As we move into the winter months of 2020-2021, so many of our neighbors are feeling the sting of these pandemic days. Below are six ways for us to help our neighbors who are experiencing food insecurity in the midst of Covid-19. If you have questions about any of the opportunities below, please reach out to me and I’ll gladly help connect you as we work together fill dinner tables this season.
Peace,
Pastor Katie
OPPORTUNITY #1...
SHARE DRIVES COME TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
Our goal is to help restock the SHARE of McLean food pantry with the staples that our neighbors need during this time of heightened food insecurity.
Click HERE to sign up to be the LEAD for YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD share drive!
Sign up HERE to volunteer to COLLECT bags from doorsteps (in the neighborhoods of Immanuelites who sign up on the LEAD page above) and bring them to SHARE by noon.
OPPORTUNITY #2
MAKE SNACK PACKS FOR QUARANTINING FAMILIES & INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT HOMES WHO HAVE KNOWN EXPOSURE TO COVID-19
Sign up HERE to provide snack packs for houseless families who are quarantining in hotels due to Covid-19 exposure. Drop-off times at Immanuel are included in the sign-up, as we will transport the bags for you from there!
OPPORTUNITY #3
McLean Cares – Update and GRANT CELEBRATION!
Join us in celebrating and help us say "thank you" to the McLean Community Foundation which has generously awarded our interfaith community initiative with a $15,000 grant! 100% of this grant support will go directly to local restaurants as we place orders for monthly meals, distributed to neighbors in need throughout the region. You can join in this effort through reaching out to the planning team (comprised of representatives from IPC, TRS, and LPC) with/about the following:
LOCAL RESTAURANT CONTACTS: Put us in touch with McLean restaurant owners that you know who need extra business right now! Contact Leslie Regan, Sue Henry, or Pastor Katie.
LOCAL FAITH COMMUNITY CONTACTS: Do you have a friend in a McLean faith community whose community may be interested in becoming a supporting faith partner? Contact Pastor Katie to introduce us.
POTENTIAL LOCAL DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS:Do you know a specific group or organization that is providing direct food assistance in the community where the need is outpacing the supply during this difficult time?Contact Karen (Temple Rodef Shalom)
VOLUNTEER AS A DELIVERY DRIVER OR AS AN ON-SITE MEAL DISTRIBUTOR - Let us know if you are interested in helping in either of these ways and our volunteer coordinator, Augusta (Lewinsville Presbyterian) will reach out when opportunities arise.
McLean Cares faith partners currently include: Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Temple Rodef Shalom, Lewinsville Presbyterian Church & McLean Baptist Church.
McLean Cares partner restaurants(where we have placed orders to date for more than 600 meals and counting!) currently include: McLean Family Restaurant, Kimberly’s Corporate Catering, Lebanese Taverna Tysons, McLean Pizza Restaurant & Listrani’s.
OPPORTUNITY #4
HYPOTHERMIA PREVENTION DINNERS & SNACKS
Click HERE to sign up to provide snacks and warm meals for our guests (who will be staying together in one central FACETS location this year). Immanuelites will have the opportunity to sponsor meals, which we will be purchasing from local McLean restaurants this year as we seek to support local business and our guests at the same time!
The special holiday meal during our hypo week has been paid for by your ongoing generous support through Immanuel's weekly offerings!
OPPORTUNITY #5
SANDWICH MAKING FOR MARTHA’S TABLE- MONTHLY, 3rd FRIDAYS
Immanuelites now have the opportunity to make sandwiches at home and drop them off at the church for delivery to Martha's Table once a month as we seek to share daily bread with our neighbors facing food insecurity.
Our November 20th sign up is full (THANK YOU, IMMANUEL!), so sign-ups are now open for the third Friday in December (December 18th).
The sign up contains instructions for the specific ingredients that participants will need to purchase, as well as information on how to prepare, package, and label the sandwiches for distribution at Martha's Table. Families of all ages and stages are welcome to participate!
OPPORTUNITY #6
ANNUAL "HOLIDAY FOOD FUND"
Every year Immanuel provides Thanksgiving baskets (a turkey plus all the trimmings) to 15 families identified by Garden Memorial Church as experiencing food insecurity. We also would like to provide Thanksgiving baskets for 17 families at Children of Mine and $35 supermarket gift cards to 29 low income families and 20 teachers at McLean/Falls Church Children's Center.
As of 11/17, we have received sponsorships for 68 of the 81 gift baskets and food gift cards described above!
We would like to include the teachers this year because their salaries have been reduced 25% because of low enrollment due to the coronavirus. If you would like to help, please make a donation of $25. Please make your check payable to Immanuel and either mail it to the church (or CLICK HERE for secure online giving) by November 30. Make sure you put "Holiday Food Fund" on the memo line of the check.
