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Donations for the Food Pantry-Urgent Need There is an urgent need for non-perishable food in our Deep River Food Pantry. Please help with the following donations: tuna, peanut butter, jelly, mac & cheese, pasta sauce, juice, and canned fruit. They DO NOT NEED beans, veggies, or pasta. Donations may be dropped off at the Deep River Town Hall or at the Food Pantry, which is in the Tri-Town Youth office building on High Street. We collect here at church on the first Sunday of each month before each worship service. Thank you.
Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries
The Board of Christian Service welcomed the Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantries to host a weekly meal at our church on Thursday evenings. Those who would like to volunteer for the SSKP meal need to attend an orientation session. Orientations meetings are held at the Grace Episcopal Church in Old Saybrook on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30. If there is enough interest the Board of Christian Service hopes to arrange one or two orientation sessions at our church. We will keep you posted.
DRCC MISSION WORK
The Church Council approved a measure to expand the role of the Board of Christian Service. The Board of Christian Service will now oversee all mission events of the congregation. This measure is to focus the church’s mission efforts, to help with the planning and scheduling of events and to better publicize the many missions of the church. Any members of the church who are currently involved in a mission outreach project will be invited to meet with us to seek ways in which the Board of Christian Service can help facilitate the effort. The Board of Christian Service strives to do a better job to keep the congregation aware of Church projects and we invite members to bring their interests and concerns to the board for review. The Board of Christian Service will continue to do their own mission projects and to be more active in responding to current situations in our congregation, community and the world.
The Backpack Program
Cathy Smith, director of The Backpack program, sought approval from the Board of Christian Service last Spring to expand the focus of that mission. The program provides backpacks with food items to be sent home with needy children each weekend. The backpack program has received very generous donations and could afford to do more. The Board of Christian Service approved that the additional expenditure of $1000 from that budget to help children in our area with clothing or scholarship programs. This summer the program provided 6 scholarships to summer camp and 20 gift cards to Payless Shoe Store so that children could have new shoes for school. Cathy Smith works with the Deep River Social Services director, Rosie Bininger, to determine where there is the most need.
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Blood Drive, Sponsored by our Board of Christian Service The Board of Christian Service would like to extend a thank you to all who volunteered at the Blood Drive held here on Friday, April 19th. The goal was to receive 42 pints of blood and the drive exceeded their goal--a total of 68 pints was donated. The Board appreciates all who donated, baked, and gave of their time to this successful event.
Birthday in a Box" Donation Drive
The Board of Christian Service is pleased to announce a new spring project. We will be working with Safe Futures, an organization in New London that operates two 24-hour hotlines, an emergency shelter and a transitional living program for families working to rebuild lives shattered by domestic violence or sexual assault. Families can live in the transitional housing for up to two years and there are always many children ranging from infants to teenagers. Many of these people arrive with just the clothes on their backs and they begin a 6-24 month process of developing better self-esteem, life skills, job skills and healthy lives. The Board of Christian Service would like to support these families by collecting donations for them. Specifically, to begin with, we would like to collect items that can be used to celebrate the children's birthdays. There is a beautiful community room and with a few basic supplies, the mothers in the shelter will be able to celebrate with their children. Susan Noyes, the director of community outreach for Safe Futures, says that they rely 100% on donations for special occasions and shared the following wish list with us:
- Paper plates, cups, napkins
- Paper tablecloths
- Birthday wrapping paper
- Plastic cutlery
- Gift cards that will allow mothers to choose a special gift for their child
Please look for our sample "Birthday Box" in Fellowship Hall with suggestions of items needed. Feel free to give one or two items to help the Board of Christian Service put together boxes or create your own box as a gift from your family.
Eye Glasses for Lions Club
There is a bin outside of Sybil's office for donating eyeglasses which the Lion's Cub will recycle, clean and sort to go to those in need, especially in developing countries.
Soda Can Tabs for Ronald McDonald House The pop top tab from a soda can is made from a special quality of aluminum which can be donated to raise funds to The Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald House charities focus on the the care of critically ill children and their families. Thank you to all those who have continued to make donations which are collected in a bin outside of Sybil's office.
Volunteer for the Eddy Shelter Meal Ministry The Board of Christian Service continues to look for volunteers to help provide a hot meal for the residents of the Eddy Shelter in Middletown on the first Wednesday of each month. Please sign up on the sheet posted on the Christian Service bulletin board in Fellowship Hall, or sign up online on the Volunteer Page of our church web site. You may also contact Dorothy DeMichael or call the church office if you are interested in helping. Thank you to a those who continue to host dinners regularly.
Donations Needed for the Eddy Shelter The BoCS holds an on-going collection for the Eddy Shelter, where they need the following items: New Bath & hand towels
Twin Size ~ Sheets & Pillow Cases
Twin Size ~ Blankets
Twin Size ~ Comforters/Bedspreads During cold weather they also need: Jackets, Sweaters & Sweatshirts Any of the above items that you can donate will be very much appreciated. We thank you in advance for your continued support. Please leave items near the Donation Station outside Sybil’s office.
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