During the holidays, the Ecumenical Human Needs committee, a committee of the Webster City Ministerial Association, raised the alarm, as their efforts to raise funds to assist families by ringing bells at the grocery stores and hardware store were dampened with dangerous weather conditions.

At the end of the 2025 season, the bellringing had only brought in $2,700. During the 2024 bell ringing season, they collected over $10,000.

The community responded to the call for help. By the end of the year, there were many additional donations to the Ministerial Association and the Ecumenical Human Needs committee.

“We received some very large anonymous donations, the largest one was for $25,000,” said Rev. Joe Pierson, treasurer for the Ministerial Association.

According to the treasurer for the Ecumenical Human Needs, total donations were $33,231.10. Over $30,000 was given anonymously by several donors directly, not in the bell ringing containers.

Those donations took the strain off the volunteers and ministers who were trying to help families in Webster City who were struggling with emergency situations.

The Ecumenical Human Needs Committee is part of the Webster City Ministerial Associations. They assist individuals and families in Webster City who have fallen on difficult financial stresses due to illness, job loss, homelessness or other crisis situations.

A family can be helped once a year, but they cannot help them if they have no way to pay next month’s rent or utilities.

Throughout 2025, the volunteer staff of five individuals helped 53 families with crisis situations. That assistance was over $27,000. The time spent researching situations, verifying information, and meeting with those in need took at least 876 volunteer hours.

“It takes about 12 hours per application, even if they are denied,” said Sharon Perry, who has worked with this program since its inception. “We spend about 73 hours per month working with applicants.”

They cannot help everyone. There were twenty applicants who were denied.

“It doesn’t do any good to help a family one month, if they can’t pay for the next month,” Perry said. She said the applicants need to have a job and a plan. This program of assistance is not a long-term solution, so the application process also helps them find solutions. An applicant can only get help one time every two years.

In addition to local fundraising, the committee also writes for other community grants and programs that can partner with addressing the financial needs. Some clients are able to pay back the funds that were given to assist them.

If financial management assistance is needed, the volunteers try to help them with that part of the problem. No money goes directly to the client. Rent is paid to the landlord, utilities are paid to City of Webster City or to the gas company.

Most of the churches help “Ring Holiday Bells” which raises awareness of the crisis which families face in Webster City during the holidays. When the opportunity to raise money during this last holiday season seemed to be failing due to the weather, an appeal went out.

“People care about each other,” said Perry. “It’s amazing to me how much money we ended up with. It’s because people care, they don’t want people having hard times. The neighbors next door don’t want the electricity shut off.”

Because all the donations are anonymous, those being helped may be getting help from their next door neighbor.

“We always encourage families to plan how they will reach their goals and not become homeless or be without electricity or gas,” she said, “We try to raise client’s self esteem.”

Their personal counseling allows them to do that, encourage families to pay their bills and to work at more than one job if they need them. Those who work with the clients who need help get their own level of value when they see their assistance helped.

“This is just enough to get over a trouble spot,” said Perry. “And it is absolutely worth it.”