As I write this newsletter I have just returned from a medical mission trip to Haiti. Wow, wow, wow, is all I can say. We are all so truly blessed to live in America and have all that we do. I asked myself more than once, "why am I allowed to live in the U.S. and have all that I do and others don't." Well I certainly did not find out the answer to that question but I do think one reason is because God is counting on us sharing and helping others less fortunate than us. Matthew 25 says "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink...." Obviously we can't all travel to a foreign country to help others nor should we. But we can share in all of the blessings that we are flooded with daily.
We had 117 families at the pantry last night including 15 new families. It was "laundry soap week" so everyone got some along with a bag of groceries, bread, sweet item and many got cheese or a meat item. Our Martha that works with Kathy at the registration table that has been sick since the end of last September was able to come. Thank you Jesus for your healing power!
Since the pantry is serving over 100 families weekly our shelves are bare! The most needed items are cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix and syrup, canned fruit, corn, carrots, mixed veg, refried beans, canned meat, pasta and sauce, toilet paper, diapers size 4, 5 & 6 and toiletry items.
Several families are looking forward to coming to the new Thursday night church service next week and that is really what it is all about. Bringing others to Christ. Thank you for all of your donations and remember that even 1 item per family donated could really help another family in Jesus' name.
We had 110 families yesterday come to the pantry despite the freezing rain. That is witness to me how much families in our community are in need. We were able to give each family a choice of hot dogs or bologna in addition to their bags of groceries. We received a large donation of fleece blankets and were able to give two to each family which they were very excited to receive.
Despite the weather and most of our families situations, most were smiling yesterday. They enjoyed having others that share in prayers for their families and offering them a hug. As I have said before our volunteers receive as many blessings as the blessings they give. We shared with our families the upcoming Thursday evening service and are anxious to share that time with them.
We are currently in dire need of boxes of cereal as we are almost completely out. In addition we need boxes of oatmeal, poptarts, pancake mix and syrup. Breakfast items are always used by our families. We also need cans of fruit, boxes of kleenex, toilet paper and size 6 diapers. Our supply of shampoo, deodorant, dish soap is completely gone. Things that are used everyday are taken for granted by most of us but a luxury to others.
We appreciate your support of the food pantry and our families depend on it. Thank you for your generous gifts to others.
Well what a difference a week makes! Last Thursday we got a ton a snow and had to have the parking lot cleaned off before we could open and this week it was sunny and almost 40 degrees! We had 104 families come to the pantry. We had several first time volunteers that were so blessed by their experience that they said they wanted to come every week to help.
Our needs this week include boxes of cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix and syrup, sugar, flour, cake/brownie mixes, dish soap, trash bags, toilet paper.
One of our guests asked us to pray for a breast biopsy that she was having this past week. She came in last night very excited to report her tests came back benign. Praise the Lord!
We had a kitchen table and chairs, a microwave and a baby bassinett that were all donated. Names were drawn and 3 families took home things that they needed. Thank for for all of the donations and time invested in our community through the pantry.
Our first day to reopen since Christmas. 68 brave guests including 3 new ones came in today. We were blessed by someone who was plowing the Eagles parking lot in front of the pantry stopping by and saying, "If I remember correctly today is the day the pantry is open." and offering to plow the parking lot for us. God provides all of our needs!
Thank you for all of the food donations. Each family was given 2 bags of groceries. Hinkle Creek Friends Church gave us a large cash donation that we were able to purchase laundry soap, personal hygiene products and cereal with. They also donated several fleece blankets for us to donate. It is wonderful to see different bodies of Christ working together for a common cause.
This week we are especially in need of boxes of cereal, pancake mix, syrup, dish soap, shampoo, kleenex, toilet paper, and juices. Volunteer opportunities that we are in need of are someone to be a point person for the kids room one Thursday a month from 3-6. We also need volunteers for shopping, set-up help, clean-up help, stocking on Tuesdays between 10-2 and Thursdays for food distribution from 3:30-6. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please let me know. It is a great way to lend a hand and you will be as blessed as those are that you are helping.
We hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful time of the year and enjoying some time with your family. We had 103 families yesterday including 13 new ones. Several exciting things are happening at the pantry. One of our single ladies came in and told us that through the love she has been shown at the pantry she had the courage to take the next step in her life and accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She was baptized by her sister and was so excited to tell us about it. One of our Hispanic families that we talked about before got an apartment. They were thrilled to have a place to live even though they have very little furniture. One of our volunteers stopped by their house to drop off some food and asked them where they ate at since there was no kitchen table. The man said we sit on the floor. Our volunteer Becky had been given some money by a co-worker earlier and looked at her husband and said we need to do something about that. She went to the Goodwill and went to the back to find a very small table with 4 chairs which will fit perfectly in their kitchen. Amazingly, it was the exact price of the money she had to pay for it! God is so good! He always provides!
Donations this week came in many different forms. Hamilton County Harvest, Open Door pantry, items bought from donations from a Turkey Run, Hinkle Creek church, NIS, Hamilton Heights Honor Society and Hamilton Southeastern school. Hamilton Heights Honor society had 10 volunteers that helped us as well.
For the next couple of weeks we are trying to stock up on cereal, oatmeal, breakfast bars, pancake mix, syrup, juice. Diapers, wipes and baby food are an essential need as well. We are still collecting empty liquid laundry containers, the 50 or 100 ounce size. The first of the month will be our laundry soap day. We also are low on plastic grocery bags. We are trying to concentrate on breakfast items to help our families. Thank you for all of your donations this year. We have been so blessed by your contributions and volunteer hours. We will reopen on January 7.
Take time to stop, sit back and reflect and remember our Saviors birth is the reason for the season. We are all blessed by not what we have done, but by what God has done and what we can do through him.
