Monthly Missions At Grace Episcopal Church
January
The Radford Clothing Bank
http://www.radfordclothingbank.org/
Radford Clothing Bank provides both new and used clothing - free of charge - to all NRV residents in need. Monetary donations provide funding for utilities, rent, plus size clothing, and other expenses.
Grace Church volunteers help staff the Clothing Bank on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10-12pm. Please consider giving a couple of hours of your time this month to volunteer at the Clothing Bank with other members and friends from Grace.
February
Episcopal Relief and Development
http://www.episcopalrelief.org/
Episcopal Relief and Development is the international humanitarian agency of the Episcopal Church and reaches over 3 million people annually in more than 40 countries. Our partnership with the worldwide Church creates opportunities to serve communities in some of the most remote areas of the world, as well as in urban environments where extreme poverty persists. In many of these places the Church is often one of the few institutions people trust and turn to for help.
Rather than impose “one size fits all” solutions, Episcopal Relief and Development supports local, long-term initiatives that address poverty, hunger, disease, economic development and disaster response where the need is greatest.
March
United Thank Offering
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/united-thank-offering
The United Thank Offering (UTO) is a ministry of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through UTO, individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude. UTO encourages people to notice the good things that happen each day, give thanks to God for those blessings and make an offering for each blessing using a UTO Blue Box. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute the 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion. UTO Blue Boxes may be picked up in the Grace Church Office.
April
Radford City Public School Hardship Fund
The RCPS Food Hardship Fund helps Radford City Public Schools students in grades Pre-K-12 pay for their school lunches. These children do not qualify for free lunches from a Federal Government Program; yet, they have little access to safe and healthy meals through no fault of their own.
May
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
“No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.”
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a national organization with over 250 chapters that coordinates efforts to build, assemble and deliver top-notch bunk beds to children and families in need. The NRV chapter is located in Blacksburg VA and accepts donations of money bedding, supplies, and volunteer labor. Periodic “Build Days” are held when volunteers can assemble beds, and deliver, and set them up in homes.
June
Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread
http://www.radfordfairlawndailybread.org/
Radford Fairlawn Daily Bread administers two free meal programs serving the City of Radford and the Fairlawn community of Pulaski, County. They have been serving meals since 1992 to guests through Dining Room services. Since 2006 they have delivered meals each weekday to homebound individuals in Radford and Fairlawn through Meals on Wheels. Supplemental and Emergency Shelf Meals are also provided to Meals on Wheels recipients for use on weekends or when the Dining Room is closed due to hazardous weather conditions.
Donations of the following items are appreciated: canned beans of any kind, boxed mashed potatoes, spaghetti noodles, macaroni noodles, spaghetti sauce, and paper towels. A gift of money would also be helpful to fill gaps in the kitchen pantry.
July
Project Linus
Project Linus is a volunteer non-profit organization that donates handmade blankets to children in the NRV who are sick, traumatized or abused. Blankets are given locally to hospitals, shelters, social services, community services,
schools and physicians’ offices. Since starting in June 2000, the NRV chapter has donated over 43,000 blankets. New blanket makers are welcome. Monetary donations are used to purchase blanket making supplies.
August
Red Door Campus Ministry
Grace Church is the sponsoring church for Red Door Campus Ministry, the Episcopal student ministry at Radford University. We help provide additional support beyond what is provided by the Diocese for Canterbury House to continue its work. Donations received during this month will go towards covering:
- Costs of food items not otherwise provided for meetings
- Program costs
- Gifts given during finals week to keep these students going
- Advertising and co-sponsoring of events with other campus ministries
- All the little things that make Canterbury a “home away from home for students while attending RU.
September
Boys Home of Virginia
“All successful men were once boys. But not all boys become successful men.”
For over 115 years, Boys Home of Virginia has been providing residential care and education for boys ages 6-18 who are socially and economically disadvantaged. No child is turned away due to their (family’s) inability to pay. They operate with 98% private funds.
There are currently 51 boys in residence. Many young men who come to the Boys Home are stumbling through school, needing more assistance than their parents or schools can provide them. The staff and supporter at Boys Home help them get back on track and show that “Education is Power”.
October
Grace Rooms
Grace Rooms provides safe housing for homeless women who need temporary housing while they rebuild their lives and become productive members of society.
November
Radford Elf Shelf
http://www.radfordelfshelf.org/
The Radford Elf Shelf provides dignified Christmas assistance to financially eligible residents. Any income eligible (200% poverty guidelines) Radford family receives a food voucher to a local grocery store, and children of those families receive new toys, gifts, and books. There are many ways to help Elf Shelf:
-monetary donations may be sent to PO Box 2804, Radford, VA 24143
-new, unwrapped gift donations may be left in the donation box on the stage in the Parish Hall
-volunteer to help with set-up (Wednesday) or clean-up (Saturday) or during toy distribution (1:00-4:00 on Friday) the first weekend in December
December
Christmas Outreach
The Christmas Outreach mission supports others in our community during the Christian season of hope and promise. Recipients may change from year to year based on need or awareness of those who quietly walk among us sharing God’s love.