Churches step up to help the needy
Arizona Coin Collector
This is why pennies (as well as other coins),
are still important.
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FROM:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/408/story/362459.html
Churches step up to help the needy
As more people line up for food, shelter and aid,
campaigns expand and agencies gain support.
By Tim Funk
tf...@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008
This morning, St. Matthew Catholic Church, Charlotte's
largest house of worship, will donate $100,000 to
20 agencies serving the homeless.
It's a sign of these dire economic times: A growing
number of churches and synagogues - many, like
St. Matthew, with affluent congregations - are
doing more for those with less.
Covenant Presbyterian on Nov. 9 sent out more
than 550 volunteers - 200 more than the goal - for
a day of volunteer work on a multitude of
projects, many to help the homeless.
And starting Nov. 30, the first Sunday of Advent
in the Christian calendar, the Jeremiah 29:7
group - a network of Presbyterian, United
Methodist, Episcopal and Baptist
churches - plans a citywide food drive to
replenish the pantries at Loaves & Fishes and
Friendship food trays for seniors.
In this sour economy, says Maria Hanlin, head
of Mecklenburg Ministries, "there are so many
people falling through the cracks that it gives
the faith community an opportunity to be who
God calls us to be."
St. Matthew, a 26,000-member congregation in
Ballantyne, has been collecting its money
all year. An April fundraising fast by the
church's teenagers raised $48,000. A "Pennies
for the Homeless" campaign conceived by
Micki Cazares, a longtime parishioner who
wanted to do more for people on the street,
brought in almost $23,000 in coins.
"With all the discussions about the economic
downturn, it would be easy to forget agencies
that support the homeless," said Monsignor
John McSweeney, pastor at St. Matthew.
"This is a challenge, from our faith-based
community, to other faith-based communities
to respond."
Increasing need
St. Matthew will slice its $100,000 into 20
pieces for agencies in Mecklenburg and Union
counties. The biggest recipients, getting
$12,000 apiece, are Crisis Assistance Ministry
in Charlotte, the Salvation Army Center of
Hope for homeless women in Charlotte, and
Union County Crisis Assistance Ministry.
Receiving $10,000: A Child's Place, which
serves more than 1,000 homeless children
attending Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
"This gift couldn't have come at a better
time," said Annabelle Suddreth, executive
director of A Child's Place. "Because there
is a declining economy, most folks are
less able to give because they have to care
for their own families. . And yet, the
number of people we serve is increasing.
We're seeing more children than before."
Suddreth said the money from St. Matthew
will help her agency expand into an 11th
public school. A Child's Place puts staff
members in the schools to make sure homeless
students have all they need: medical and
dental service, mental health support,
hygiene help, school supplies, tutors, a
snack that could become dinner, a uniform
if that's what the school requires, and
"a familiar face every morning."
Photos and gardens
Covenant Impact Charlotte, the volunteer
day, was the brainchild of Covenant
Presbyterian's new pastor, the Rev. Bob
Henderson.
Covenant members - including a teen model
and some photographers - gave makeovers to
some homeless women and children staying
at the Salvation Army Center of Hope,
then took frame-worthy pictures of them.
Some residents had no other photos to
document their children's early age. At
Hope Haven, where residents are
recovering addicts, the photographers
made an extra copy of one picture so a
woman could send it to the mother she
hasn't seen in years.
Church members with green thumbs created
a meditation garden at Samaritan House,
which offers homeless people just out of
the hospital a quiet place to recover.
Covenant's flock, with more than a few
bank employees, is beginning to feel the
economy's sting.
"We wanted people to go out, especially
in this economy, to see there are those
whose lives are a lot tougher than theirs,"
said Carla Leaf, director of community
outreach. "A lot of us have been protected
from the way people in poverty have to
cope. But as that (economic) insecurity is
going up the social ladder, it's making
people more aware."
..
Dave Allured
will turn it over to charity is a good thing? Don't you think charities
would work as well or better if the smallest coin was a nickel or a
dime?
Paul Ciszek
In article <492436...@nospam.com>, Dave Allured <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:
>You're saying that forcing people to use obsolete coinage so that they
>will turn it over to charity is a good thing? Don't you think charities
>would work as well or better if the smallest coin was a nickel or a
>dime?
I do find the dollar coin easier to fish out of my pocket and hand to
a panhandler than a dollar bill.
As the temperature drops below freezing, I figure anyone still out
panhandling really is short of other options.
--
Please reply to: | "One of the hardest parts of my job is to
pciszek at panix dot com | connect Iraq to the War on Terror."
Autoreply is disabled | -- G. W. Bush, 9/7/2006
Arizona Coin Collector
The U.S. Penny is not obsolete.
I am not sure were your getting the ideal the
People are being force to use pennies, or being
Force to give to charities.
When you look at the overall amount of coins
That people do give to charities, the biggest
Volume is pennies. This is especially true in this
Down economy.
When stretching your purchasing power, every
Penny counts.
If you don't like using the pennies, stick them in
A jar at home and keep them handy when you
Do fine yourself short on money.
--------------------------------------------------
"Dave Allured" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:492436...@nospam.com...
Lorrie S.
panhandler than a dollar bill. As the temperature drops below freezing, I
figure anyone still out panhandling really is short of other options.
So you've been giving bums money so they can saunter over to the liquor
store and buy a bottle?
Lorrie S.
A jar at home and keep them handy when you
Do fine yourself short on money.
I throw pennies on the ground so the panhandlers can find them and save
enough to buy a meal.
Bruce Remick
"Lorrie S." <lorri...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:gg273q$haj$1...@news.motzarella.org...
You ever tried to buy a bottle of anything at a liquor store for a dollar?
Well, maybe you could find a loose can of Milwaukee's Best beer.
Bruce Remick
"Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:tNqdnYMgYeKhybnU...@earthlink.com...
> Hello
>
> The U.S. Penny is not obsolete.
>
> I am not sure were your getting the ideal the
> People are being force to use pennies, or being
> Force to give to charities.
>
> When you look at the overall amount of coins
> That people do give to charities, the biggest
> Volume is pennies. This is especially true in this
> Down economy.
>
> When stretching your purchasing power, every
> Penny counts.
>
> If you don't like using the pennies, stick them in
> A jar at home and keep them handy when you
> Do fine yourself short on money.
>
I'd have to agree that, while not obsolete, the penny is essentially useless
to consumers. With no pennies circulating, nickels probably would replace
them as coins most often given to charities, and the charities would reap
more. With the inflated cost of most things, it will take more than some
pennies in a jar to raise one's purchasing power meaningfully.
And are you typing with "poet" software? I notice the first letter of every
line of your post is capitalized. Since you obviously enjoy posting often,
you might try a proof reader software as well, is such a thing exists.