Deacons at the North Shore Fellowship have agreed to oversee dispersal of funds for the Andy Mendonsa family.
Gary Lindley, a church elder, said some $56,000 has been raised thus far to help the St. Elmo family that has suffered multiple tragedies over the past year.
But he said some $175,000 to $200,000 is needed.
"This is a family whose needs are truly staggering," Mr. Lindley said.
Gifts should be sent to The Mendonsa Fund, Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation, 736 Market St., Chattanooga, Tn., 37402.
Mr. Lindley said the foundation can receive the funds, but someone was needed to handle paying of the bills. He said the church elders agreed to do so for Andy and Gloria Mendonsa. Mr. Mendonsa heads the local Widows Harvest Ministry.
Their 17-year-old son, Asher, had a tragic fall from the Parkway Towers and was left a quadriplegic. Then their daughter, Hadrienne, was killed in a car wreck. Also, a huge tree fell on the family home on Alabama Avenue.
Mr. Lindley said basic repairs have been completed on the home, but he said it is still being retrofitted so that Asher can live at home. He said the family also has continuing medical bills.
He said the family is now in Atlanta, where Asher has been receiving therapy. He said the family plans to return to Chattanooga for Christmas and stay in a hotel until their house is ready.
The North Shore deacons sent a letter to other churches asking for help with the Mendonsa fund:
To: Our fellow members in the Church at Chattanooga
From: The deacons at North Shore Fellowship
For many years, Andy Mendonsa challenged us with the words of the Apostle James: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. . .” Now, in the Lord’s providence and through a series of events that all of us in this community know about, Andy and his family are themselves in distress.
While they have not requested aid from any of us, their needs are well-documented and in some cases obvious. Based on extensive interviews with Andy and the close-up knowledge of those who have walked most closely with them in the past six months, we can say with assurance that their needs are at least as follows:
1.Because of Asher’s injury, their house must be adapted for handicapped accessibility. This will include an addition to the rear of the house to create a bedroom and bathroom for him. There will also be changes to the driveway and rear entry of the house to improve access. The total estimated cost of these changes is about $115,000.
2.The family has purchased a handicapped van at a cost of $35,000. This is necessary to transport Asher.
3.There are already thousands of dollars in uninsured medical costs.
4.There will be thousands of dollars of future uninsured medical costs.
Shortly after Asher’s accident, several churches and numerous individuals collaborated to establish a fund at the Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation. The Foundation has generously offered to keep this fund open and to receipt all gifts (thus they are eligible for tax-deduction). The Foundation is well-equipped to handle various types of gifts, to do so in timely fashion, and to ensure that everything is in good order on the receiving end. The deacons at North Shore Fellowship have agreed to oversee the distribution of these funds in close communication with Andy and his creditors. The diaconate will monitor the Mendonsas’ need as required to ensure that all funds are allocated properly; no money will be given without bills and receipts to show that it was properly applied. The NSF deacons are simply offering themselves as overseers for a project which has already garnered wide community support.
Therefore, all gifts should be given to The Mendonsa Fund, Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation, 736 Market Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402. These dollars will then be transferred upon specific request from the deacons at NSF to their mercy fund, and from the mercy fund they will be used to pay contractors, physicians, hospitals, etc. To the extent that it’s possible, such payment will be made directly by NSF, not by Andy or Gloria.
We believe that the Holy Spirit will move among us to give generously to this brother and his family. Already, and even before there was any system for properly distributing these funds, thousands of dollars were given and pledged to substantially cover the cost of the van. We know that the Lord delights in pouring out His blessings; we know that He typically does so through us, and we know that such expressions of love for one another both glorify Him and enrich us.
May Jesus Christ be glorified in this community’s response to the tragic events which have befallen the Mendonsas. Thank you for your trust in us as we go forward in faith.
The Deacons at North Shore Fellowship
Kirk Erickson, Chairman Michael Pettit
David Dupre Andy Pippenger
Tim Gibbons Larry Reed
Ian Goodman Mark Zbinden