CEC Outreach News: August 26, 2021

Fall Brings Additional Changes Involving Columbia Community Care

As fall approaches, the all-volunteer organization Columbia Community Care (CCC) has announced several changes in addition to a reduction in distribution days. Home delivery service will be suspended as of Saturday, Aug. 28. The service, which benefits people who lack transportation or face other challenges, is expected to resume after CCC obtains a new pantry.

Until this weekend, its sole pantry has been operating at New Hope Adventist Church in Fulton. But New Hope needs the space for regular church operations, and the pantry will close as of 6 p.m. on Saturday. Volunteers are no longer able to sign up for slots to make home deliveries because the goods to fill recipients’ grocery lists have been stored at the pantry.

“Through today, we have made 12,328 home deliveries to families in Howard County! This was only possible because of the dedication and love of our volunteers like all of you,” said CCC Founder Erika Chavarria, who posted a statement on Aug. 24 in the CCC Group on Facebook. She said CCC will continue to search for a suitable pantry.

The group had already announced changes for Fall 2021. The CCC sites will be closed the week of Labor Day, from Sunday, Sept. 5 to Sept. 11. That means the three distribution sites will not open on Wednesday, Sept. 8, nor on Saturday, Sept. 11. With the return of school, CCC will reduce its days per week by eliminating Wednesday distribution. The next distribution day after the break will be on Saturday, Sept. 18.

Organizers say CCC plans to monitor site numbers and determine if changes to hours and days are needed after that. Signups have been updated with dates through Oct. 30, 2021, on the “I Can Help” part of its website. On Saturdays, volunteers and donation drop-off begin at 9 a.m. Hours for recipients are 10 am to noon.

The distribution sites are at Oakland Mills Middle School, 9540 Kilimanjaro Road; at Long Reach Village Center, Suite 9, 8775 Cloudleap Ct., and at Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., all in Columbia.

Starting immediately, CCC’s point of contact for Christ Church transfers fully from Diane Phillips Laguerre to Violet Smith, who had already been taking our donated goods to the pantry. Instead, she will make the dropoff early on Saturdays at Wilde Lake.

At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue supporting CCC by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office (410) 381-9365 ahead of time.

Thanks to All Whose Donations to DRC Are Helping the Homeless

For parishioners who enjoyed hands-on volunteering when Christ Church routinely served hot meals to the homeless, please wait until November. That’s when the staff of the Day Resource Center (DRC) at the Leola Dorsey Center in Jessup expects to resume pre-pandemic services. The DRC is operated by Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, which had hoped to begin serving hot meals next month. But those plans were put aside after the delta variant caused coronavirus to spread.

Meanwhile, the staff experienced shortfalls among items that the DRC distributes on a curbside basis. To help, Christ Church agreed to supply men’s underwear and women’s jeans, and Outreach Commission member Dione Mahoney sprang into shopping mode. She turned to parishioners' donations that had been designated for the DRC, spending $180 to buy new underwear in assorted sizes and 32 pairs of gently used women’s jeans. She and husband Jim Mahoney delivered them to the DRC.

Parishioners who supplied items on the monthly wish list for the DRC and for Grassroots’ Freetown Road shelter fulfilled another need: canned fruit. (See photo of our donated clothes and food on the shelf in Jessup.)

Please lift up our homeless friends in prayer, that they may continue on a path to stability in their lives and enjoy the clothes and food in good health.

Thanks to one and all who contributed, either in-kind or monetarily!

Find the wish list on the Christ Church signup site for the monthly meal that we provide at Grassroots’ Freetown Road shelter. Save the date: Monday, Sept. 20, arriving between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. to drop off your dish in the parking lot near Old Brick.

Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway

Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo and bath soaps. At present, its pantry has an adequate supply of groceries. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall.

In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.