Christ Church Outreach News: December 26, 2024
Please Consider the FOS Invitation to Sponsor a Ugandan Student
Leaders of the nonprofit Friends of Sabina (FOS) seek sponsors for three teenage girls who excel academically and in dance or sports. Full or half sponsorships are available for each student, whose families cannot afford their schooling. For information, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Marion Gift Nabwami, age 14, will be in grade primary 7 at Sabina Boarding Primary School, which Christ Church supports through the Outreach Commission. Marion is a talented dancer and netball player whose favorite subject is mathematics. She lives with her grandmother. Sponsors commit to an annual scholarship, which, for Marion’s level, will cost $650 a year, or half that for partial support.
Leticia Joy Nazziwa, 14, will begin grade secondary 2 at a school selected by FOS as suitable for its former students. A dancer who also likes math, she was one of the best students in her class. Her single mother earns very little. A full sponsorship costs $1,150 a year or $600 a year for partial support.
Allen Nakasozi, 16, will be in grade secondary 2 also. A netball player who likes English, she is strong academically and described as a go-getter and a happy girl. Three older sisters all married at a tender age after dropping out of school due to costs. At one point, Allen had dropped out, lacking fees, and was home caring for her younger siblings. A full sponsorship costs $1,150 a year or $600 a year for partial support.
FOS strives to help students excel in their studies despite personal obstacles. Another goal is to form relationships with sponsors, like family across the miles. Leaders and staff encourage that through an exchange of letters and occasional video calls.
Christ Church parishioners began to sponsor nine students at Sabina in 2020 and embraced others more recently, bringing the total to 15. Find a photo collage of seven of the nine children, pictured in 2020, on the FOS page of the Christ Church website.
Each year, a FOS leader on-site in Sanje, Uganda, updates us on the students’ progress and Sabina's improvements. Our most recent hybrid session with parishioners was held on June 23, 2024 (view a Zoom recording). A highlight of both the 2024 and 2023 sessions was the children’s choir performance. View FOS Choir July 23, 2023 on the church YouTube channel. See the 2023 meetup on our website: “An Incredibly Heartwarming Zoom Recap with Friends of Sabina”.
CCC Takes Holiday Break, Thanks Supporters of Its Annual Giveaway Day
Columbia Community Care (CCC) will be closed for the holidays. The pantry and all distribution sites will be open on Saturday, Jan. 4. Those who need help are urged to go to “Get Help” on CCC’s website.
CCC held a successful giveaway of donated toys and gifts for kids 2 to 16 on Saturday, Dec. 21, during a celebration led by STAND Mentorship at Wilde Lake Middle School. Check the CCC Facebook Group for photos and comments. CCC Executive Director Erika Strauss-Chavarria posted thanks to supporters: “Thank you to all the individuals, organizations, businesses, volunteers, mentors, mentees, and toy drive donors that made today possible. This was truly a beautiful community effort!”
Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Put them in the yellow bin marked “CCC” inside the Parish Hall. Our point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers its contents.
FISH Asks for Volunteers As Well as Groceries and Toiletries in its Bin and Basket
FISH of Howard County is calling for new volunteers. If you are interested, ask parishioner Andy DeLong, who is FISH treasurer and a newly-elected board member of the nonprofit, which provides committed support to Howard County residents.
Please continue to put non-perishable foods and toiletries in the FISH basket at the altar or in the marked yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. The neighbors you help are grateful for all you do in their support.
DreamBuilders Has a Few Upcoming Events in 2025
Join us for our General Meeting on Sunday, January 12th, at 3 p.m. at Temple Isaiah - Come hear about all the work we will be doing in 2025! We have a spring project with the ARC of Howard County in April, and we are talking with Bridges to Housing Stability about renovating one of their properties as soon as January! And we’ll be returning to Kentucky in June for another blitz build. We’ve got a great video to show of our 2024 Kentucky team, featuring our own Christ Church missioners, Jasmine, Alexander and Kiona along withl their team mates.
And mark your calendars! The annual DreamBuilders Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction will take place on Saturday, March 8th at Temple Isaiah. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we’re going to need your help! We will be organizing donations for the silent auction soon. Blitz Builds are expensive, as we fund building materials as well as housing, food and transportation for our missioners.
To learn more, visit https://dreambuildersmd.org/
Sutton Scholars Fundraiser at TopGolf - February 20, 2025
Join the Board of Sutton Scholars for a fundraiser partnering with TopGolf in Baltimore. The Sutton Scholars High School Enrichment Program helps Baltimore City high school students become confident, competent, and capable contributors to their communities by equipping them with the life skills that are essential for academic, workplace, and personal success. Whether you are a golf aficionado or want to have a fun night out with friends, we invite you to gather at TopGolf on Thursday, February 20th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Learn more here.
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.
