The members of Christ Church are involved in a variety of outreach efforts. (See calendar for a schedule of projects.) Recent projects have included the Heifer Project, the Episcopal Charities Drive, a Teddy Bear Collection for abused children, Adopt-a-Family and Heating Relief, among others. Here are some of the details:

"Second Sunday"

One Sunday a month, we ask for donations for varying items. The items vary, along with the charities to which they are donated. Here are some recent examples:
  • Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center: Hygiene items, cleaning supplies, children's underwear, and backpacks filled with school supplies.
  • George Hunt Center: Coffee supplies, and men's hygiene products (in honor of Father's Day)
  • The Central Falls Family Self Sufficiency Program: Women's hygiene products (in honor of Mother's Day)
  • St. Paul's & Grace Churches: Blankets for their winter shelters.

 

Adopt-a-Family
This is one of the highlights of the year! For many years, we have "adopted" several families through one of the social services in the area for the Christmas season. These agencies provide us with the names, ages and "wish lists" for a number of families. The gifts are brought into Church on Jesse Tree Sunday, blessed, then delivered to the individual families. Our goal is to increase the number of families we help each year.

 

Fifth Sunday
The youth in our Confirmation Classes volunteer at the St. George's meal site on the fifth Sunday of any month having five Sundays,. They are involved in soliciting donations of food, preparing and serving the meal, and cleaning up afterwards. The schedule for this year: March 30, June 29 and November 30. (St. George's meal site plans to close for the months of July & August.)

Teddy Bears
Each year, on the Feast of St. Francis, we ask for donations of Teddy Bears and other stuffed animals. These are donated to the Day One, the sexual abuse and trauma resource center in Providence. Many children who are abused find that having a "friend" to hold and keep gives them comfort and makes telling their stories a little easier on them.

Other projects have included
  • Our Knitters Group has made and donated dozens of hats, mittens, scarves and gloves to Crossroads in Providence.
  • Food collections for local emergency food pantries
  • Donations for holiday baskets in Cumberland and Lincoln
  • Collection of coats for distribution through the RI Park Rangers Association
  • Collection of books for distribution through the Central Falls Family Self-Sufficiency Program