Christ Church Outreach News: June 2, 2022
Spread the Word: Pet Food Giveaway by Howard County Animal Control
When household budgets are tight, Rover and Fluff might be left wanting. If you or a pet owner whom you know is experiencing hard times, here’s good news. The Howard County Animal Control & Adoption Center is planning to distribute free items during a Pet Food Pantry event.
The distribution takes place next Tuesday, June 7th, from 9 to 11 a.m., or while supplies last, at Howard County Animal Control, 8675 Davis Rd., Columbia, Md. 21045. For information, call 410-313-2780 or email: animalcontrol@howardcountymd.gov.
Take a Field Trip On June 10th to Saint Luke’s Youth Center, which Sets a New Date Next Month for its Poetry Event to Support Summer Camp
Join in the activities on Friday, June 10th, when the Christ Church Outreach Commission will take a field trip to St. Luke’s Youth Center (SLYC). It’s pronounced as “slick”. The non-profit organization, which operates year-round from the former St. Luke’s Episcopal parish in West Baltimore, has been in the news as the recipient of a reparations grant.
We are inviting anyone interested to join us in carpooling or meeting up at historic St. Luke’s, located at 217 N. Carey Street, Baltimore, Md. We will spend an hour from 4 to 5 p.m. observing SLYC After School, a program that engages about 40 young people. Pandemic protocols are intended to keep everyone safe. To attend, please email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Also please mark your calendars for a change in the date of SLYC’s poetry program, “The Dream Project, Visions of Renewal in West Baltimore.” The fundraiser for summer camp, which was originally set this month, has been rescheduled for Friday, July 1st, at 4:30 p.m. to be held online through Facebook Live and in person.
Youth who participate in Camp Imagination will share original works of poetry, dance, music, and art. Enjoy guest performances by Granny Slam (aka Grandma Clark), Gayle Danley, and Jazz by Aaron Hill. You can link to the event from the website for SLYC.
For the second year in a row, the Christ Church Outreach Commission has donated $500 in Vestry-approved funds to support SLYC’s summer camp. Thanks to all parishioners for your contributions to making that possible.
Some of you may recall meeting leaders of SLYC in February when several visited Christ Church. In informal conversations, Engagement Coordinator Darlene Clark, Board Member Nyah Vanterpool, and Executive Director Amanda Gardner Talbot described SLYC’s collaborative model. It includes families, staff members, and supporters and volunteers from several Episcopal parishes.
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland is among the partners. Last week, the diocese presented SLYC and five other organizations with reparations grants, as described in a May 25 press release. The award was described in a May 26 news article in The Washington Post and in coverage of the presentation, including photos, that appeared on May 27 in The Baltimore Sun.
Parishioner Sonni Aribiah, a member of the reparations task force and of the Christ Church Outreach Commission, also took the accompanying photo.
SLYC leaders will speak at Christ Church on Sunday, Aug. 7th, during both worship services. Please save the date.
They’ll describe in-person tutoring and other volunteer opportunities that you may wish to explore as individuals or in small groups when the 2022-23 school year begins. Requests to parishes for “time, gifts, and talents” go well beyond tutoring students in math, reading, and writing. For example, there are needs for carpenters, architects, and landscapers or for grant-writers and graphic designers.
To learn more, email the executive director at amanda@bmoreslyc.org. Or, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org and ask to be put in contact with parishioner Michon Semon, who is the Outreach Commission’s liaison to SLYC.
Columbia Community Care Needs Diapers, Personal Care Items
At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue supporting the all-volunteer organization, Columbia Community Care (CCC). Please collect diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. You can put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. Drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open or on Sunday.
The items as well as groceries and produce are distributed at three sites: Long Reach Village Center, Suite 9, 8775 Cloudleap Ct.; Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., and at the Barn/Teen Center indoor space in the Oakland Mills Village Center, 5851 Robert Oliver Place, all in Columbia.
Recipients are welcomed from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For volunteers, donations and drop-offs begin at 9 a.m. You’ll find updates, such as requests for volunteers at specific sites, posted in the CCC Facebook Group.
Donate Snacks, Crackers, and Cookies to FISH in Bin on our Breezeway
Organizers for FISH of Howard County are continuing to ask for cookies, crackers, and snacks to fulfill its shopping lists. The yellow bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Thanks for your contributions to our neighbors in need.
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.
