FOOD PANTRY

GIVING BRINGS BLESSINGS TO ALL

Heidi Greiss on behalf of the Food Pantry Board

Our next Food Pantry distribution is scheduled for May 17.

We anticipate that 80-85 Union families will be coming to us for assistance. Your food and monetary donations are critical to maintaining this vital mission to our community.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONTINUED GENEROSITY!

Some of you probably saw the recent article in The Star-Ledger regarding a report entitled "The Real Cost of Living in 2008: The Self-Sufficiency Standard for New Jersey." The report states that, "If we are serious about helping people escape poverty for the long term, we need a clear and accurate understanding of what level of income is needed to provide the basic necessities of life for New Jersey families."

Utilizing cost-of-living statistics for our state's 21 counties, the report gives examples of how much a family needs to earn in order to be self-sufficient; i.e., to live without such government support as welfare or housing subsidies.

For example, "In Essex County,* two adults with a preschool child and infant need $53,722 to be self-sufficient, $32,522 above the $21,200 federal poverty level. Each parent would have to earn about $13. an hour."

As you may remember, not too long ago we noted that 70% of the Union families coming to our Food Pantry report incomes below the federal poverty level, and many of the remaining 25% have incomes just slightly above the federal poverty level. Add to these statistics the fact that food and gas prices continue to go up, and we have a picture of families for whom self-sufficiency is out-of-reach.

Can our efforts turn around the lives of the families who come to our Food Pantry? Of course not! Only basic societal changes can help financially struggling families rise to a level of self-sufficiency. However, we can—and do—provide a reliable source of assistance which gives families as much as a week's worth of food, thereby enabling them to put the money the food would have cost them toward transportation or a utility bill or medicine, etc. We hope that our efforts not only relieve a little of our neighbors' financial burdens, but also demonstrate to them that others understand their plight and care about them.

Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). In giving we are sharing God's blessings with others; and in sharing God's blessings we too are blessed with joyous, fulfilling lives. We are moving closer to becoming the people He wants us to be.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE AS GENEROUSLY AS YOU CAN. GOD BLESS!

*No Union County examples are included in the article.

MISSION OF MERCY

All the items collected by the congregation, your co-workers, family and friends are on their way to service men and women defending and protecting our country throughout the world. All told there were 10 boxes and about 20 bags of snacks, toiletries, playing cards, and notes and letters of encouragement. A great big thank you to all who made this possible. As always, the response from this congregation was tremendously generously.

School Supplies

School Supplies: Thanks so much to all who contributed so generously to our school supplies collection for our Food Pantry children. This is just another way we can help those in our community to stretch their budgets at this time of year. We were able to provide supplies to all our children thanks to your help.

Our congregation will be participating in a Peacemaking Offering this month. It is sponsored by Presbytery with the monies collected being used to support peacemaking efforts throughout the world. Some of the monies collected (25%) will be maintained by our own church to be used for a program that supports peace.

Look for more information in the church bulletin.