The following is a letter from the Rev. Kara Stewart, Executive Director of Tricounty Family Ministries:

I’m so excited to report to you that yesterday at our food distribution, we served 129 individuals by giving out 229 bags of groceries, along with toiletry kits and diapers, and helped to feed 420 people. But more than the numbers, the true story was in the faces of the people we served: the joy on the face of a mom who wasn’t sure if we would have diapers to share, the relief of a man who requested ready-to-eat food, the excitement of the kid who was riding his bike down our street and got to take groceries home to his family.

We are making a difference, one life at a time, and that is how we will rebuild our community.
 
VOLUNTEERING:
Based on our experience yesterday, I have altered the time of the volunteer shift for Wednesdays back to 10:00–1:00. I have also added a couple more slots to our SignUp Genius page so that we can staff each task appropriately. Feel free to email friends and family to let them know we have room for helpers. You can also direct people to our website––it is now updated with our current schedule and the links to the SignUp Genius pages. Go to “How to Help” then “Volunteer” and all the information is on that page!

You can also click the links below:

Tuesday grocery bagging:

Tuesdays 12-2

Wednesday food distribution:

Wednesdays 10-2

Note: If you would like to join in the volunteer effort but have not served with Tricounty before, please register here. Registering automatically puts you on the volunteer email list so you can stay in the loop.

If you are interested in volunteering, but there are no more slots for workers, please email me. We are making plans to add more days in the coming weeks, but I need to know whether we could staff those days with volunteers.

DONATING:
We gave away all of our toiletry items yesterday. Those items were received with great joy, especially by the ladies who received purses with sweet-smelling lotion. We also received a lot of requests for backpacks and socks from our clients without homes. We were able to order plenty of beans and soup for next week’s food distribution, but we have very few vegetables, and no fruits or cereals.
 
Donations needed to support our volunteers:
 
Easy-up tents to help us stay out of the sun
Small traffic cones to mark safe distances for standing in line
Tape measures
Hand sanitizer
Masks (hospital-grade or homemade)
Heavy-duty baskets to carry heavy items to people’s cars
 
Donations to support our neighbors:
 
Masks for our clients who are waiting in line
Backpacks or duffel bags
Men’s and women’s athletic socks – new
 
Ready-to-eat food items:
Pop-top cans of fruit, meat
Granola bars/protein bars 
 
Paper grocery bags
Canned fruits and vegetables
Family-size cereals
Pasta
 
Toiletry items:
Shampoo and conditioner
Toothpaste & toothbrush
Soap
Deodorant
Lotion
Small hand sanitizer
 
Women’s items:
Tampons
Pads
Hair care products
Purses full of women’s toiletry items
 
Children’s items:
Pull-ups
Children’s books
Children’s games

And remember, families are encouraged to decorate paper grocery bags to share, and to make cards of encouragement for our clients. 
 
Thank you for your partnership in this important ministry! Together, we are making a difference and bringing hope in the midst of despair.
 
Blessings,
Kara