Al's Outreach Outtakes

It’s that Time!

 
Hard to believe, but it is already time to get moving on the Thanksgiving and Christmas planning. In previous articles I have mentioned that, due to COVID-19, things have changed at the Food Closet. How we handle the holidays must, unfortunately, change as well. Limited number of people coming to church, space at the Food Closet and Fireside Rooms being repurposed, and limiting contact with others drives the need for a new approach. So what does that look like?
 
This year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, we will be distributing gift cards. Instead of asking you to purchase groceries and bring them to church, I ask that you provide the equivalent amount in donations. If, like in years past, you want to help purchase a turkey, I ask that you make a donation for that as well. For a family of five, which is the average that we serve, $75 should enable them to purchase a complete meal including the turkey and all the trimmings.
 
Likewise, there will be no Giving Tree in the narthex. Instead, I ask that you make a donation that will be used to purchase gift cards. You be the judge as to how much you would have spent getting the gifts on the tag taken from the Giving Tree. In the end, your generosity will end up going to the same grateful families.
 
How do we do it? Simply go online to our Holiday Outreach Donation webpage. From there you can select which program (or both) you would like to help with. Fill out the form, click on ‘Make Donation’, and you’re done. Any size donation is appreciated. Should you have any questions feel free to contact either me or Erica at the office. We will be happy to help.
 
While the approach is different this year, those whom we help will be the same: veterans identified by the VA; women and children at the Women’s Life Change Center; women and children from Rose Haven; kids from the Beaverton School District; and families who come to the Food Closet. Rest assured that the help you provide via your donation will have the same impact as in years past — it just looks different!