Volunteers Needed: Congregation 4 Children

Congregation 4 Children - Summer Food Distribution Project 

June 15 - Aug 7 | 11 AM-1 PM  | Erwin School District

This organization has asked GCPC to provide a team of three or more folks willing to help distribute food in the Erwin School District once a week through the summer. For more information, click HERE or contact Tamara Puffer.

Healthy Living Pantry | Food Assistance | Donations Accepted November 16-30

Healthy Living Pantry | Food Assistance | Donations Accepted November 16-30

Information Station (narthex)

The Beaverdam Rd YMCA has a program called Healthy Living Pantry for temporary food assistance for community members. However, not all families can travel to this site, so they developed Healthy Living Hubs, available at the five Afterschool Programs they sponsor. Each site has 20 targeted students between fourth and sixth grades. GCPC is helping supply these hubs with canned goods the last three weeks of November. Items needed:

• Green beans
• Corn
• Hearty Soup
• Kidney beans (low sodium)
• Black beans (low sodium)
• Peaches (in juice or water)
• Mixed fruit (in juice or water)
• Tuna (in water)
• Chicken (in water)
• Peanut butter

A Night in a New World--November 23

A Night in A New World - a Thanksgiving themed Formal or Wacky or Tacky Upside-down Prom  November 23 | 6-8 PM | Fellowship Hall  

Admission: 10 Non-Perishable Food Items OR Cash Donation

RSVP for Childcare by Friday, November 15 to Nancy Quick (nquick@gcpcusa.org)

The Youth of Grace Covenant will host a "Prom" for the adults of the Congregation in order to bring in a healthy harvest of non-perishable food to stock the pantries Asheville Middle as they continue their efforts support food insecure adolescents. Dress in a tacky prom outfit or wear your finest formal wear.  We will dance the night away to the greatest love songs of the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.

Critical Food Need

Critical Food Shortages Due to Government Shutdown Affect WIC (Women Infant Children Program)

If the Government shutdown continues, critical shortages of food are expected within the week.  As Buncombe County is already considered a “hungry” county, this need is urgent, particularly for infants and young children. We have set up collection boxes in the Information Station in the narthex. Please bring the following in any amounts to the church starting today and running through next Thursday – all donations are gratefully accepted:

·       Formulas or Nutritional Products (Similac, Enfamil, or their generic equivalents)

·       Infant Cereal – 8 oz

·       Infant Meats – 2.5 oz

·       Infant Fruits – 3.5-4 oz

·       Infant Vegetables – 3.5-4 oz

This shutdown will not only affect our most vulnerable, infants and children, but everyone who lives with even a small amount of Food Insecurity. Below is a link to ABCCM’s Crisis Ministry Needs list. In addition to food for the young ones, please grab a few items off the list, and drop them in our shopping cart to be delivered to ABCCM’s Crisis Food Pantry. Thank you for considering our neighbors in this challenging time.

http://www.abccm.org/cm-needs/

It has also come to our attention that many students at Asheville Middle School are also experiencing a decrease in food security since the shutdown. AMS does not participate in the MANNA Packs For Kids - instead they run their own program, and are in need of help. In addition to the boxes for the WIC items (and the shopping cart), there will boxes labeled “AMS”. Items needed are non-perishable proteins (cans of beans, chicken, tuna, peanut butter) and kids' snack items (granola bars, milk boxes, juice boxes, breakfast cereal). 

This is a very challenging time and appears as though it will get worse before it gets better. Any donations of food are gratefully accepted.

Ongoing Food Drive: Fill That Cart!

Grace Covenant runs an ongoing Food Drive, in addition to our many other outreach efforts. Hunger in Buncombe County is a real thing with ours being in the top ten hungriest counties in the country. Please bring non-perishable food items to the narthex, either when you come to worship, or during the week (8:30a-3p), and drop them in the shopping cart. We will be sure they are delivered to food pantries that need it. Thank You! 

Vases, Containers, and Food - Oh My!

For some time now, we have been collecting vases for the deacons to distribute Sunday flowers to our shut-ins, clean containers for the ABCCM to use in their food pantry, and food to help stock that pantry. At this point, we have MORE THAN ENOUGH vases and containers; please do not donate any more at this time. What we do lack, however, is food. As fresh food from gardens begins to dwindle, our hungry neighbors need our donations more and more. Please bring a few food items with you to worship and let's Fill That Cart!

Food Collection at Grace Covenant

Ever wonder what the grocery cart greeting you at the church entrance is all about? 

Throughout the year, GCPC members and visitors can drop off food in the cart, and it will be taken to ABCCM for distribution to those in need. Summer donations are especially important; according to ABCCM Director Scott Rogers, "This time of year the demand goes up because children are home from school and there's an influx of homeless people on the streets." Rogers also says they're in need of basic staples, and church-organized food drives, such as ours, are often a big help.

So please, let’s keep our shopping cart filled. The whole family can be a part of this giving ministry; make it a tradition to pick out items for donation on your grocery trips. Harry Summerlin makes a delivery to ABBCM every week, so don’t worry about our cart getting too full!

Some of the basic staples needed are listed below. Also, visit ABCCM’s website and look under Crisis Ministries to keep up with the changing list, as needs vary depending on donations received.

Please contact Susie Daw at 253-3201 if you have any questions. 

Current Food Needs at ABCCM:

• Cereal
• Tuna
•  Canned Goods
• Grits (quick)
• Jelly
• Juices
• Margarine
• Canned meats & stews
• Peanut butter
• Powdered Milk
• Self-rising cornmeal
• Flour      
• Spaghetti sauce
• Vegetable oil