| Human Care
Our Redeemer Lutheran Outreach
Phone (818) 341-1629
Pantry Hours:
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 10:00-3:00 PM
“A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”
Proverbs 22:9
It’s been a busy month of September at the Pantry. Our volunteers donated 1,314 hours of their time to help the less fortunate. We served 354 meals, gave out 50 haircuts and 99 showers. Food was handed out to 90 homeless, 410 clients (135 of which were new). We only had 22 repeat clients this month, mainly those coming in for showers. The L.A Family Mission served up 210 meals on Fridays at the Pantry. We thank them for their help. God bless all who helped with the 2008 Yard Sale and those who donate their time and services to make the Pantry Mission happen.
The Thrivent Grant application was mailed in late September to request a matching donation of $1,000 to assist in Pantry funding. Religious reading and educational materials to hand out are a part of this grant.
The month of November will see further challenges in clothing those in need, especially the homeless. If you have any extra or unwanted coats, jackets or blankets lying around we would appre-ciate them to hand out as the weather chills this month.
Fall/Winter Pantry Events
Thanksgiving Meal for the homeless: Thursday, Nov 20th at 12:00 Noon ★
Distribution of the Thanksgiving Baskets: Wednesday, Nov 25th, 9:00 - 11:00 am.
Christmas Meal for the homeless: Thursday, Dec 18th at 12:00 Noon
Distribution of Christmas Baskets: Friday, Dec 19th at 10:00 am.
May God bless and keep you all.
Allen Barbée
We are soliciting part-time and full-time volunteers who are greatly needed. Relief for the front desk shifts, kitchen and clothing room are needed. The clothing room can’t be open unless someone is in there to assist clients with locating and handing out the clothes and shoes. A few hours a week will go a long way. We also need assistance with food pickup from the stores. Tom Pelton and Norm Sturdevant log a lot of time and miles doing most of the work 4 days a week. Please call Ed at (818)341-1629 for information or to volunteer.
The newly formed Human Care Ministry (Pantry Board) members are Dirk Koerber, Pam Pires, Shirley Orrison, Pik Sughanda, John Horn and me. The basic functions of the board are to oversee the operation, funding, volunteer staffing, determining and monitoring services, reviewing the operational scope and procedures on an on-going basis and trying to raise funds. The day-to-day management of the Pantry is the responsibility of Ed Worlund, the Pantry Manager. More to come in the future.
Thank you for your support and may God bless you all - Allen Barbée
Holiday Baskets
Time for us to gear up for our Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets. The donation slips for Thanksgiving will be available Sunday, Nov. 2nd. Food to be brought November 9th and 23rd. It would be helpful for us if you could bring the turkeys on Sunday, Nov. 23rd.
Christmas Baskets will be prepared during the week of December 15th and distributed on December 19th. Thank you in advance for all your help.
Jesus Loves You!
Shirley Orrison
A grant was received from LWML Mite Box for $10,000 over the next two to four years. The funds will be used for tracts and Bibles in English and Spanish, children's materials, hot lunches, hygiene items and basic clothing items.
The Pantry received a grant from the Thrivent "Nourish the Needy" program, thanks to Roy Surrey who wrote the request. Roy is our congregation's Thrivent Financial Representative. Over $350 in food was purchased from this grant.
Your donations of time, fellowship and goods are always appreciated. Please keep all of our volunteers in your prayers and the people in need who come to them for help. The Lord is witnessed in the outreach ministry.
A fruit tree orchard has been planted along the fence in the open land east of the Pantry building. We planted 5 apple trees, 4 apricots, 5 nectarines 7 peaches 4 pears and 5 plums. We followed the recommended backyard orchard culture plan as presented by the Tree People organization who donated the trees to us.
In January, twenty students and several sponsoring teachers from the New Community Jewish High School in the far west Valley planted the trees as a community service project. We thank them and the Tree People organization. As the fruit ripens it will be given away.
Quite a bit of fruit has already been harvested and shared with our clients.
Grocery bags are always urgently needed by the pantry. Please bring your plastic bags to the box in the narthex of the church or to the pantry on Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 PM. Thanks for your help.
What is the purpose of Our Redeemer Lutheran Outreach?
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Our mission is to provide an emergency support delivery System of services to those in need, whose resources are unable to carry them through the month or until additional resources are found.
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We put our Faith into action, in the spirit of Christ who directs us to care for those in need. (Matthew 26:31-46)
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We are the largest food pantry in the West San Fernando Valley. It is accomplished with the hard work of volunteers and donations, to which we give our many thanks and appreciation.
What services does the center offer?
- We provide donated food to the homeless on a biweekly basis.
- Low-income families and seniors are provided donated food and U.S. Government food on a monthly basis.
- Shower facilities are available on a biweekly basis to the homeless, and they are provided with new socks and underwear once a month.
- Clothing, bus tokens, and personal hygiene items are also available for those in need.
- We collaborate with other agencies to assist our clients with job placement, shelter, medical treatment legal assistance and substance abuse issue's.
- Hot lunches are served on Thursday's. Free haircuts are also available after lunch on Thursdays to anyone that would like one.
- Bibles are provided on request, and Pastoral services are available to all clients.
- We share some of our food with Lutheran Social Services in Van Nuys and the Salvation Army in Canoga Park.
How do we achieve our goal of helping others?
The staff of Our Redeemer Lutheran Outreach works hard to help the Clients within our community help themselves. We strive to treat each person with dignity, love and a caring attitude. The staff is empathetic to the plight of the homeless, individuals and families that are in the below poverty level income bracket. We attend seminars and training classes that help us to better serve the clients. The Outreach is a proud member of the San Fernando Valley Inter-Faith Council who along with other Religious organizations in the Valley participates in the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.
- Donations of Pastries, Bread, Dairy, Deli and prepared foods are received from Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs and Whole Foods Markets.
- Food drives are conducted by the Boy Scouts of America along with food drives by the United States Postal workers, area high schools and other Churches in the area.
- The United Way and local Valley corporations along with the Kiwanis Club of Northridge also provide us with a great deal of support.
- We also purchase variable food items from the Los Angeles Regional Food bank at a cost of 18 cents per pound. This purchasing power allows us to make the most of dollars donated to the Outreach
How can you help?
In kind donations:
- We can always use your support with donations of food items such as:
Macaroni & cheese, canned fruit, canned vegetables, refried beans, Baby food, cereals, Tuna Fish, Peanut butter and Jelly, canned juices, Raman noodles, canned soups, Vienna sausages, canned meats , etc...
- Personal hygiene articles are also in need:
Shampoos & conditioners of all sizes, bars of hand soap, toilet paper, combs and brushes, tooth brushes, tooth paste, face cloths, socks & underwear, etc...
Financial donations:
We are always thankful for any financial donations made to the Human Care Ministry. Financial donations allow us to purchase frequently needed, high turn over items. Please contact the pantry or the church office (818) 341-3460 for further information.
Estate planning:
Estate planning and working with a financial planner offers a number of ways that you can contribute to the Human Care Ministry both now and in the future. Wills, trusts, bequests, Charitable Trusts, Memorial Gifts, Gifts of Life Insurance are some of the vehicles that will allow you tax: benefits both now and in the future.
Your financial advisor would be happy to discuss the options that would be most advantages to you. 100% of every dollar donated to the Human Care Ministry is used to support, care, feed and clothe the less fortunate in our community.
We could not continue Gods work of caring and providing for the less fortunate without your financial gifts and support. Thank You!
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