Social Ministry at Grace and Beyond
2024 GRACE CHRISTMAS FAMILY SHARING– Grace’s Christmas Family Sharing ministry begins November 17, 2024 to support the Family Health Partnership Clinic (FHPC), Turning Point, and ELCA Good Gifts. This in turn helps to meet the needs of our local community as well as our global community. We typically offer several different ways to help support our ministry partners, which usually include:
Family Health Partnership Clinic: The Giving Tree usually has ornaments with Walmart gift cards to help a family/families in need.
Turning Point: Ornaments on the Giving Tree for Turning Point typically will stock its “Holiday Toy Shop,” which Turning Point offers free of charge to its clients. Gifts needed will be reflected here usually
ELCA Good Gifts: Ornaments on the Giving Tree for ELCA Good Gifts will also have envelopes attached. You can choose from a wide variety of items – from chicks to goats, to school uniforms – to help support people in need around the world. You can indicate on the envelope what item you would like to sponsor, and after the ministry has collected all the envelopes, it will place an order with ELCA Good Gifts. Once the program is up and running in November 2024, you can also order online at ELCA.org/goodgifts.
2024 MITTEN TREE— Grace collects NEW mittens, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, and underwear for children and adults in need during November/December. Keep tabs here on when to bring items for collection.
WOODSTOCK FOOD PANTRY (WFP)– It seeks additional volunteers and NEEDS YOUR HELP. Each participating congregation, of which there are approximately two dozen, is asked to provide volunteers to help operate it. The Pantry has a variety of ways you can contribute your time, so you can choose the type of activity you enjoy.
- Front Desk– These volunteers check on neighbors who come for food, fill their orders, and provide additional helpful information. Shifts are three hours during operating hours, which are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Even providing one to two monthly shifts would be helpful. Volunteers are also needed to interact with neighbors in the waiting area, welcoming them and giving directions on each day’s availability of fresh foods and quantities per family.
- Local Food Donation Pickup- Some Food Pantry volunteers pick up donations each week from local stores such as Aldi, Food Shed and sometimes McDonald’s and Panera. The items are brought to the Pantry for more volunteers to sort. Having additional volunteers to share this pickup task would be most helpful.
- Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) Delivery Persons– Food Bank deliveries happen one Thursday each month. This involves lifting and carrying items from the NIFB truck to the pantry (rolling carts are used).
- Periodic Special Projects– Occasionally, volunteers perform special projects. Added volunteers can provide further help to accomplish these tasks as needed.
The WFP welcomes continued donations, noted in the box below but already has an abundance of canned goods.
Cash donations are always welcome as WFP currently is searching for a larger location to serve the community. Part of this will include a capital campaign to raise funds to purchase and remodel a location to better serve our neighbors. Please let someone at the Food Pantry know if you have experience running a capital campaign or know of someone who could be engaged to help. Please contact the Grace Lutheran representative, Mike Phillips, if you would like to volunteer.
DIAPER BANK – Keeping Families Covered (KFC) supplies diapers to First Presbyterian Church, 2018 N. State Route 47, Woodstock, Ill. Clients must be residents of McHenry County and provide proof of need such as the USDA’s SNAP or WIC programs or an Illinois LINK card.
First-time clients fill out a form, which is entered into First Presbyterian’s database. Information includes parent’s name and address (obtained from any form of ID), child’s name (unless it’s an adult client), child’s birthdate and ethnicity. KFC requires this information.
Diaper sizes range from infant, toddler, & youth overnight for up to age 4. Also accessible, are adult diapers, bed pads, wipes and socks (as available), and also feminine hygiene pads. Distribution is the first Wednesday of each month from 4 – 5 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 2018 N. State Route 47, Woodstock, Ill. Nancy Bingham is the contact person at nancycbingham@gmail.com
HOME-DELIVERED MEALS – To apply, contact Senior Services of McHenry County at 815-344-3555. A coordinator will come to the house to do an assessment and set up the delivery if qualified.
CAREGIVER COUNSELING AND RESPITE CARE SUPPORT PROGRAM—Offered by Family Alliance of Woodstock and Huntley. Learn about: health risks to the caregiver, such as loneliness, stress, and isolation; mindful practices and how to incorporate them into a daily routine; educational events and support groups. Adult daycare provided by Family Alliance while the caregiver attends. Call 815-338-3590 for dates and times. Find additional information online at www.familyallianceinc.org.
WOODSTOCK AREA COMMUNITY MINISTRY (WACM) : WACM is a faith-based organization dedicated to caring for those in need in our community.
A lay-led 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, WACM has been serving the Woodstock community for more than 20 years. WACM relies primarily on individual contributions from its member organizations & fundraisers and welcomes any donations from the community at large.
Tax deductible donations may be sent to: Woodstock Area Community Ministry, 8220 State Route 120, Woodstock, IL 60098 or wacmgroups.org.
WACM does not discriminate in the provision of assistance based on age, sex, race, religion or any other criteria. All individuals and families who come for emergency financial assistance are teated with dignity and respect.
DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM —The Direct Assistance Program (DAP) is sponsored and funded by the Woodstock Area Community Ministry (WACM) & provides help to residents within Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 boundaries. Those experiencing an emergency financial crisis with gasoline, clothing & footwear or prescription medicines.can receive help.
DAP also assists by providing monetary voucher payments to third parties for car repairs, past-due remnt and utility bills to prevent eviction and utility shut off.
All financial assistance is rendered in form of vouchers or check requests for payment to prearranged vendors. No cash is ever given to DAP clients.
DAP opeerates in-person on the first & third Thursday’s of the month from noon – 3 p.m. at Grace, 1300 Kishwaukee Valley Road, Woodstock, Ill. (Except when a holiday falls on that day) OR call DAP at 815-529-4370 and leave a message.
DAP organizes a winter outerwear give-away event for those without It is “Share the Warmth” Coat Drive.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY/THRIVENT BUILDS— Construction has begun on a Habitat for Humanity house at 1601 Hillside Drive in McHenry. This is an opportunity for Grace members to work together with a low-income family to make the goal of homeownership attainable for the family. Volunteers are needed on Saturday, August 3. There are two ways to help: 1) Join the construction crew. Construction experience is not required, but volunteers must be at least 18 years old (16- and 17-year-olds may work if a parent is present). Depending on progress made on previous Saturdays, the work on August 3 will probably be installing insulation or drywall. 2) Donate sandwiches, side dishes, or other items. Our church is responsible for providing lunch for about 15 volunteers.
Please sign up at the Information Center or contact Kristin Thurow (815-337-8214, ekthurow@owc.net). For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit www.habitatmchenry.org (click on ―Our Projects to see progress and
a map for the Marengo house).
The ELCA website is a great resource for putting our faith into action through social ministry. For more information about our church’s efforts to help people who are hungry, poor, or affected by natural disasters around the world, visit www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World.aspx. For more information about ways we work for peace and justice in our world, visit www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Justice.aspx.
Links to Other Service Organizations Supported by Grace
Grace supports the following organizations either financially or by recruiting volunteers:
2024 PIN (People in Need) Resource Directory
Brooke Neighborhood Resource Center: Volunteers are needed to tutor children living in the Willow Brooke (formerly Lakewood) apartment complex. Contact the resource center at 815-338-1030.
Bread for the World/ELCA World Hunger Appeal Grace partners with Bread for the World and the ELCA World Hunger Appeal to raise awareness of hunger and poverty around the world and to work for justice for the hungry and poor. For more information, contact www.bread.org and www.elca.org/hunger.
Family Health Partnership Clinic provides quality health care to the uninsured and underinsured in McHenry County. www.hpclinic.org
Peace 4 All, Inc. offers education/prevention services related to domestic violence and helps people who are involved in domestic violence. www.peace4allonline.org
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois provides a wide range of social services to individuals and families. www.lssi.org
Senior Care Volunteer Network of McHenry County trains and matches volunteers with senior citizens who need assistance with shopping, light housework, transportation to doctor appointments, and so on. www.fiamchenrycounty.org
Volunteer Center of McHenry County website: http://www.volunteermchenrycounty.org
WACM – Woodstock Area Community Ministries – http://wacmgroup.orgS’s
