Homelessness and hunger can never be good news

Good News

Homelessness and hunger can never be good news; however, when I look at the ways in which members of St. Stephen have stepped up to help the children who are homeless and hungry in our “neighborhood” I can reflect that there is good news. Since June 12th, we have delivered several carloads of food to schools in the surrounding area who distribute food to homeless families. This effort has not been satisfied to go to only the closest schools, but, at the direction of Families in Transition has traveled to other Seminole County schools where the food pantry was either low or non-existent. If you’re able to distribute food during the daytime, please contact Cyd Law at gisellel@earthlink.net or Diane Bechtold at dbechtold@cfl.rr.com and one of us will “hook you up” for this opportunity.

We have another group of St. Stephen members who are seeking funding for the feeding effort and are writing grants and finding sources to continue this work. As a result, this group has facilitated the receipt of $500 from Thrivent Financial to purchase meals from Second Harvest at a very reasonable rate. If you’re willing to contribute, just send a check to St Stephen Lutheran Church and indicate “Feeding Homeless Children” in the memo line. Another way to find funding is to ask. You can figure out who to ask.

Another effort underway is for some St. Stephen volunteers to participate in the IDignity effort in Orlando on July 21st and possibly in Sanford sometime in August. We’re not sure when the August event will be scheduled – but I’ll keep you posted. If you want more information about how this works to provide social security cards and ID cards for the homeless – or how you can volunteer – log on to their website at www.idignity.org and get all you need to sign up.

ConAgra Foods has a national campaign to help feed the homeless. If you go to this website, http://www.childhungerendshere.com/Html/EnterCode.html and enter the UPC codes, they will donate a meal to 2nd Harvest for each entry. You can then donate these items to our food for homeless children campaign and effectively double your contribution. ConAgra foods include Chef Boyardee, Marie Calendar, Healthy Choice, Peter Pan, Kids Cuisine, and Banquet foods. Please consider taking this extra step. You can even do this right from your own home.

We have over 70 people who volunteered to help this effort. If you’re one of them, or would like to jump in – do it! We’re not having any meetings, not developing an organization – what we’re doing is finding ways to fill the ranks of existing organizations. The Sharing Center needs us, school food programs need us, and people need us. So – think about what you can do – and do it!

Author: Diane Bechtold

In a Couple of Words…

By: Dennis McClellan

As I write this, we’re coming up on the 4th of July. When you read this, the 4th will be past.

However, like anyone who blogs, I wonder how many of you will actually read this and how many others will let this gem get by unread. Needless-to-say, odds aren’t in my favor, I fear.

With that said, let’s look at a natural topic for this first week in July: FREEDOM. That’s certainly a topic that’s bandied about and a word that’s been used (and often misused) over the years. But still, its one of those words that represents the true essence of our nation – what the United States stands for (or, is supposed to stand for).

So…here’s my short-and-sweet blog (and challenge) for the week: Let me know what freedom means to you. In one or two (OK, even three) words, express yourselves, and let me know what “FREEDOM” means to you. When you see me on campus or around church, when we bump into each other at Publix or the movie theater, just come up to me and give me the code. Your one, two or three words will express what you’ve been thinking about, since reading this, and what freedom means to you.

Aren’t we fortunate?! Some people actually have to pray for freedom. We’ve actually got to think about what it means – because we’ve got so much of it to immerse ourselves in. Aren’t we fortunate?!