Outreach

You are all so generous, another member donated 3 bags of very nice slightly used clothing which went to ACTS for abused women.

One of Mission Outreach fundraisers for missions is our cookbook. The cost is $12.00. Just see Katherine or Beth.

Church World Service responds to disasters like hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and fires here at home and all over the world. For over 60 years CWS has worked in partnership with churches of many faiths to identify where the need is the greatest, whether it be in Kenya, Laos or the U.S. But, when disaster strikes people need more than blankets, they need emergency supplies; food, shelter and safe water. CWS is there for the long haul after a disaster helping families who are trying to rebuild their lives by helping them learn new trades, how to farm, raise animals, etc. so they can support their families. Five dollars will buy a blanket, but any donation will gladly be accepted. You may also bring a new or gently used blankets which are donated locally to the Immokalee farm workers or the Salvation Army for the homeless.

What a blessing you all are!

Please continue to save Campell soup labels, Pepperidge Farm labels, stamps and can tabs for some of our worthy causes.

We continue to save Pepperidge Farm labels and stamps for Duvall Home in northern Florida, and can tabs for Ronald McDonald Home. Please be a part of these worthy programs and save.

You may place your labels in the Campbell Soup can in the Narthex. We just mailed a large package to them and will have another mailing when the can is full. (Please see chart below for additional contributions.)

We get wonderful responses from our parishioners for the Three Cents a Meal program, which is so important. Three cents-a-meal is a monthly giving held the last Sunday of each month. Each of us should dedicate a certain amount for each meal we eat to help curb hunger all over the world. With the money going to Presbytery, some is distributed locally, and some worldwide. Part of the money goes to Mission Peniel in Immokalee where there is such a need. Three Cents a Meal first started in 1976 by Presbyterian Women to involve children and families in a response to world hunger.

The first Monday of each month we help man the Soup Kitchen, helping to prepare meals on wheels and the daily meals which are served there to the hungry. We really need a few more volunteers for this service to help the needs of others. Please call the church office if you would like to volunteer at the Soup Kitchen for 3 or 4 hours one Monday a month. If you would rather drive, Meals on Wheels is always in need of drivers especially in the summertime when the Northerners have gone back home. The first thing we do in the morning is help prepare the meals for Meals on Wheels, and package them up for delivery. There are also many sitting jobs which you can do.

During the summer if you notice school supplies on sale somewhere, we can always save them for our Back to School Drive in August.

Prayer partners are assigned every three months. If you would like to have two prayer partners to pray for, please contact the church office.

Another part of the Outreach program is sending cards to church families who are ill, or who have lost family members. Please let the church know if you know of someone in need of a card.

Some of our ongoing collections are General Mills box tops for education, Pepperidge Farm labels, Campbell soup labels (we only need the bar code and the Campbell kid)., can tabs which have gone to Ronald McDonald House and will now go to our youth group to help with their summer mission project. We also save canceled stamps for Duvall Home. We also encourage you to save aluminum cans to help buy supplies for Stitch 'n Stuff. A list is on the bulletin board in the Narthex.

You also know that we have a kitchen cupboard with canned goods and un-perishable foods, if it is needed, or we give it to the Soup Kitchen. We also save small toiletry items for them.

First Presbyterian of Bonita Springs has a Rapid Response Disaster Relief team which helps those in crisis by providing personal kits for children and adults and by sending teams of individuals to assist. They are currently considering ways the Presbyterian Church might respond quickly and efficiently to disasters closer to home. Would you be willing to be a representative from BPC to this group? If so, please call the church office @ (239) 694-2444. Thank you.

The Beth-El Farm Worker Ministry of Immokalee sends their regards and asks for volunteers from Peace River Presbytery to help with the distribution of prepared meals on Friday evenings....over 200 workers are served at each meal! They also serve coffee and sweet breads to the workers before they get on the buses that take them to the fields. At any of these times, they also distribute clothes, toiletries, and food. Donations of men's clothes (long sleeve shirts and pants), toiletries (motel size samples of soap and shampoo), and shoes are welcome.

We encourage more curious folks to come to our Mission Outreach meetings. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. We welcome new ideas or projects.

Thanks to all who have brought in canned goods, non-perishable goods, stamps and labels. Sample shampoos, soaps, lotions, etc. are needed to donate to ACT. We continue to need these items, so keep them coming!

There are many more labels besides Campbell Soup labels that can be used. The Duval Home uses canceled stamps, which they sell by the pound to buy needed equipment like bikes, wheelchairs, radios and even shoes for the needy Children's Fund. Can tabs go to Ronald McDonald House. We also try to keep canned goods and non-perishable items in stock in the kitchen for needy people. Please help us keep our stock growing. Below is a list of what you can save.

The Mission Outreach Committee is looking for folks to assist when members of our church family have special needs. We are fortunate at Buckingham Presbyterian Church to have such a caring congregation. Many times when someone is ill they may be unable to drive and have no one to go to the store for them or take them to doctor's appointments, etc. Also, there may be times that someone in our Buckingham family may need a home cooked meal or a pot of soup when illness causes them problems in doing their everyday work. We also have people willing to help a care giver for a few hours of respite. Listed are some of the ways that you might give service. More volunteers are needed in all of these areas. If you are interested or have any questions, please call the church office. There will also be a sign-up sheet in the narthex.

It has also been suggested that as part of the People With Special Needs Committee, a group of volunteers be developed to assist people who have pets. This would entail the care, petting and feeding of these animals in time of sickness or vacation of their owner(s). There will be a sign-up sheet in the Narthex for those who would like to be part of this pet ministry.