Christ Church Outreach News: September 21, 2023
Fall Food Drive on Saturday, Oct. 7th from 12-4 p.m. at Elkridge Giant Supermarket to Help Howard County Food Bank, SAFE Food Pantry
Be a part of the action as we hold the Christ Church Fall Food Drive at a local Giant supermarket. The goal: engage shoppers in collecting hundreds of pounds of non-perishable groceries for the Howard County Food Bank and for its partner, SAFE Food Pantry (SAFE).
Several of you have already signed the clipboard to take a shift of an hour or more (thank you!). Walk-ins and children are also welcome as Christ Church continues this hands-on, family-friendly activity that resumed last April after a pandemic hiatus. Choose a time between 12 noon and 4 p.m. at Elkridge Giant, 6020 Marshalee Drive, Elkridge, Md., 21075, located off MD Rt. 103 and MD Rt 100. For information, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Groceries collected during the drive will go to the food bank operated by the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), and to SAFE, which provides free gluten-free and allergy-safe foods to low-income families and individuals.
The need among struggling households is great due to inflation and cuts to federal food assistance. Christ Church is a part of CAC’s Village of Supporters at its Advocate Level, meaning that we contribute monetarily. To combat food insecurity, the Outreach Commission gave $1,100 in April to pay for a week of milk and eggs at the food bank, $250 in cash donations from the Spring Food Drive, and $400 in the summer for a mobile food pantry, as described in the Outreach Blog of Aug. 17, 2023. A donation of $750 in Vestry-approved funds goes to CAC this month in preparation for its Thanksgiving meal program coming in November.
As a result, Christ Church was recognized in signage at CAC’s 2023 Holland Awards event on Sept. 7, when the church was represented by Kiona Lookingbill, Director of Youth & Family Ministries, and her husband, Josiah, and by Vestry and Outreach Commission member Diane Phillips LaGuerre and her co-leader of Cycling for Health and Fellowship, Kevin Osborn.
Please Help Emilio to Hear as Outreach Continues Our Fundraiser for a Young Man Who Has Been a Somos Amigos Patient Since Boyhood
On Sept. 10, the Outreach Commission launched an effort to help a patient of Somos Amigos Medical Missions, which offers medical and dental care at its clinic in the Dominican Republic. Sometimes its patients need advanced care or their condition involves medical expenses beyond what Somos Amigos can provide.
That’s the case with Emilio, 23, who has been a patient since 2009 when he was an 8-year-old boy. His congenital hearing loss greatly limits his prospects for a fulfilling life. “We learned from the audiologist that high-quality hearing aids could make a huge difference in the young man's life, allowing him to socialize in ways he has never experienced, and perhaps even more importantly, with corrected hearing, he might be able to find work to eventually support himself and a family,” said Somos Amigos Executive Director Frank Brightwell.
Specialists recommended hearing aids for both ears that with accessories and fittings would cost approximately $3,500. Of that amount, the Outreach Commission is seeking to raise $750 in parishioners’ donations. In mid-summer, the Outreach Commission voted to donate $1,000 in vestry-approved budget funds, in keeping with our mission of supporting worthy nonprofits that are local, national, and international. In addition, Somos Amigos supporters at Christ Church donated $1,750, leaving a balance of $750.
Please help. You can put cash in an envelope marked “Somos Amigos” into the collection plate. Write a check to Christ Church with “Somos Amigos" on the memo line; put it in the Sunday collection plate or mail it to the office. Or you can go online to Realm, click “Outreach” in the drop-down menu, and put “Somos Amigos” in the comment line.
Some of you have responded since Outreach member and Somos Amigos volunteer Dione Mahoney launched the effort with her personal remarks. Thank You! Both Dione and Jim Mahoney plan to depart on Saturday, Oct. 7 for the fall clinic. With your help, they will be able to bring with them a check from Christ Church to improve Emilio’s ability to hear.
DreamBuilders Spaghetti Dinner & Auction is Back!
After three years without DreamBuilders spaghetti, we know you are eager to get a plate full! Spaghetti is back on the menu at Temple Isaiah on Saturday, October 14th, from 5-8 p.m. We’ll be hosting our silent auction at the same time, and we could use your participation. We’ve got two mission trips to fund, including blitz builds, and local projects, too. This is DB's biggest fundraiser, and we’re looking for both donations and help at the auction. And our favorite Christ Church band, Small Delusions, will perform the dinner music! Visit DreamBuildersmd.org for more information, or talk to Stacey Frith and Cathy Gold. See you at the dinner!
Enter a Golf Tournament on Friday, Sept. 22, to Help Bridges to Housing Stability
Advocating for affordable housing and helping individuals and families who struggle to keep a roof over their heads is the mission of Bridges to Housing Stability. It’s a daunting task, but the nonprofit organization offers golfers a way to support the cause on Friday, Sept. 22.
Bridges will hold the second annual Sheehy Toyota Bridges for Birdies Golf Tournament at The Timbers of Troy, 6100 Marshalee Dr., Elkridge, MD. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. and features a full day of golf, food, and awards. The cost for a single golfer is $200, or $800 for a foursome, which covers greens fees, unlimited range balls, food, and beverages.
The event raises crucial operating funds, says Bridges Executive Director Jen Broderick. Christ Church has been a supporter of Bridges since participating in a countywide chili cook-off in 2019. At a Chili & Challenge virtual fundraiser in 2020, Christ Church won a Silver Ladle Award. Then, at the 2021 Chili & Challenge, we won gold.
Columbia Community Care Seeks Baby Care Items, More Volunteers
Please continue supporting Columbia Community Care (CCC) by giving essentials and with your time and talent. People can choose tasks such as translating to enable home deliveries or stocking the shelves at the pantry building, 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia. Check the CCC Facebook Group for updates or go to the “I Can Help” portion of its website.
Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers. Put any of these in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. Drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open or on Sunday. The Christ Church point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bins and delivers their contents.
Donate Snacks, Crackers, and Cookies to FISH in Bin on our Breezeway
Organizers for FISH of Howard County continue to ask for cookies, crackers, and snacks to fulfill their shopping lists. Please put items in a basket that has been returned to the altar. Or drop them in the yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Thanks for your contributions to our neighbors in need.
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.
