News You Can Use

For Your Church Newsletter

From Lutheran Community Services January 2008

Editors: Following is some information about LCS that you might want to include in your newsletter. This information is prepared for church newsletter editors, secretaries and pastors. Your help in getting the word out is appreciated and will help LCS achieve its mission of “Sharing God’s blessings by helping others in need.” Comments about format, timing or content are welcome. Contact Steve Tindall (stindall@lcsde.org). 302 654 8886.

December Food Donations Help Fill LCS Pantries

In 2007, LCS food expenses exceeded its food budget by more than 35%. During the last few months of the year, we weren’t always sure if we would have enough food to fill the bags we gave out. We didn’t want to turn anyone away, but we weren’t sure where the food would come from. Then, we got a huge influx of donations – some from churches, some from old friends, and some from new friends. Non Lutheran church donors Peninsula McCabe United Methodist and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox supplemented Lutheran churches – Concordia, St. Mark’s, Our Redeemer, Good Shepherd, St. Philips and St. Pauls. School that ran food drives for us included Tatnall, Ursuline, Odyssey Charter, and Pike Creek Christian. We also were blessed to receive deliveries from New Castle Senior Center, Elsmere Veterans’ Hospital, Luther Towers 1 and 2. Without these in-kind donations, LCS would have been hard-pressed to serve all that we did.

More Pantry Visitors Means We Need More Volunteers

LCS’s three stationary pantries – at St. Stephen’s, Hope, and Zion – provided food for almost 20,000 people in the first 10 months of 2007, far exceeding the total number of people served the year before (17,805). It wasn’t long ago that a busy day at the St. Stephen’s pantry in Wilmington meant serving 20 families (they get enough food for three meals for each family member for three days). Nowadays, a busy day means serving over 60 families! This makes it hard on volunteers, particularly if they are older retired folks. The bottom line is we need more volunteers! If you think you might be interested in helping out at any of the pantries, call Dara Snyder at LCS at 654 8886, ext. 104. The St. Stephen’s pantry is not your only option. Consider Zion (call Eleanor Outten at 798-7775) or Hope (call Connie Shipe at 378-8010).

Free Oil for People With Low Incomes

Folks with low incomes can apply for free Citizens Energy Citgo oil by calling 877 563 4645.