The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is expanding its efforts in the fight against the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.
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Outreach
If you are in need of assistance, please reach out to the pastor or church office to see if the church can meet that need. Some other resources for assistance are available in this post.
While most local school districts have been providing Grab and Go meals to area children as the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and shut off access to free and reduced cost breakfast and lunches, children’s nutritional needs will be addressed in many areas over the summer by the Kids Summer Meal Network.
Thanks to a Peace with Justice Grant, Corners Outreach in north central Georgia was able to host Corners Academy, four eight-week summer camps to keep kindergarteners through fifth-graders on track with reading, writing, and math goals.
While the world struggles with the COVID-19 crisis, UMCOR continues to respond to natural disasters. It has awarded solidarity grants to The Mississippi UMC, South Carolina UMC, and North Georgia UMC to support initial relief efforts for the damage caused by severe weather over Easter weekend. Pray for the families of those who died and for communities that sustained damage to homes and buildings, including a number of UMC churches.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is expanding its efforts in the fight against the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. UMCOR has launched a giving campaign, “Sheltering in Love,” to assist vulnerable communities in the United States and around the world.
If you are in need of assistance, please reach out to the pastor or church office to see if the church can meet that need. Some resources for assistance are available via these links…
The needs have been great and will continue to be so. Sewickley Community Food Pantry will be trying to fill the gaps for local families; additionally, the SUMC Pastor’s Pantry has been utilized more frequently in recent weeks. To support the greater community, the Outreach Committee forwarded two financial donations to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Diapers, wipes, pancake mix and syrup were purchased to support the Sewickley Food Pantry.
Did you turn in your fines? If not, it is not too late to support the Fish Farming Program at the Nyadire United Mission to help families with food insecurity. If you followed the calendar or simply want to donate to this worthwhile initiative, be sure to indicate Lenten Fines on your gift or on EasyTithe.
Allison Park Church is having a food distribution at their Mt Nebo Campus (Eden parking lot, 318 Nicholson Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143) on Tuesday, April 28, 11am-1pm. If you are in need of food, please fill out this form to let them know you are coming. You may also pickup food for someone who is unable to come on their own.
The Outreach Committee purchased 5 cases of various sized diapers and 4 cases of baby wipes using its budget allocation. Those were delivered to Sewickley Community Center Food Pantry (Pantry) on April 6th, along with 11 Easter bags and 11 Giant Eagle gift cards. Sewickley UMC's liaison with the food pantry, Miriam Rader, was amazed that the church had been able to collect Easter bags during the current crisis.
If you are in need of assistance, please reach out to the pastor or church office to see if the church can meet that need. Here’s a list of resources for assistance.
The needs have been great and will continue to be so. While some were able to purchase extra food and other necessities, many did not have the means to do so. In the ensuing weeks, many lower income families have struggled to buy/get not only food, but diapers, formula, baby food, and other household essentials.
As soon as we are able to worship together physically, Outreach will schedule an UMCOR Sunday observance, since we worshipped via the internet on March 22nd. Some congregants may have given in absence of physical worship services, but UMCOR’s work is so vital around the world. It is this offering that provides the operating funds for UMCOR, so that every dollar donated for a specific disaster or project gets directed to that.
The Western PA Annual Conference has a strong connection with the Nyadire Connection in Zimbabwe. This year, Lenten Fines will be collected and applied to the Fish Farming Program at the Nyadire United Mission to help families with food insecurity.
If you are filling a bag, please be sure to drop it off by April 5th – at this point, the custodian is still at the church from 8 am to 1 pm Monday through Friday.
I've just learned from a volunteer who signed up through the signup genius link in this email, that the Southern Baptist Disaster Response has passed along incorrect information for volunteering with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.
The Sewickley Community Center Food Pantry will be open every Wednesday through April (and possibly longer) from 11:30 am to 1 pm.
In order to facilitate the Easter Bags collection for the Sewickley Community Food Pantry, the Fourth Sunday collection will be suspended for March. You may always place non-perishable food donations in the grocery carts located outside the Simpson Room. If you need food assistance, the Sewickley Community Food Pantry is open from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.
Life sometimes can be overwhelming—for many in the midst of humanitarian crises, UMCOR is there. The United Methodist Committee on Relief stands ready to respond when the needs arise, and works continuously to improve conditions for people the world over.