payment options.
• Rent: Contact your landlord to see if you have any payment options.
• Utilities: Contact your local company to discuss options.
• Cell Phone/Internet: Contact your provider to discuss options.

*CALL BEFORE GOING TO CONFIRM STILL FUNCTIONING

FOOD PANTRY LISTINGS

Battle Creek

• His Hands Ministry/First Church of the Nazarene- 1 2688 Beadle Lake Rd., Battle Creek - 2nd & 4th Wednesdays 9-11 am
• Tri-County Labor Agency - 5906 E. Morgan Rd., Battle Creek - must go through 211
• Kendall Street Pantry - 175 Kendall Street, Battle Creek - Mondays 4-6 pm
• Community Missionary Baptist Church - 88 Saratoga Ave, Battle Creek - 3rd Thursday 10 am - 1 pm
• Neighborhood Pantry Assoc/North East - 342 Capital Ave NE, Battle Creek - Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9-11:45 am
• Neighborhood Pantry Assoc/Franklin Pantry - 111 E Michigan Ave, Battle Creek - Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays 1-3 pm
• Neighborhood Pantry Assoc/Parkway Pantry - 380 Truth Dr, Battle Creek - Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 9:45-11:45 am
• Neighborhood Pantry Assoc/Lakeview - 7 South 20th St, Battle Creek - Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 9:30-11:45 am
• Neighborhood Pantry Assoc/Love Thy Neighbor - 1391 East Michigan Ave., Battle Creek - Mondays 3-6 pm, Wednesdays & Fridays 9 am - 12 pm
• Thomas Episcopal Church - 16 E. Van Buren St take-away breakfast every Saturday from 8:30- 10 am. Use Van Buren Street entrance.
• The Fort Food Pantry - 5451 Wayne Road, Battle Creek - Tuesdays 3-5 pm

Albion

• Albion Interfaith Ministries - 202 West Erie St., Albion - Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 10 am - 3 pm

Athens

• Athens Christian Center - 128 Church Street, Athens - Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 am - 1 pm
• First Congregational Church - 203 W. Burr Oak, Athens - 2nd Tuesday 5-6:30 pm

Marshall

• Family Bible Church - 725 US 27 North, Marshall - 3rd Saturday 9:30-11:30 am
• Crossroads Church Bread of Life - 14701 N. Old US 27, Marshall - 2nd Monday 6:30-8:30 pm

Homer

• Homer Caring and Sharing - 6020 23 Mile Rd, Homer - Mondays 3-5 pm, Thursdays 6-7:30 pm

Ceresco

• Newton United Church - 8804 F Drive S, Ceresco - 3rd Tuesday 4:30-5:15 pm

MEAL SITES

• Philip Catholic Church - 112 Capital Ave, Battle Creek - Dinner Sundays 4-5 pm
• Salvation Army - 400 Capital Ave, Battle Creek - Lunch Monday - Friday 11:30 am - 1 pm & Saturdays 1-2 pm
• Share Center - 120 E Grove St, Battle Creek - Call (269) 964-8133 for dates and times

FRESH FOOD GIVEAWAY

Battle Creek

• First Congregational United Church of Christ - 145 Capital Ave., Battle Creek - 3rd Tuesday (no distribution June, July & August)
• Kendall Street Pantry - 175 Kendall Street S, Battle Creek - 3rd Monday 4-6 pm
• Battle Creek Tabernacle - 264 W. Michigan Ave Battle Creek - 3rd Tuesday 1-3 pm
• Fort Food Pantry - 5451 Wayne Road, Battle Creek - 1st Tuesday 2:30-4:30 pm

Albion

• New Hope Worship Center - 13600 28 Mile Road, Albion - 2nd Thursday & 4th Tuesday 5-7 pm
• Albion Food Hub - 112 East Erie Street, Albion - 2nd Thursday & 4th Tuesday 5-7 pm

STUDENT MEALS

Check your local school system.

DIAPERS

Diaper Give Away - Behind the YMCA (182 Capital Ave NE) - Wednesdays 11:45 am - 12:15 pm

At Alternatives Care Center (ministry partner of FBC), our Freedom Ministry offers help, hope and support to those who have experienced an abortion. Sit with women who have received healing themselves and they will help to empower you to heal and reach your full potential - all through the power of Jesus Christ. Everything shared never leaves the group you are in because of the sensitivity of the experiences. Discover more HERE.