LUM Good Samaritan Fund from Crisis to Hope
A Mother’s Story
“I leave feeling like I finally have some hope.” – A recent LUM Good Samaritan Fund client
That hope was provided through LUM by people such as you. Through the LUM Good Samaritan Fund, LUM can meet the needs of our local neighbors who are in acute financial crisis.
The neighbor who spoke the quote above was a mother who had received a water disconnect notice. She was feeling enormous pressure, as her water was due to be turned off later that same day. She came to LUM at 8:00 a.m., looking for help with the water bill that was almost $1,000. She was renting an apartment that had sprung a water leak, of which she was unaware until she received the water bill. The landlord fixed the leak, but the water bill was hers to pay. A volunteer from LUM listened with compassion, advocated for her with the utility office, utilized the LUM Good Samaritan Fund to provide financial assistance, and helped her avoid the water disconnect. Then a new water leak appeared – this one streaming out of the mother’s eyes – tears of gratitude, relief, and hope.
Tens of thousands of our neighbors have had a similar story. For more than 50 years, LUM has helped keep people housed (which includes electricity, heat, and water) by providing emergency financial assistance. In 2024, LUM provided more than $115,000 worth of financial assistance, aiding 1,168 unique local households. The unsung heroes of these stories of merciful intervention are the financial donors to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund… people such as you.
The Good Samaritan Fund is unique. Not a single dollar of what is given is spent on administrative overhead; 100% of what is contributed goes directly to help neighbors struggling to prevent an eviction, a disconnection of utilities, or a lapse in prescription medications. This financial assistance is always paid to a third party (not directly to the client).
In these 50+ years of serving low-income households in Greater Lafayette, LUM has learned that even modest financial assistance can have a dramatic, positive impact on families. Any given client can receive a maximum of $240 each year. In the past twelve years, the average client has only visited three times. The Good Samaritan Fund is not creating financial dependence on LUM but instead is giving an empowering hand of hope to people amid their economic crises. The impact is often life-altering.
The need for the Good Samaritan Fund is accelerating. In the first half of 2025, LUM has seen an exceptionally high number of people needing help with their energy bills, primarily due to recent rate hikes and ongoing inflation. However, with your help, together we can ensure that people stay housed and have access to the basic necessities of water, electricity, and heat.
Would you please contribute to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund so that together we can continue to offer this strong and reliable safety net to our neighbors?
Your financial generosity will have a direct, positive impact on a local household:
- $80 prevents an eviction or utility disconnection for one local household per visit.
- $240 provides a year’s worth of GSF financial support to one local household.
- $640 provides one day’s worth of disbursements for GSF (aiding more than eight local households at $80 each).
- $3,200 provides one entire week’s worth of disbursements for GSF (aiding more than 40 local households at $80 each).
- Set up a legacy gift (beneficiary designation, bequest, or Qualified Charitable Distribution) to LUM, and be remembered for your ongoing love for the people of Lafayette
- Set up a recurring monthly gift
- Any amount is a helpful financial boost to our neighbors in need.
Rest assured, when LUM helps clients through the Good Samaritan Fund, our volunteers consistently demonstrate deep respect and compassion. As shown in the story of the mother facing a water bill crisis, we are committed to honoring the dignity of every individual and providing support that truly empowers those we serve.
If you’ve read this far, you’ve likely already played a part in supporting your neighbors–and for that, we thank you. Today, hundreds of local families are struggling to make ends meet. I invite you to make a meaningful difference: please give generously to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund and offer your neighbors the help and hope they need most, right now.
Thank you for listening. Thank you for your kindness.
With gratitude,
Wes Tillett
Executive Director
Lafayette Urban Ministry
P.S. Please donate to the Good Samaritan Fund by visiting LUMserve.org or by making your check payable to Lafayette Urban Ministry. Thanks!