Love INC
of Kootenai County
Our Community
As of 2021, 179,789 people live in Kootenai County. Out of that 67,771 households are struggling one way or another. 10% of these households live below the Federal Poverty Level; another 31% are ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE households earn above the FPL but are often employed in multiple jobs and don’t make enough to offset basic household necessities. 41% of our community households struggle to make ends meet and need material support!
There are many more in our community in need of relational support and community: our elderly and Veteran population, foster care families, single moms and dads, women fleeing domestic violence, and many living with the crippling and isolating effects of mental illness.
The local Church is uniquely gifted, poised, and called to respond! No one church can fully meet all the needs; instead, It takes a faith community working together across denominational lines to address multifaceted needs in a holistic, biblical, redemptive, and relational manner. Love INC works to engage churches in pooling their resources together (volunteers, ministries, and finances) to confront these challenges in the name of Jesus.
Our History
Nationally, Love INC was founded in 1977 by Virgil Gulker and has grown to over 110 affiliates. Love In the Name of Christ of Kootenai County officially opened the Connection Center in January 2017, with our partner churches and countless volunteer hours. The vision of Love INC of Kootenai County started way back in the early 2000s when Shane and Rachel Grady were involved in a church in Newberg, Oregon, that was launching its own Love In the Name of Christ. After seeing the fantastic coordination of services, extensive outreach, and many service opportunities in Newberg, Shane and Rachel knew this would be a massive benefit to Kootenai County.
Over six years, an ever-expanding group of volunteers caught the vision of mobilizing churches to transform this community for Christ. Despite leadership changes, pandemic years, and other challenges, Love INC of Kootenai County continues to endure and grow. Our unique commitment to helping without hurting, serving and championing local churches, and empowering those in need to discover their God-given capacity and identity distinguishes us on the local map of compassionate care ministries.
Our Staff
Stephen Pichotta
Brandi Thrall
Heidi Pym
Our Board Members
Jared Lyda Zak Adams Buddy Holton Jackie Maker Kevin Jester Randy Colbert
Our Partner Churches
Christian churches from across at least six denominations partner together to form a Love INC. Within these partnerships, Love INC serves as the scaffolding upon which greater growth is possible. However, it is the Christians in these churches who model Christ’s love and answer God’s call to serve. Working together as the body of Christ, we can best love and serve our community.