OutreachThe outreach work done by St. Laurence’s started almost when the church was formed in 1977. Originally food was given to those in need from church member’s homes. An Outreach committee was formed and as St. Laurence’s grew, so did its outreach work. Today, we help people throughout the year, with food, utilities, wood for heat, and occasionally an odd request. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas we deliver over 80 holiday food baskets to those in need in the community. Included in the Christmas baskets are presents for the family. We work with several other churches, service organizations, and local businesses on these projects. During the year we have several fund raisers including a grand St. Patrick’s Day dinner, the wondrous annual Rummage Sale, and a spring Crib sale. We receive donations from service organizations, local businesses, and private donors. Local schools, businesses, and television stations hold food drives which contribute food to our pantry. We now have a grand, new pantry in the basement. It holds a good deal more than the old one. People in need are referred to us by the local resource center, senior resource center, the public nurse, other churches and the Salvation Army. Generally, people have hit tough times. They have lost a job, had a medical emergency, a spouse has left the family, or they have suddenly become homeless. If there is a problem that we cannot help with, we try to find the resources which can. Once a person is referred to us, calls us, we have a calendar of volunteers on call to help. We refer the case to the volunteer on call. That person assesses the situation using a simple information intake form. If the help requires monetary assistance, the volunteer contacts three other members for approval. If it is assistance with food, the volunteer determines when and how help will be given. The volunteer arranges, with the client, when to meet or deliver the food. We try to provide enough food for a week, including fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, and milk. We work with other churches to provide services and to try to eliminate duplicating efforts. We encourage any one interested in volunteering to join us at our monthly meetings. We meet at St. Laurence Church each third Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. I Last Updated: 21 April 2007 Comments? Give us feedback! |
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