Christ Church Outreach News: October 16, 2025
- Christ Episcopal Church
- Oct 15
- 4 min read
Countdown to Service: Take Part in the Fall Food Drive on Saturday, Nov. 8, 1 to 5 PM, at Dorsey’s Search Giant to Help Feed Hungry Families
Be a part of one of the most rewarding ways to help feed the hungry. Please sign up for a shift during the Fall Food Drive on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Dorsey’s Search Giant supermarket, 4715 Dorsey Hall Drive, in Ellicott City.
Walk-ins and children are welcome as Christ Church continues a hands-on, family-friendly activity that occurs twice a year, in spring and fall. Look for a signup sheet in the Narthex or in Old Brick, starting on Sunday. Please volunteer for a one-hour shift. To learn more, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Groceries collected from shoppers will go to two food pantries. One is the Howard County Food Bank, which is operated by the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). The other is SAFE, its partner pantry that provides free gluten-free and allergy-safe foods to low-income families and individuals.
At our Spring Food Drive at a Giant supermarket in Clarksville, we collected 1,294 pounds; at the 2024 Fall Food Drive held at Dorsey’s Search, the haul was 1,440 pounds. Together, that totals more than a ton of food and staples! During these Food Drives, the experience provides hands-on service not only for our volunteers but also for shoppers we approach with a list of requested items.
Most importantly, access to food and necessities is a lifeline for people struggling to make ends meet. In Howard County, the number of these households has grown due to inflation and the current federal workforce reductions, so any help you can give is most certainly needed and appreciated.
Now’s the Time to Walk or Run in CAC’s ‘Steps Forward’ Fall Fundraiser
It’s not too late to participate in Steps Forward, a Walk/Run campaign to raise funds for the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). Individuals or teams are invited to accumulate miles during October while soliciting donations. Participants will receive a special T-shirt and discounted entry to the Run Through the Grapevine 8K, hosted by the Howard County Striders in Mt. Airy, Maryland, on Sunday, November 2. The annual cross-country/trail race takes place at Linganore Winecellars.
On race morning, a non-perishable food drive will benefit the Howard County Food Bank, which CAC operates. As the county’s designated anti-poverty organization, CAC provides multiple services as described in its 2024 Impact Report. These include early childhood education, eviction prevention, weatherization, and utility assistance.
Christ Church Sends Food Aid to Victims of War in Ukraine and in Gaza
At the Oct. 13 Outreach Commission meeting, we approved a $750 donation to World Central Kitchen (WCK) to help feed people deprived of food in two different wars. Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, WCK began serving meals to meet the needs of families in conflict zones, as described in a post on its website. Present conditions are dire as people cope with attacks, power outages and the approach of winter. An amount of $500 will go to WCK’s Chefs for Ukraine. Separately, $250 will go toward aid for the starving residents of Gaza as a peace deal has been declared in the Israel-Hamas War. A new field kitchen opened this month, WCK said on its site, as Palestinians await a greater flow of humanitarian aid.
In both instances, these are Vestry-approved funds derived from your pledges and contributions. Thank you!
Lake Elkhorn Middle School Kindness Pantry
Many thanks to all of you who signed up for and brought in food and household items for the LEMS Kindness Pantry. Last Wednesday, we delivered the items that counselors and staff will distribute during meetings with families in need of assistance. In addition, we helped to hand out 100 bags of fresh food from The Roving Radish at the school as parents came to pick up their children or stopped by after work.
Our next project is to put together 60 "health bags" for teachers' classrooms. Each bag will contain facial tissue, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and a thank-you note from Christ Church. We'll be assembling the bags at Lake Elkhorn Middle School next Tuesday, October 21st from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and would love to have some help putting the bags together, so please let us know if you are available - speak with Cathy Whittaker, Jan DeBoissiere, Jennny Cecil, or Sara Kirkpatrick at church on Sunday, or email lems@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Christ Church Sends Funds to FISH and CCC to Help Neighbors in Need
At the Oct. 13 Outreach Commission meeting, we approved $500 in donations to Columbia Community Care (CCC) and $300 to FISH. Recently, the two non-profit organizations became partners and merged their food pantries into one. On Oct. 11, Pantry Manager April Lee posted a plea for support on CCC’s Facebook page: “These are difficult times right now for so many and, sadly, they will most likely get worse. If you are able to, would you please help us restock our inventory?”
Your contributions to Christ Church for Vestry-approved funds make these donations possible. On behalf of our needy neighbors, please accept heartfelt thanks!
CCC continues its distributions at three sites on Saturday mornings and by home delivery to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help. FISH continues to pick up donated goods from Christ Church and others. Please put non-perishable food and personal care products in the altar basket or in a bin just inside the Parish Hall. Look for a combo label “FISH/CCC”. Please keep bringing baby wipes and diapers, especially large sizes.
FISH will continue to provide guidance and financial support by telephone because the personal touch is very important when people are in crisis. Consider volunteering from home by giving just one day a month to assist those who could benefit from financial assistance from FISH. Training is provided. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong or email andydelong.fish@gmail.com. Thanks for your support.
In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
