On the fourth Saturday of each month, three families from our church deliver a hot meal to the residents currently experiencing homelessness at the Jan Peek House in Peekskill. In December, this happens to be the day before Christmas Eve. Given how busy this time is for our church community, the Hunger Action Team has decided to have the meal catered. But there is still a big role that you can play!

If you’re already planning to make Christmas cookies for your family and friends, why not make a somewhat bigger batch and give an extra dozen or two cookies to the residents at Jan Peek? The cookies — along with the love and care you bake into them — will bring extra cheer at what can be an especially stressful time of the year. Perhaps, as you eat your cookies amidst the many comforts and blessings of home, you will imagine our neighbors at Jan Peek — who are currently in a less comfortable and blessed position in their lives — enjoying those same cookies. You might contemplate what other more substantial things you could do to help (such as volunteering for a Jan Peek meal in 2024).

If you’d like to contribute cookies to this cause, then please let us know by December 15th. There are two options. The preferred option is to use Signup Genius and click on the “Cookie Baker” role for December 24th, then click the blue “Submit and Signup” button at the bottom of the page. You will see a Quantity dropdown. Please use it to indicate how many dozen cookies you plan to contribute. Alternatively, you can contact Jeff Kephart.

There are two cookie collection dates. One option is to leave your cookies in the church kitchen on Sunday December 17th before noon. They will be put in a freezer until the 23rd. The second option is to leave your cookies in the kitchen on Friday December 22nd sometime before 3pm. If you’re using Signup Genius, it would be helpful if you could indicate in the comments your likely collection date. If you need to make alternative arrangements, please contact Jeff Kephart.