July’s Social Ministry ActivitiesSandwiches will be delivered to Brother Francis Shelter on
Tuesday, July 13 ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
July is “About the Kids” Month
This month, we’re asking for help in feeding hungry kids through LSSA’s food distribution program—those kids whose families have been hit hard by the economic downturn and cannot take advantage of school breakfasts and lunches during their summer break. We’re hoping to make a difference for families with children by providing healthy, nutritious favorites—like spaghetti, soup, macaroni and cheese, canned fruit, peanut butter, graham crackers—those same favorites of your children or grandchildren. You may put your gifts in the LSSA barrel in the Social Ministry corner, and we’ll do the rest. HUGSS (Helping Us Give School Supplies) and Coats for Kids It seems that summer break just started, but for Lutheran Social Services of Alaska—sharing in a community partnership with Catholic Social Services and the Salvation Army—it’s not too early to be gearing up to help kids whose families don’t have the resources to purchase adequate school supplies and/or warm winter outerwear for school in the fall. Last summer, they served 5,500 youngsters—all made possible through donations of supplies, coats, and dollars from people like us. This year, they expect to serve more families than ever. We hope that Gloria Dei can be an important partner in this ministry, ensuring that all kids will have supplies to start school—just like the rest of their classmates. Distribution of supplies and coats is scheduled for August 10 and 11; so it isn’t too late to get involved by donating and volunteering. If you like to knit, consider cleaning out your yarn stash and whipping up a hat or 2 or 3—HUGSS can use all they can get. Or save some time in early August to help with the packing and distribution. In addition to basic school supplies (24-pack-crayons, markers, pencils, 1” binders, scissors, and rulers), the wish list includes back packs, lunch boxes, and new or gently-used winter clothing (coats and snow pants in all sizes as well as hats and mittens). If you would like more details, give a call to Marcia DeVoe (243-1317), Marge Paulson (243-5480), or Darla Siver (243-4589)—they’ll be happy to talk to you about HUGSS and Coats for Kids and other ways you can help. Thank you all for your care and compassion and your willingness to make a difference in our community. “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Heb. 13:1-2
Mother Teresa is credited with having said, "If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one."
We strive toward that goal as we are presented with opportunities to help ease the suffering of the homeless and hungry—whether they live on the streets of downtown Anchorage or in countries far from here. |
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Gloria Dei’s Social Ministry Team is committed to promoting service to humanity through acts of love and justice and to increasing a greater awareness within the Gloria Dei community to the emotional and physical needs of society. Gloria Dei has a long history of support for both local and worldwide outreach programs. Some of the projects that we support are described below: Brother Francis Shelter provides year-round shelter for the homeless of our community. We deliver sandwiches once a month which are given out as lunches to clients going out on day jobs; they are occasionally used to supplement the evening meal as well—so protein is a plus. No need for individual wrapping or baggies—sandwiches prepared from a loaf of bread may be repacked into the original bread wrap. Sandwiches are picked up from the church kitchen at 6:00 pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Clare House shelters homeless women and children for up to 30 days. Once a month, we provide a hot meal, complete with milk and dessert, for their evening dinner. A sign-up sheet is posted on the Social Ministry bulletin board with details. Please bring oven-ready food in disposable containers. Our volunteers pick up the food from our church kitchen at 9:00 am on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Fellowship in Serving Humanity (F.I.S.H.) responds to the needs of the hungry by providing and delivering a three-day supply of food to those who call for assistance. Gloria Dei supplies baby food for the F.I.S.H. pantry. Bean’s Café plays a vital role in ministering to the very poorest in our community, providing meals to the hungry every day of the year. Annually, we host a Bean-a-Fit to raise funds for the Café. Lutheran Social Services of Alaska is a valued partner in ministry. We regularly contribute funds and food items to their food pantry and, in November, to the Thanksgiving Blessing project. We make Christmas stockings and Easter baskets that they distribute to their smallest clients, and in late summer, we collect coats and school supplies for kids in the community. ******************* Other local groups that have benefited from Gloria Dei’s Social Ministry efforts are Anchorage School District’s Children in Transition Program (warm clothing such as socks, sweaters, hats, and gloves placed under the Wooly tree during Advent), Providence Children’s Hospital (quilts given to children under their care), and our own Gloria Dei food pantry. Special ministries that reach around the globe include Marianne Wieland’s generous hunger print program and the annual CROP Walk, proceeds of which are divided between local and national/international agencies. Gloria Dei’s Piecemakers regularly sew quilts for Lutheran World Relief for distribution to people in third-world countries. Gloria Dei has also been an active participant in several Habitat for Humanity homes constructed in Anchorage. Thank you to all members and friends of Gloria Dei who continue in their faithful support of these Social Ministry projects. “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Heb. 13:1-2 |