OUTREACH COMMISSION Gary & Tricia Dudley gary.dudley2@verizon.net
The Outreach program at Christ Church currently runs the following programs.
Other programs which Outreach is involved with but not actively run by Outreach include Circle of Friends (run by RACAP) on Wednesday evenings 6-9pm
Outreach is interested in starting an After School tutoring program in early 2007 for children in grades 3-5, if anyone is interested to lead or tutor for this program. There is an expressed interest from a school principal and parents.
Outreach does prepare dinner 1-2 times yearly for Thurman Brisben Shelter and has been involved over the last 18 months with assisting a refugee family in starting over in a new country.
At this time Outreach welcomes any person interested in participating on the committee, volunteering services for particular programs, and any ideas for new programs. Please come and be involved.
The pantry is open on Tuesdays 10 am – noon , staffed by 2 volunteers who assist anyone who comes in. The food pantry is stocked by donations and weekly collection of food from The Fredericksburg Food Bank. We do not at this time take any personal information from the recipients, and everyone will be given some food. The food is considered a supplement to the week, not the sole food for a family.
Currently the pantry is serving approximately 16 families per week in Spotsylvania zip codes (approximately 40-50 adults and children).
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We always need volunteers to staff the pantry, help stock shelves and donate food or money to buy food.
Outreach assists a number of selected families on low incomes at the Holiday seasons to be able to celebrate with Turkey and ham and some of the trimmings of the season. All the children in these familiesalso receive gifts at Christmas. This is part of the budget but donations assist in Outreach being able to help more families and to give more to each family.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We need donations of Seasonal food or money. We need volunteers to help pack the boxes just prior to each holiday.
The Outreach Commission has explored county needs for school tutoring programs due to the SOL requirements. The elementary school closest to Christ Church , Robert E. Lee Elementary has expressed interest in such a project, specifically one day a week tutoring.
Over the summer the school principal sent parents of Grades 3 and 5 a questionnaire . Results indicated interest from parents of 30 children for tutoring, with most interest being for Monday, Tuesday or Wednesdays after school. The principal has agreed if such a program was begun that the school could bus the children over after school, and parents would pick them up at the church after the program.
At this time, this project is unable to proceed further without a Lead, and will also require people interested in tutoring for Grades 3 and 5 school subjects.
If you are interested in helping with any of these programs please contact Gary and Tricia Dudley at (540) 898-0367