Category: Outreach

Nativity has learned of a need connected with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS). Windsor Spring, an affordable housing complex in Northwest Raleigh, offers 39 apartments for qualifying low-income adults age 55 and over. These residents struggle with food scarcity and rely on IFFS for help. The Shuttle is able to deliver only 1 bag of food per month to each of the 39 units because of lack of volunteers. The need is for a second delivery during the month, so each family unit has adequate food for their meals.

Nativity’s Outreach Team has taken on this challenge and is asking COTN parishioners to be a part of this effort. We need 6-8 people on the 3^rd Saturday morning each month to meet at the IFFS warehouse and bag-up 39 bags of groceries. The staff from the Shuttle will be there to provide the food and guide volunteers; the process should take about an hour. When the bags are completed, we will deliver the groceries to the apartments that same morning.

If you choose to help, you can participate based on your schedule – maybe once a year, twice a year, or every month! Maybe a group at Nativity would like to work together one Saturday. We will have a volunteer signup link on our church website shortly.  If you are interested, please contact Lillis Ward at 336-529-3133 or Email Lilis Ward.

Blog written and submitted by Lillis Ward

Leesville Elementary School was the recipient this school year of a grant from the YMCA that provided after-school tutoring for a number of students who needed extra academic encouragement. These students have received special learning opportunities as well as an after-school snack and transportation home after the tutoring session is over. The goal has been to help these students reach their potential in the classroom.

In addition to the tutoring, the YMCA is going to provide these same students and their siblings with the opportunity to attend a seven-week YMCA camp this upcoming summer at a cost of $35 per student for the summer. The school put out a plea for help to raise this camp money and Church of the Nativity’s own Chatty Yarns Group heard about the request and responded. They donated $800, their proceeds from the “Day of Giving” event last December, to Leesville Elementary School for this camp. That donation provided 23 students with camp tuition.

When I delivered this generous check to the school principal, Mr. Cohen, he told me that because of the amount of the money Chatty Yarns donated, the school will now be able to send additional children to the camp. He described these children as NEVER having been to a camp and really having no idea what they have to look forward to. Each child will receive a morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and transportation to and from the camp. The day will be filled with planned productive activities that will enrich these children’s lives for 7 weeks. Parents will know that their children are safe and being well cared for. If not for the camp, many of these children would be hungry, unchaperoned, and left to their own devices for the day and summer.

Many churches were contacted seeking donations toward this effort, but at the time Nativity’s check was delivered, we were the only church to respond. In addition to Chatty Yarns’ generous check, the Outreach Committee contributed money from their budget, which is funded by your pledges. Please know that your financial contribution to Nativity is at work in these young people’s lives. Thank you for your generosity.

Written and submitted by Lillis Ward