Centerport United Methodist Church

CUMC FOOD COLLECTION FROM HOME

At the last Church Council meeting, discussion ensued about helping our neighbors right here in our local community for people in need of food. The idea is to put a container at the end of your property with a note and/or sign that your family is collecting non-perishable food donations for our local pantries that we will then drop off at specific locations. It was also suggested that a note could be put in your neighbors' mailboxes explaining what we are doing and how they can help. I've attached a couple of pictures of a member's container as an example and a letter you could use - just be sure to sign it - or feel free to write your own.

For those neighbors who don't feel comfortable venturing out, they could make monetary donations directly to some of these organizations. Meredith has researched the info for you.

Sample letter:

Hi Neighbors,

We are members of the Centerport United Methodist Church and we have become very aware of the need for food and supplies for families in our community.

We will be collecting food (dry goods, personal products, baby items, canned goods etc.) and will have a pail at the end of our driveway where you can place your donations. It will be out for at least the next two weeks.

The need is great. All donations will be given to those in need in our local communities.

If you would prefer to make a monetary donation, you can mail a check (or go online to their websites) to these local pantries:

· Helping Hand Rescue Mission

225 Broadway

Huntington Station, NY 11746

· Family Service League

790 Park Avenue

Huntington, NY 11743

On the memo line: Direct Relief Covid-19 Relief

· Long Island Cares

220 Broadway

Huntington Station, NY 11746

We are grateful for any help you are able to give. Together we can make a difference!

Thank you!

Personal Home Care Ministry

CUMC is honored to continue our new ministry...providing home and personal care essentials.

I wanted to reach out to all of you in the CUMC family and our VBS for the outpouring of support for our Personal Products Pantry. Our shelves are getting full and we will be dropping items off to both food pantries soon! We also are hoping to open our doors one day a week this fall. Exciting things are happening!! We continue to collect FULL-SIZED products, and appreciate anything you are able to donate.

If you would like to donate items to our pantry, we are in need of the following:

Feminine Products
Baby Diapers & Baby Wipes
Dish Soap & Kitchen Sponges

Please consider donating the above items in FULL SIZE. We appreciate your support as we continue to reach out into our community and be the hands and feet of Christ!

If you have any questions, please contact Gina Grubbs.

PERSONAL HOME CARE PANTRY

CARE TEAM NEEDS YOU!!

Every week you receive an email called "Hello Church Family" and that's really what we are...a family. We care, we pray, we help one another in any way and every way we can, we laugh, we cry, we're just there for each other. Most times you don't even hear about it...help is just there. You've also heard the phrase...many hands make light work, right? and work in the church is really service; service to and in God's name.

Well, we are asking our church family for some service - some help...our Care Team is in need of volunteers.

Volunteers for what, you ask?

Þ For occasional local driving, such as to a doctor appointment for someone who can't drive - there is no long term commitment here, just occasional local driving. Beth Bertossi is our coordinator for this vital service to our family and you can contact her directly at rbertoss22@gmail.com or call her at 631-875-8935 or 631-261-5122.

Þ For an occasional meal for someone who is unable to provide for themselves because of an illness or injury. Denise Leparik is our coordinator for this vital service to our family and you can contact her directly at dleparik@aol.com or call her at 631-549-4137.

Þ Reach out to your church family...write a card, send an email, or make a phone call to someone...you never know who much of an uplifting time that could be in someone’s life or your own!

Þ Reach out to Robin or Dee to see if you can help out with safe membership activities.

Please prayerfully consider becoming part of this network of volunteers who take care of our family members when they need us most. Thank you!

CUMC MEAL SUPPORT

^{We’ve introduced a new way to support our congregation members who are in need. It's called...Take Them a Meal. When using this service, we can sign up to make and deliver a meal to members who are in need of some help preparing dinners.}

^{It works like this...}

^{Go to takethemameal.com and type in our member’s last name for “recipient last name” and for the password, (and the schedule with any openings should appear). You can pick any date available and enter what you think you'll make. Of course you can change it, but we don't want someone to get 5 nights of meatloaf in a row! You'll even get a reminder email before your day to help you stay organized!}

^{Thank you!!!}

^{If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at subanl@aol.com or speak with me at Fellowship.}

^{In Christ, Laura Suban}

THE BUTTERFLY INITIATIVE - SEE THE .PDF BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

www.thebutterflyinitiative.org

The Butterfly Initiative was created by Susan Miller to help support the Happy Home Trust Orphanage, founded by Susan Miller and Ranjeeta Devi, in India serving abandoned street children. At present they are now caring for 43 girls and boys - 22 of whom are attending college. The children receive healthy meals, medical attention, tuition assistance, and have a safe place to live and learn.

This summer, Ranjeeta Devi, was travelling to the US to attend a fundraising gala in NYC when she learned that it was cancelled and a large portion of their funding was lost. They are now in desperate need of donations to continue their work.

If you are able to contribute in support of their work, please make your check out to CUMC with “Butterfly Initiative” on the memo line. Thank you!

Click for more information on the Butterfly Initiative

Disaster Relief

To: The Congregation of CUMC:

Supplies and response teams will be dispatched to relief areas when the people in these areas indicate they are ready for them. I am asking the people of CUMC to assemble “Cleaning Kits” and “Health Kits” that can be sent to these areas. Below are the lists of items needed for each type of kit. PLEASE BRING COMPLETE KITS AND NOT COMPONENTS. People can band together to purchase one (or more) complete kit(s) if they so desire. When completed, the kits can be brought to the church and stored in the attic marked with signs. If you enter the attic from the Narthex side it will be just as you go into the attic from the stairs on you left. They will be brought to a centralized assembly point for the LI East District at a later date.

Teams will be formed to go to areas when they are ready for them. If anyone is interested, or has any questions, please contact me. I can be reached on 631-421-1924 or 516-381-9094 (Cell), or e-mail me at: rhawkins456@gmail.com. As you know from other disasters like Sandy and Katrina this effort is only beginning and I thank you in advance for the usual strong CUMC Response in these situations.

Yours in Christ,

Bob Hawkins

Disaster Response Coordinator

Hygiene Kit Contents:

• 1 hand towel (15 x 25 inches to 17 x 27 inches; Kitchen, cleaning, and microfiber acceptable)

• 1 washcloth

• 1 comb

Comb needs to be sturdy and longer than 6 inches long

No pocket combs or picks

Rattail combs and combs without handles are acceptable with a minimum, teeth

1 metal nail file or nail clippers (no emery boards)
1 bath-size soap (3 oz. and larger; no Ivory or Jergens soap due to moisture scent original packaging)
- $1.00 to purchase toothpaste
- Dish soap
  - 1 can air freshener

• 1 toothbrush (adult size only; keep in original packaging)

• 1 plastic bag (one-gallon size sealable bag)

Cleaning Kit Contents:

• 5-gallon bucket with resealable lid

Buckets from fast-food restaurants or bakeries can be used if washed and cleaned

Do not use buckets that have stored chemicals such as paint or pool clean

Advertisements on the outside are acceptable

• Liquid laundry detergent

One 50-oz. or two 25-oz. bottle(s) only

• Liquid household cleaner

Liquid cleaner that can be mixed with water

No spray cleaners

16-28 oz. bottle any brand

Aerosol or pump

• 1 insect repellant spray

6-14 oz. aerosol or spray pump with protective cover

• 1 scrub brush

Plastic or wooden handle

• 18 cleaning wipes

Handi Wipes or reusable wipes

No terry cleaning towels

Remove from packaging

• 7 sponges

Hand-sized

NO cellulose sponges due to mold issues

Remove from wrapper

• 5 scouring pads

Remove from wrapper

No stainless steel, Brillo pads, or SOS pads (nothing with soap built in)

• 50 clothespins

• Clothesline

One 1 100-ft. or two 50-ft. lines

Cotton or plastic

• 24-roll heavy-duty trash bags

33- to 45-gallon sizes

Remove from the box

• 5 dust masks

• 2 pairs kitchen dishwashing gloves

Should be durable enough for multiple uses

Remove from packaging

• 1 pair work gloves

Cotton with leather palm or all leather