Dear
Neighbor,
As
you are aware, both hunger and homelessness in our communities
continue to be pressing issues, as many of our neighbors—our
sisters and brothers—suffer from a crashed economy, job loss, or
the inability to find work.
Though
it is not a permanent solution to the crisis, in response to the
current crisis, while our neighbors and families still struggle,
members of South Loop Campus Ministry (SLCM) and First Trinity
Lutheran Church have started to do something about it.
Every
Sunday evening, at Grace Place (637 S. Dearborn), we gather for the
SLCM South Loop Campus Community Meal, to prepare a hot meal, and to
share that meal with students, volunteers, the homeless, and other
community members. After dinner, we deliver 50-100 sack-lunches,
socks, and sanitary napkins to the streets, taking them to our
homeless neighbors who were not at the meal. We started this endeavor
with about twelve people, and have grown, in less than a year, to
about fifty. Youth Groups from across the state and other volunteers
frequently visit to participate.
Additionally,
Tuesday evenings, 5-7PM, at First Trinity (643 W. 31st
St.) we distribute free, donated clothing to community members in
need. About once per month we provide a big community meal for the
shoppers, and any community members who'd like to participate.
While
what we do may be seen as charity, we like to think of it as
community. We share the gifts we receive with our neighbors—and
they share what they have. So far this has been an amazing
endeavor.
We
are inviting you to participate! Our funding is limited, and we want
this work to continue. Here's what we need each week: Food—enough
to prepare a meal for 50-60 hungry people – or an already prepared
meal if you are a restaurant, grocery store, or chef; 100 paper
sack-lunch bags, baggies for sandwiches, 10 loaves of bread, 4 jars
of peanut butter, 4 jars of jelly, 50-100 bags of chips, 60 bottled
beverages, ice to keep beverages cool in (in the summer), 50-100
pieces of soft fruit (oranges, bananas, etc.) and plastic gloves for
meal preparation. Also useful are sanitary napkins, tampons, socks,
hand sanitizer, and other useful things for hygiene, eating or for
living!
Weekly
or one-time donations are deeply appreciated. We are happy to
publicly thank you via printed media, social media, and the web.
We'll also provide a letter of receipt for you tax-deductible
donation!
Thank
You!
First
Trinity, Bridgeport and South Loop Campus Ministry
Today during God's Closet we served salmon patties. During lent we try to serve fish or vegetarian 
1/2 can corn (I use Fiesta corn with red and green peppers in it)
