Giving Room

Food Pantry

The Giving Room Food Pantry was blessed with a van filled with non-perishable food donated by the employees at Compose Component in Fremont. Elizabeth Brill organized the food drive with her co-workers and donated the food to the church. In turn, SCFBC has been able to bless additional families with these donations, In 2018, the Food Pantry provided 289 bags of food for the hungry and needy in the community. Thank you to everyone who donated food – for letting SCFBC be the steward of your fine donations.

Other donations

SCFBC has a Giving Room where we keep donations until they are distributed. These donations include non-perishable food items (no expired dates); school supplies for HOPE Silicon Valley in August; items to fill the ditty bags, for the Seafarers' Ministry, that are distributed in September; clothing for the San Francisco Homeless distribution in November; and various items for other charitable organizations, such as CityTeam, throughout the year.

I mention this because it occurred to me that as you do your "Spring cleaning" this year, you can be a resource for some of the items we need for these service projects. 

Please cut out this article – or just the lists below – from a copy of the printed newsletter. Then put it on your refrigerator to remind you of what is needed throughout the year. It's the perfect list to have on hand when you go to garage sales or clean out your closets! 

LISTS OF WHAT IS NEEDED 

...for HOPE Silicon Valley in August – new school supplies (you can usually find them on sale in June and July): backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, and slightly used or new books for children (and their parents) – so they can have books at home. 

...for Christmas – Child Boxes (also known as GO boxes: Gospel Opportunity boxes) sent in November; shoe boxes, Christmas wrapping paper, old T-shirts (even stained, because we cut them up to make jump ropes), new pencils, new combs and toothbrushes, color crayons and color books, small children's books, children's socks, hats, and gloves; and brightly colored, 4-ply yarn for making hats.

...for Seafarers Ditty bags distributed in September – toothbrushes, medium-sized toiletries, small games, and dark-colored yarn for making hats to keep heads warm. 

...for American Baptist Women (ABW) making bandages for the foreign Mission field and distributed throughout the year: used clean cotton sheets without holes – either flat or fitted – are used to make rolled bandages for missionaries in other countries. You can also donate new or used Christmas cards, which are included with the ditty bags for the Seafarers' Ministry, as well as dark-colored yarn to make knit caps. 

...for Homeless Outreach in November – new, cold-weather men's socks (we like to have at least 100 pairs to give); slightly used or new rain-proof coats and jackets in large or extra large sizes, and in DARK colors (even women like DARK colors when on the street, because rarely do the homeless have access to laundry facilities); fleece jackets; hats, gloves, and scarves; hand warmers; new gallon-sized ZIPLOCK bags (to fill with toiletries); hotel-size and travel-size shampoo, conditioner, and lotions; and personal-size tissue packets.

Bless you in advance for considering SCFBC as you donate "stuff" for those in need. You can bring your donations to the church lobby on Sundays, or you can call the office at 408-241-7635 during the week: Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can also contact Jerri Cooper, by calling 408-241-7635.