Covenant to Care for Children is a nonprofit, private agency working with faith communities to meet the needs of abused, neglected, and impoverished children and teens. Through a network of volunteers, individual donors, and businesses, we work to foster caring and nurturing environments for children and youth. Our main initiative, Adopt A Social Worker, matches social workers with faith communities to assist in providing the basic goods to meet the material needs of children. Last year, an estimated 27,850 children in Connecticut received basic necessities through the Adopt A Social Worker program. With the help of more than 200 faith communities and over 1,000 volunteers and donors we have served more than 500,000 children since the agency was founded in 1987.

Food For The Poor is a Christian relief and development agency dedicated to sharing the love of Christ by helping the poor. By working through a well-established network of clergy, they deliver aid where it is needed most. Founded in 1982, Food For The Poor aids the poor in the Caribbean and Latin America. The ministry provides lifesaving nutrition to malnourished children, builds houses for families in need of shelter, supports orphanages and homes for the elderly, provides medical care and supplies in hospitals and clinics, drills wells for the thirsty, educates children, provides skills training for the unemployed and much more. They share the love of Jesus Christ by aiding our poorest brothers and sisters.

Stand With Africa efforts assist communities and churches in Africa in their work to overcome HIV/AIDS, banish hunger, and build peace. Stand With Africa donations given through the ELCA are allocated to Lutheran World Relief, the Lutheran World Federation, and ELCA companion churches in Africa.  No administrative costs are taken from these funds.

Seafarers & International House (www.sihnyc.org)

“Real Presence … Real Mission” So what does this mean—really?  It is all about Christ, His presence, His mission.  We exist as an expression of that same life-giving spirit through services that foster human dignity and nurture the human spirit for the stranger we have yet to meet. It is primarily a ministry of care and support for seafarers, who spend months at sea, separated from family support and friends.  Through a ministry of presence, we reach out to these seafarers in various seaports throughout the Northeast. Ours are hands of welcome and outreach to those who would otherwise feel isolated and alone.  Our mission is to welcome and support these brave seafarers, to care for their physical, spiritual, psychological, and emotional needs, and to serve as a link to family and other loved ones. Whether at port, on the water, or in our guesthouse, we want to be viewed as a “home away from home.” In other words, our visits, our services, and our presence make a real difference.

However, this presence is not solely for the seafarer.  We have a mission to the sojourner as well.  This could be an international visitor who seeks refuge in our guesthouse.  It could be a seafarer at the end of a long journey or a career in maritime work. It could be a student seeking lodging as a part of a internship project.  It could be a family seeking comfort and care while a loved one receives medical treatment in a local medical center.  It could be a woman-in-crisis who has lost self-worth and dignity.  It could simply be an individual seeking a sense of meaning or direction for their life.  We are real presence for the least, the lost, and the lonely.  But there is even more—really! We represent an embodiment of Christ’s presence in Word and Sacrament ministry as a social ministry arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Therefore, our ministry, though ecumenical in outreach, finds its identity and mission in and through support of this larger community of faith.  Our mission to the sojourner provides a meeting place or retreat center for congregational groups or individuals who meet at the guesthouse in their own spiritual journey.

Camp Calumet (www.calumet.org)

Birthright of Greater Meridin, Inc. needs gently worn maternity and baby clothing and books on pregnancy and baby and child care.

BIRTHRIGHT is an emergency pregnancy service staffed by volunteers dedicated to offering the alternative to abortion. Birthright offers free pregnancy tests, friendship counseling, and caring and practical support.  Bring items to the Gathering Place and Zion will bring the donations to Birthright.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR PRISONERS

Once again this year you are invited to participate in providing Christmas Care Packages for inmates at Webster Correctional Institution in Cheshire. Items include:

Soap-bath size

Toothbrush-adult size

Tooth paste-large 6.2 oz

Deodorant-no glass or women’s

Hard Candies-individually wrapped

Instant Hot Chocolate –individual packages

Bring items and leave in box marked Prison Christmas Gifts by December 6, 2009.

During October one of the mission organizations we support is CROP.

Crop Walk (www.churchworldservice.org/CROP)

CROP Hunger Walks are “Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty”– neighbors walking together to take a stand against hunger in our world.

Together we raise awareness and funds for international relief and development, as well as local hunger-fighting.

WHO BENEFITS FROM THE MONEY RAISED:

25% of all proceeds will be infused into Southington Bread For Life with the remainder going to Church World Service to help solve world hunger problems.