At our Zoom coffee hour this week, we learned that the lack of food is a severe and growing problem in Ossining and the greater Westchester area. Thousands of people are out of work and left with no resources.
After some discussion, we thought that those of us fortunate enough to have some discretionary funds or, perhaps, the expectation of a COVID-19 check from the U.S. government, might like some options of places to give help. For example, you might be able to contribute your COVID check – or tithe from your COVID check. Whatever you feel you may be able to contribute would be a blessing to those without enough to eat.
Some of the local nonprofits working to feed the hungry are:
The Ossining Food Pantry: https://ossiningfoodpantry.org
Neighbors Link: https://www.neighborslink.org
Feeding Westchester: https://feedingwestchester.org
Please consider giving some of what you may have to those who have very little and are suffering. And, if you, yourself, are in difficulty, please reach out to St. Paul’s (stpaulsganung@gmail.com) or Trinity (trinityossining@gmail.com).
Our Social Justice Mission Committee has be working with Hope’s Door (https://hopesdoorny.org/), an organization whose mission is to prevent, respond to, and partner to end domestic and intimate partner violence and other forms of abuse. They provide a 24/7/365 crisis, support and information hotline (the gateway to all our services) as well as emergency shelter to ensure individuals are safe from the threat of violence. Terri Roman has been in touch with them and learned that they need sanitizer of all sizes and masks for shelter staff and residents. If you wish to help, you can send these items to:
Tami Shimkin
C/O Hope’s Door
50 Broadway
Hawthorne NY 10532
If you wish to contact her directly, her number is 914-747-0828 and her email is shimkin@hopesdoorny.org to communicate about any orders.
As you may remember, we are using this time to renew our prayer list. Consider prayerfully whom you would like the parish family to pray for and send me their names by replying to this email. I will then send out the list with the next Thursday Sunday service email in order for us all to keep these special people in our devotions. If I don’t get your names, they will not be listed in next Thursday’s message! So please let me know who you would like us to pray for!
