A well-known community member and longtime executive director of a local non-profit that serves people struggling in the community has retired.

Katherine Janego retired Friday after 13 years with Love INC or Love in the Name Of Christ of the Greater Livingston Area. The non-profit, local churches and agencies work collaboratively together to meet identified needs in the community and fill in gaps for every ministry of basic need except for housing itself for individuals and families in the area. That includes assistance with utility bills, rent, rides to doctor appointments, personal items and gas vouchers. Nationally, the organization has been around for decades but the local chapter didn’t form until 2006 when Janego became director. It all began with ten area partner churches and two service ministries. Today, the affiliate has 61 churches and 43 service ministries. Janego says the local affiliate is one of five Certified Love INC Visit Sites, meaning other affiliates across the US and Kenya come to learn how an affiliate operates and how it remains pure to the Love INC mission and vision statement. She says they also now have a program leading people to self-sustainability through money management classes, healthy cooking classes, gardening and more. In 2017, Love INC opened a Resale Store providing a place for job coaching for MIWorks, WorkSkills, and Excel.

Janego’s last day was Friday and a retirement open house was held last week at the Love INC office in Howell. Janego plans to spend more time with her family but says she leaves the affiliate in good hands with the new Executive Director Kim Bruns, who has been training for the new position since September. (JM)