Comment

Comment by James Nored on February 6, 2009 at 5:18pm

Linda, this is such an inspiring story. Isn't it great that people in our community know us as a church that helps feed the hungry? That little boy and his mother are precious.

We do have many "angels" at High Pointe who help out in so many ways!

Comment by Linda Hardin on February 6, 2009 at 4:57pm

First of all, I'd like to thank Diane Newhouse, Joy Coats, Glenda Goodwyn who consistently make up our grocery bags every week. We solicit assistance from any one else who has some free time, especially on Monday mornings. Diane starts every Monday by putting away the groceries that were brought in by our members on Sunday. Then she makes up a few bags. Joy & Glenda come in, faithfully, every Thursday morning and make up some for Thursday afternoon.
This week we started with 7 bags to hand out on Wednesday and they went quickly. I was the only one up front in the office, so I didn't have time to make more up. I, unfortunately, had to tell the people who came later that we were out of made up bags and invited them back on Thursday, hoping there would be some made up by then. Just like angels, Glenda & Joy appeared and worked really hard to make up 17 bags. In all, 24 bags were given away this week. The high point of the week was when a young mother brought her 3-year old son in to give us some food he and his neighborhood friends had helped gather up in their neighborhood. He was grinning from ear to ear - he may not have understood everything, but he knew he had done something good to help hungry people. His name is Riley and I gave him a candy cane to thank him for helping Jesus feed the hungry people. I chatted with his mom, Chastity, for a while and she said she and some of the other neighbors in her area were talking about finding a service project for their children to do and someone mentioned taking food to the Community Food Bank. When they inquired there, they were also told about High Pointe's food pantry. I'm so thankful to God for sending people our way, both those we can serve and those who are willing to help. We always need help making grocery bags on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and help handing them out from 1-3pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you have some free time, we would appreciate the help.

Comment by Linda Hardin on January 16, 2009 at 1:06pm

This week we gave away 22 bags of groceries in a four hour period of time. We always try to ask the people who come if they have any prayer requests and many respond. Here are a few from this week:

Diana C. - Pray for my family. That we be always together.
Zahira G. - Pray for my children. And my family.
Ava H. - That God will continue to give us strength to take care of our family.
Lesia H. - Joe got a job. Thanks for your prayers.
Janice M. - Pray for this time of need for everyone, not just me. And that we have resources to buy gas to go to work.
Carole M. - Prayer for the new president and his party.
Betty M. - Pray for my sons and husband and for me to be strong.
Laura R. - Pray for me and my children.
Esteban S. - For my family.
Kim S. - Pray for my husband and me to find good jobs soon and the ones that God wants for us. Help us to listen and obey & for our faith to stay strong.
Roslyn W. - Pray for a job.
James W. - Family & health.

Comment by Diane Newhouse on November 16, 2008 at 4:34pm

As we shelve the food items brought in each week for the food pantry, we always try to check the "best by" date on each item. By law, only baby food and formula is regulated as to the length of time that they can be offered for consumption, but other food items vary from 6 months to 2 years as to how long they can safely be eaten. The "best by" date that is listed on nearly every food product tells us that a food item will taste best if consumed before this date. To be on the safe side, we have chosen to not give out any food that is dated more than a year prior to the current date. However, from time to time, we set out some items for people to choose that have are slightly out-of-date as well as items that some people might use but are not included as our regular staples for a bag of groceries (creamed soups, black olives, canned water chestnuts, mustard, etc.). Especially as we are helping so many people in need (between 25-40 people each week, many of whom are here for the first time), we are limited in what kinds and how much food we can give them and still offer them the most nutritious dinners possible. If your kids are hungry, would they rather have cream of mushroom soup or tomato soup? Which would be be the most nutritious choice: a cake made from a mix or fruit cocktail? Members have been very generous with their donations, and we want to be good stewards of what they have shared. Blessings.

Comment by Diane Newhouse on November 16, 2008 at 4:07pm

It was interesting to go around to the children's classes this morning (Sun.) as I counted food items that had been brought in for the Food Pantry. First grade won the donuts again this month, bringing in 138 items (after only 3 weeks this month, due to the Thanksgiving holidays); but the 4-year-old class was only 11 items behind them! What's really great to see is that some of the classes were not bringing in any items at the beginning of the contest but now have brought in a substantial amount of cans/boxes of food. Although the kids have enjoyed the donuts, it's refreshing to hear them respond to their teachers that helping others who don't have food is more important than getting a donut to eat. Hopefully, this will start a habit that will allow the children to continue bringing in food items for the pantry each week. We are handing out between 25 - 40 bags of food each week, and probably half of the people are here for the first time. We are so blessed, and it's great to be able to share those blessings!

Comment by James Nored on November 14, 2008 at 8:35pm

Yeah, Diane joined! It's good to have you, Diane. We'll be looking for some of those stories about the food pantry.

Comment by James Nored on November 8, 2008 at 7:44pm

Teresa Riley sent this update about the food pantry outreach this week at High Pointe:

We had 21 families come in this week. Thirteen of the families were new.

Prayer Requests from Those Helped in Food Pantry

Financial Assistance and Better Job
Amanda F.
James B.
Meressa & Robert B. –was evicted, bad debt, keep kids safe

Health
Cindy W.- boyfriend was in accident
Alicia J.- strength and recovery from surgery
Jessica f.- not feeling well
Lydia H.- grandchildren and my health

Family
Gloria M.
Luz F.
Natalia S.
Gracie S.

Thanks For The Food
Elizabeth A.
Clemencia S.

Comment by Teresa Riley on November 1, 2008 at 7:53am

Thanks for sharing Linda. great Story and I am glad you took them over to the clothes closet.

Comment by James Nored on October 31, 2008 at 7:13pm

Linda, what a wonderful story of love. I was touched by your description of the little girl and her love for her daddy and the daddy's love for her. What tenderness! Thank you for sharing this and inspiring others.

Ministries like the food pantry and the clothes closet are what God calls us to do.

Comment by Linda Hardin on October 31, 2008 at 4:24pm

The HP Food Pantry had another good week blessing people with 33 bags of groceries. On Wednesday a young man came in for groceries with a 5-month little girl in his arms. It was cool and kind of breezy outside and all the little girl was wearing was a pamper and one of her dad's t-shirts. You can imagine how it fit her. It did cover her little body, but the neck was so big it keep slipping off both shoulders. He didn't ask for clothes, but I could tell he needed them so I took him over to the clothes closet. He had 4-year old little girl in the car waiting with her mother, so we grabbed her, too. She was also wearing one of her daddy's t-shirts. Luckily, Delana Squires was there sorting clothes and we rounded up some appropriate sizes for his daughters as well as a jacket for him. The main thing that I noticed about this father was how he related to his children. He talked and kissed on the 5-month old constantly and talked so kindly to the 4-yr. old, allowing her to make choices on which clothing she wanted. I could tell he was a good father, maybe just down on his luck. His little girls both seemed so happy and laughed a lot and I thought to myself that those little girls didn't even know they were poor by our country's standard. They did know their daddy loved them and they felt secue in that love. I said a special prayer for that little family as they left with a couple of bags of clothes. The 5-month old who came wearing her daddy's t-shirt left with a soft pink zip up jacket with bunny ears on the hood, still smiling.

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