Outreach
Outreach Serves our Partners During the Lenten and Easter Seasons
Holy Innocents is partnering with the Community Assistance Center (CAC) to help feed the working poor in Sandy Springs. As rents and food costs have skyrocketed, the demands for food have increased rapidly. CAC now helps over 1,000 families a month with food needs! They need our help.
We have shared bags to fill with groceries. In our first week, we received 18 bags weighing 155 pounds. We realized that we did not share a goal for our community for how we can support CAC and feed those in need.
We want to raise $15,000 to feed about 200 people for the month of March. This would translate to about 7,400 pounds of food. We will accept donations directly to the church if you wish to give money (this way we can track our progress towards our goals). We will also accept food donations towards the 7,400 pounds total.
After our first week, we are aware of $3000 in donations and about 155 pounds of food. We have a ways to go AND we have four more weeks to help feed those in need through CAC. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and find ways to share our abundance with those who need our help.
CAC Food Drive Kicks Off on Ash Wednesday
Last Sunday, we distributed nearly 100 reusable purple bags with shopping lists so parishioners could shop for much-needed items during the CAC Lenten Food Drive. Thank you to everyone who jumped on board early and to those who helped stuff the bags with shopping lists. Ash Wednesday is the official start of our Lenten CAC program, and we have a hefty goal of 20,000 lbs. a week.
To reach that goal, consider that:
- A weekly allotment of 37 lbs. feeds a family of four.
- $66.23 per week feeds that family of four with the goods CAC provides.
What foods are needed most?
Option 1 – Physical Purchase
- Canned tuna, chicken, diced tomatoes, and fruit (15.5 oz.) along with packaged dried beans (black and pinto) and lentils (2 lb.)
- Family/bulk-size packaging is NOT recommended; it’s too heavy to carry home.
- Click here for a full list of what’s needed.
- Please consider donating bags to CAC for their shoppers—either paper, plastic, or reusable bags.
Option 2 – Online giving
- Click here for a full list of what’s needed.
- Acknowledge Holy Innocents and help us track our goal. At check out and under the Payment Information section (after your name), fill in Holy Innocents in the Company block.
Thank you for supporting CAC and our neighbors in need. Look for weekly updates and volunteer opportunities. For more information, contact Charles Crosby at charles@corepm.net or Jan Paul at janpaul1005@gmail.com.
During Lent we typically give up something we enjoy or add an activity that is good for our bodies and our souls. This year, we invite you to join us in doing something good for your soul as we support our long-time Outreach ministry partner, Community Assistance Center, CAC, while doing something good for others. CAC created a new program entitled “Congregation of the Month,” and in March we kick-off their program at Holy Innocents. The purpose of the program is to provide much-needed food for their pantry, which aligns perfectly with the Lenten focus on giving time, care, and comfort to others. Throughout the season we will collect food items at church or offer an online shopping opportunity to help CAC fill their pantry. As we prepare for a joyous Easter, we will host our Outreach partner Solidarity Sandy Springs for their third Easter Egg Hunt at Holy Innocents. What a wonderful celebration to cap off the Easter season with hundreds of children searching for colorful eggs on the Lower School playground, with a visit from the Easter Bunny and goodies and activities donated by local sponsors and partners. There will be easy volunteer opportunities at church to help support CAC and Solidarity during the Lenten and Easter season. More information will be available during the weeks ahead. We ask you to join us with generous and joyful hearts as we serve our Outreach partners.
Recommended sizes:
- Canned goods: 15.5 oz
- Oil bottles: 16 oz
- Dry goods bags (rice, beans, etc.): 2 lb
- Family/bulk-size packaging is NOT recommended. While possibly more economical, it presents issues for our neighbors when packing them and carrying them home.
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