The following is a letter mailed to more than 60 pastors in the Gresham area inviting them to join with us in a neighbor-to-neighbor, faith-based food drive on the weekend of September 14, 2013. We were gratified to have six pastors agree to join with us and the Gresham Stake as charter participants in this first-ever food drive of this type.
28 June 2013
Dear Pastor,
SnowCap and other food pantries in our area continue to have
a growing need for commodities to help the needy. That has prompted a group of
east-county churches to organize a Faith-Based Community Food Drive this fall.
It’s a food drive with
a twist!
All of us have neighbors who would like to serve the
community but are not active in a church or affiliated with a faith. Working together as churches can you
imagine…
…How
much good could we do in our community if we asked our congregants not only to
give, but to reach out to their neighbors
and offer an easy, non-intimidating way for them to give, too?
and offer an easy, non-intimidating way for them to give, too?
Here’s how easy it can be:
·
In early September, all participating churches distribute
pre-printed grocery sacks with instructions to their parishioners or
congregants.
·
Congregants personally take a grocery sack to 4
or 5 (or more, if they choose) of their neighbors inviting them to join in our Neighbor-to-Neighbor,
Faith-Based Community Food Drive for the needy.
·
A few days later congregants pick up the grocery
sacks with the food donations from their neighbors and, with their own food
donation, deliver them to the nearest participating church or community center.
It’s really that simple. And our potential influence for
good in the community will have been multiplied many times over.
It can be our own “fishes and loaves” experience.
Besides the potential for collecting literally tons of food
for the nearly 20 food pantries in our area, this will provide believers an
opportunity to set an example of discipleship and fellowship through being good
neighbors. Daily news reports suggest there’s never been a greater need than
now for neighbors to get acquainted with neighbors.
We have chosen to conduct this food drive the weekend of September 14 to coordinate
with the other two major, local food drives during the year: the US Postal
Service food drive in the spring and a food drive by local businesses, led by Gresham
Ford and Riverview Bank, during the Christmas holidays.
Food pantries are often depleted of supplies in the summer
months and eagerly welcome this food collection initiative in early fall.
Your
church is invited to participate—at no cost to you. All supplies are being
donated. You simply encourage your congregants to participate; then coordinate
the collection of the donated food.
If you’re interested in participating, please complete the
enclosed form and return it by email, fax or mail no later than July 10.
We look forward to joining with you in this worthy cause to
bless and nurture the needy in our community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian Allen, DDS
Chairman, 2013 Faith-Based Community Food Drive Committee
Charter Participants of
the Faith-Based Community Food Drive:
Pastor Keith Evans Pastor
Larry Jorgenson
Greater Gresham Baptist Church Trinity
Lutheran Church
Father Charles Zach Pastor
Steven Hardy
St Henry’s Catholic Church Damascus
Community Church
Dr. Richard Craft, President
Pastor
Dennis Alger
Gresham
Stake, LDS Church
Zion
United Church of Christ
Pastor James Erb President
Crismon Lewis
Hollyview Church Mount
Hood Stake, LDS Church
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