Outreach

Outreach

Forest Hills Interfaith Council Food Drive
Interfaith Food Drive

Reaching Out to Our Neighbors in Need

The Outreach Committee brings before the parish the needs of people outside the congregation in the local community, on deanery and diocesan levels, as well as throughout the Church and World. In addition, the committee recommends opportunities for meeting needs through parishioner giving of time, talent and treasure. Saint Luke's Outreach Goal is to become more visible in the larger surrounding community as a faith community actively engaged in our mission of service with people in need.

We remain deeply committed to the servant ministry of the church: to respond to people in need. Every year, it seems, those needs increase as do our efforts to meet them.

This year, we will be cooking, mentoring, volunteering and raising funds for St Andrew's Teen Center for Homeless Youth in Astoria because they need us and we need to help them.

Within the context of the Anglican tradition of profound respect for the dignity of every person, and in response to the lack of current services targeted to their needs, Episcopal Community Services of Long Island is partnering with The Ali Forney Center to meet basic emergency needs, increase coping and decision making capacities, and assist in planning for the re-integration into community living, of homeless and runaway youth who identify as Lesbian Gay Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning (LGBTQ), in the New York City area.

The Facility at St. Andrew’s will strengthen family relationships, (when possible and appropriate), and help youth Bake Sale Flyer transition to safe and appropriate alternative living arrangements where they can become independent, self-sufficient, contributing members of society.

Last year, the Thanksgiving Bake Sale, New Year's Eve Gala and direct donations
raised $4200 - all proceeds going to the recipient of the Parish Outreach Grant,
American Cancer Society’s HOPE LODGE.

In 2008, we made our annual outreach grant, in the amount of $3400, to City Harvest, which rescues millions of pounds of excess food from hotels, supermarkets and restaurants each year, and transports it to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other needy recipients

Project Haiti
Turning Hope into Action

• For ongoing disaster relief and rebuilding following the earthquake in Haiti.
• The needs in Haiti are vast. Many Haitians lacked bare necessities even before the disaster.
• Our Lenten Self-Denial Offering will support the work of Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) with the people of Haiti

Saint Luke's Youth Group & Gingerbread Players Bake for Haiti: All Proceeds From the Lenten Bake Sale Benefit ERD's Haiti Fund

Every parish household is asked to take a Lenten Self-Denial folder. Please make daily acts of self-denial by foregoing the cost of a small indulgence. The last contribution is for currency or check (please make checks payable to ERD).

The Lenten Project Offering will be gathered on the Sunday of the Passion, March 28.

In addition, during Lent, we will begin to explore networking with other parishes of our diocese and with ERD to explore ways in which Saint Luke's Church might be able to make a long term commitment in Haiti. The Vestry has also donated $4000 to ERD's Haiti Fund.

If you are interested in being part of our Project Haiti Working Group,
please speak either with Father Tom or Outreach Co-Chair Joanna Guinther.

Haitians Suffer in Aftermath of Devastating Earthquake

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. The nation's capital Port-au-Prince, located only ten miles from the quake's epicenter, has sustained serious damage.

Episcopal Relief & Development has disbursed emergency funding for its program partner, the Diocese of Haiti, to help meet immediate needs such as food, water and shelter. The agency is standing ready to support the Diocese with post-earthquake recovery and rebuilding efforts and is partnering with the Diocese of the Dominican Republic to coordinate efforts that can be administered from the border areas. The Diocese already has staff in place and relationships with the Episcopal priests across the border. As communications and access improve, Episcopal Relief & Development will continue to provide updates.

To assist those suffering in the wake of this disaster
donate to the Haiti Fund online or call 1.800.334.7626, ext. 5129.

Long Lent in Haiti
By Katharine Jefferts Schori,
Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

brownies
Saint Luke's Best Brownie:
and the winner is...yellow
The Guinthers

Thanksgiving Bake Sale
All proceeds benefit our Outreach Grant recipient.

Bake Sale

The Bake Sale raised $1000 for
American Cancer Society’s HOPE LODGE