Summer is on the wane (where did the summer go?) — and autumn will be here on September 23, always sooner than we expect it. Yet through all the seasons–hunger, loneliness, poverty and despair have no start or stop dates. No matter what time of year, our Deacons are here to help ease a burden, provide a bag of groceries, or share a supportive word. And by:
Helping children get ready for school: During two Food Pantries in August, we distributed age-appropriate school kits to 181 children. Thank you to all who generously donated and dispensed the supplies!
Hosting a successful Blood Drive again this year: 34 donors registered their health history, 27 whole blood units, 6 Power Red donations, 33 units (including POWER RED donations) were collected. 99 lives potentially impacted. Thanks to all the donors and to all involved in this life-saving mission. According to the Red Cross, since the FPCY began hosting drives in 2016, we’ve collected 138 units of blood which means up to 414 lives have been saved!
Helping in our twice-monthly Food Pantry: Our September Pantries are set for September 14 and 28. Helpers are always welcome! Please contact Katharine Frase if you can volunteer. Note that in July, 221 families were served and in August, 218.
Supporting our Transportation Ministry: Our Transportation Ministry provides rides to and from church worship and church activities. Sometimes people can’t make it to church due to vehicle problems, health matters or other concerns. I recently had a conversation with Deacon Marty Scatola, who heads our Transportation Ministry.
What is the Transportation Ministry? Sometimes people can’t make it to church due to vehicle problems or health reasons. Our transportation ministry helps in getting our members back and forth from church to home for worship and other church activities.
How do I go about getting a ride? If you are in need of this service, please contact Marty Scatola, and allow as much lead time as possible for him to arrange the ride. You can also contact the church office to request to be put on the list.
Do you need drivers? We are always looking for people who are willing to help. Please contact Marty to submit your name, contact information and when you are available. If you were on a previous list and want to continue to be available, please resubmit your information.
And, thank you, as always, for your generous gifts to our Deacons’ Fund.
~ Patrick Burns, for the Deacons