Outreach

"For I was hungry and you gave me food;
I was thirsty and you gave me drink;
I was a stranger and you made me welcome;
lacking clothes and you clothed me,
sick and you visited me,
in prison and you came to see me" (Mt 25:35-36).

"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of the community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard hearted or tight fisted toward your needy neigbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need whatever it may be." (Deuteronomy 15:7-8)

In his first encyclical letter, God is Love, Pope Benedict stated that "within a community of believers there can never be room for poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life."

Food Pantry Program

Non-perishable food items are collected at each weekend Mass and donated to the Havelock-Cherry Point Ministerial Outreach Food Pantry, which is sponsored by the Havelock Ministerial Association. Approximately 20 churches in the Havelock area are supporting members of the association.

An Outreach food item of need for the current month is published in the Annunciation parish bulletin each week, along with a breakdown of what has recently been collected..

"This is a service that's offered to the community that goes beyond the ministry of individual churches," according to Rev. Rob Helton, association president and pastor of Cherry Point Baptist Church in 2006.

How it Happens

The association coordinates with each paticipating church, assigning them to collect a specific predetermined type of food item each month.
An Outreach volunteer picks up the food from each church.
The food is taken to the Ministerial Outreach Food Pantry.
Various churches, Social Services, Family Readiness Program, Catholic Social Ministries, and other agencies refer folks to the food pantry.
Clients who are in need of food visit the Food Pantry and are given food according to their need.
A photo-ID from clients verifies residency, in order to better serve those in need from our immediate area.
Due to privacy policy, typically only one client can be processed at a time.
Those who are from outside of the Havelock area are typically referred to resources closer to their home.
Food Vouchers

St. Michael's (MCAS Base Chapel) donates money to support food vouchers
Other churches and organizations also donate money
Outreach purchases Food Lion gift cards
These gift cards are distributed, as needed

Havelock-Cherry Point Ministerial Outreach Food Pantry details:

Location:: East Plaza Professional Center, Suite 20
Phone number:: 252-447-5190
Hours of operation:: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday; 10am - 12pm & 1pm - 2pm

Opportunities to share time, talent, and treasure:
- Drop off donated food items and place them in the basket, which is typically located near the doors in the vestibule of the church.
- A part-time volunteer is needed to occasionally fill-in when routine volunteers have situations that take them away from the ministry.
- Volunteers are needed to help organize and distribute food items to hungry families in Havelock.
- Purchase, donate, & drop off Food Lion gift cards ($5, $10)
- Pray for the people who participate in this ministry
- Coordinate collections from other community, parish, or personal groups
- Promote the works of this ministry to others who may be able to support or are in need of assistance from this Outreach program.
- Participate in Operation RoundUP^® if you are a member of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative.
- Respond to Postal Workers and Boy Scouts of America food drives by placing food items on your doorstep during their annual collections.

An Annunciation parishioner, Lyn McCain, served this ministry program from 1977 until her death in 2009. Her husband Wayne continues to serve the Ministerial Outreach Food Pantry. Several other members of Annunciation Parish currently serve this ministry, including Maryann Houston and Carolyn Mewborn.

Among other communinity organizations, civitans of the Havelock Civitan Club are regular contributors to the ministerial association's food pantry, which provides food to the area's needy families.

According to their statistics, in July 2009, the Ministerial Outreach Food Pantry assisted 65 familes, made up of a total of 165 people.

Community Clothes Closet

Grateful Hearts Community Clothes Closet

This interdenominational ministry distributes donated clothing to people in need. Founded by LaTonya Roane, this ministry was inspired by her calling from God, and apparently from further spiritual and financial support from our own Father Dan Oschwald, while he was here as our pastor.

October 18^th marks the 3^rd anniversary of this community ministry.

Annunciation Parish has been able to assist financially through grant money, which goes towards paying the rent, includes water and electric. Since May of 2009, LaTonya and her husband have been renting a second adjacent space for women's clothing, which they pay for out of their own household budget.

Grateful Heart Community Outreach Ministries Clothes Closet details:

Location:: East Plaza Professional Center, Suite 70
Phone number:: 252-444-2400
Hours of operation:: Monday, Wednesday, & Saturday; 9am - 1pm

Opportunities to assist:

Drop off clean clothing (men's, women's, and children's) during posted hours that the clothes closet is open.
Please do not leave items outside the doors when the Clothes Closet is closed
Volunteers are needed to assist sorting, sizing, assessing, and displaying clothing
The Clothes Closet is currently in need of additional volunteers to staff the store on Mondays
Laundry assistance is appreciated. Please purchase cards from the Wash House and drop them off. They will be distributed, as needed.
Help devise innovative ways to assist clients to clean clothing for their families
Promote the Clothing Closet to others, both those in need and those who might be able to assist
Pray for these and other ecumenical works in the world