As part of the ministry of Nativity’s Outreach Team, each year we host the Week and Day of Giving to showcase most of the organizations that Church of Nativity supports. This provides opportunities for individuals to learn more about these organizations and to add their own contributions if they are so moved.
The organizations being sponsored during this Week of Giving and Day of Giving are listed below, with descriptions and a short video as well as links to make donations. Except for Nativity’s Scholarship Fund and Peggy’s Angel Tree, all checks should be made out directly to the individual organizations if payment is by check. The Scholarship Fund is a ministry of Nativity so checks should be made out to the Church of the Nativity. Peggy’s Angel Tree is collecting $50 gift cards; any checks should be made out to Peggy Wade.
When you click the Donate button, it will take you to a page to enter your name and the amount you will be donating prior to going to the organization’s donation page. This is to help us at Nativity keep track of how much we are raising through this year’s Week of Giving, December 1 through December 7.
Don’t forget to come to our Day of Giving December 8, (9:30-12:30) in Corlett Hall, to meet representatives from each of these organizations, purchase homemade items from Nativity’s Chatty Yarns, and enjoy delicious homemade baked goods.
If you have questions, please or call 919-208-0438.
May we each enter this season of Advent with our hearts open to the needs of others.
List of Ministries Represented in this year’s “Week of Giving”
Click on a ministry below to read more about that ministry and to donate to that ministry.
Abukloi
Abukloi is a secondary school in Rumbek that was a dream of one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” a war orphan, who came to this country in 2001 as a refugee. He had a dream to giving back to his home village of Rumbek, South Sudan by starting a secondary school there.
I, Carl Terry, met Angelo Maker in January 2001, at the Richmond Airport. I was involved with a ministry along with my church in Newport News, Virginia to provide support for the resettlement of these young men and boys in Newport News, VA.
In 2010 with the help, and financial support of churches in the area, a non-profit 501 c 3 organization was formed to start the Abukloi Secondary School. This changed the limited outdoor classes, that met under the trees in Rumbek, to a truly organized inside secondary school for many more boys and girls students.
The school held its first partial year classes in 2013 with 32 Students. The first full year of classes began with 92 students which has grown each year to 575 students in 2019. One of the remarkable achievements is to have at least 1/3 girls enrolled in a country where a large percentage of girls are married at age 15. It has brought the opportunity for modern secondary education, including the internet, to a village in South Sudan. In addition, it is providing startup businesses to employ graduating students with over 50 created jobs.
I wish that I had the time to describe all the achievements of this school to you, but you can go to the website www.Abukloi.org, to read about this amazing school in South Sudan. Please join me in supporting the Abukloi ministry with your donations, during this week of giving at the Church of the Nativity.
You can make a donation to Abukloi, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Episcopal Farmworker Ministry
Episcopal Farmworker Ministry responds to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families, and actively supports opportunities for them to become self-directive. We seek to minister to farmworkers in three principal ways: through direct services; through development and support of programs that work towards the empowerment of farmworkers; and by encouraging leadership development, advocacy, and education aimed toward a systemic change of agricultural policy at local and state levels.
You can make a donation to The Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)
Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) works in collaboration with church partners and other local organizations to facilitate healthier, more fulfilling lives in communities that are struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. ERD also works around the world and here in the US responding to and rebuilding after disasters.
ERD’s programs impact the lives of over 3 million people annually. ERD respects the dignity of all people and views them as our neighbors, working alongside participants regardless of religious affiliation or background.
This year’s ERD donations from Nativity’s members will go directly to hurricane disaster relief. Read press releases about ERD responding to the communities impacted by this year’s recent hurricanes.
Read more about the incredible work of ERD and transformational stories from those served by ERD.
You can make a donation to Episcopal Relief and Development, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Habitat Build
Habitat Wake partners with local corporations, individuals, congregations, and community groups to build safe, affordable homes with local families. Since 1985, Habitat Wake has partnered with more than 750 families in Wake County. Read more at https://www.habitatwake.org/our-work.
You can make a donation to Habitat Build, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Haiti Reforestation Partnership
Our story of reforestation in Haiti is a story of resilience and perseverance, as multiple Haitian communities have patiently built the soil, started seedlings, protected young plants, and built on the opportunities that 17.5 million planted trees offer. Over the last 35 years, their dedication and our ability to support them, even through difficult times like the ones we are in, has been nothing short of astounding.
Haiti Reforestation Partnership envisions a reforested Haiti. Our mission is to provide resources, education, and expertise to support reforestation work in Haiti. Reforestation stabilizes the mountainsides, provides a place for agriculture, creates sustainable futures for the communities served and reduces carbon in our atmosphere. It is truly a win for the environment, a win for sustainability, and a win for social justice.
Even in these extremely trying times, we estimate that we will plant 600,000 trees this year! We have a strong Haitian leadership team that is stepping up as travel from the US becomes more limited. We have a strong mentorship program that continues and trains young people to continue (and expand) the work. (We will begin sponsoring our second student at university this year!) And we have a dedicated Executive Director that stays in touch with those in Haiti daily. We give great thanks for all that are involved.
Not all is rosy, however. While the area that we serve is in a relatively remote mountainous area and fairly safe, they are not immune from the unrest in the towns, the lack of food and supplies, and the overall state of not knowing what happens next. We are looking to including a food bonus to the 750 CODEP employees again this year, and we know that for many in Haiti, planting these trees gives them hope for a different future. It would be an honor if you would join us in supporting them.
Read more at https://haitireforest.org/
You can make a donation to Haiti Reforestation Partnership, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle feeds our neighbors, teaches self-sufficiency, grows healthy food, and cultivates innovative approaches to end hunger. The Food Shuttle distributes over 9 million pounds of food to our neighbors, saving 7.2 million pounds of healthy food from landfills and re-routing it to people in need. This food comes from retail food donations, the Food Shuttle Farm, and volunteer food drives.
Read more at https://www.foodshuttle.org/food-distribution.
You can make a donation to Interfaith Food Shuttle, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Leesville Elementary School Pride Pack Buddies
Leesville Elementary strives to provide weekend meals and snacks for their students who have been identified as food insecure. This ministry costs $250 a week to operate. The money donated by our church members is greatly appreciated by the school volunteers who purchase canned meats, vegetables, and fruits as well as snacks, breakfast cereals, and shelf stable milk. Thank you so much for your help.
Please make your check out to LES/PTA to contribute.
Nativity/Raleigh Apex NAACP Scholarship Fund
In 2021, the Nativity/Raleigh-Apex NAACP Scholarship Fund was created by the Outreach and Social Justice committee here at Nativity. Our objective was to provide help to young people who want to go to college but need financial help to get there. We partnered with the Raleigh/Apex Chapter of the NAACP to find the best candidates for the scholarships and manage the program. During the past four years we have donated more than $30,000 in scholarship funds to more than a dozen young students.
The candidates are selected from a group of more than 50 active young volunteers to the work of the Raleigh/Apex NAACP chapter. These students excelled not just in academics but also in service projects, such as handing out masks at food distribution centers, helping people register to vote, and making sure their classmates had computers and Internet access to online classes.
Nativity’s support is now helping them attend schools such as Howard University, North Carolina AT&T in Knightdale, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Johnson C. Smith, Wake Tech in Raleigh, Central Carolina Community College in Fuquay-Varina and Methodist University in Raleigh.
Our 2025 campaign will be our 5th year of this important outreach program. Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Thank you for whatever support you can provide to help these students change the world, for themselves and for the rest of us.
You can make a donation to The Nativity/Raleigh Apex NAACP Scholarship Fund, by clicking on this DONATE button:
NC Interfaith Power & Light (NCIPL)
NC Interfaith Power & Light (NCIPL) connects the faith voice of North Carolina around climate change, encouraging mitigation of the effects of climate change and the creation of resilient communities through its programs and public policy advocacy.
We speak for what we love and take action for justice, the future of our children, and the children of all species.
Read more at https://ncipl.org/
You can make a donation to NC Interfaith Power & Light (NCIPL), by clicking on this DONATE button:
Peggy’s Angel Tree
Peggy’s Angel Tree Ministry at Nativity started two years ago as a way to support the work Peggy has been doing for many years reaching out to so many of the folks Nativity has sponsored; most are either refugees or foster children whom Peggy cared for as infants and some as DACA children.
All have in common a lack of resources and food to live a life where they are comfortable; they each are so grateful to receive this help at Christmastime. If $50 seems too high for one family to donate, please ask a neighbor or friend to share it with you and each donate $25 towards a $50 gift card.
Many of these angels are siblings so it is important to make sure all receive gift cards.
Donations to Peggy’s Angel Tree can be made by purchasing one or more $50 gift cards and bringing them to Nativity on or before the Day of Giving.
Donations can also be made as monetary donations using the normal Nativity donation options. In both cases, please select the DONATE button below:
RAFI-USA’s Farm and Faith Partnerships Project
Hurricanes Helene and Milton have caused widespread devastation for farmers throughout the Southeast U.S., leaving crops destroyed, equipment damaged, and many livelihoods in jeopardy. To support those affected, RAFI has established the Hurricane Farmer Relief Fund to provide critical, on-the-ground assistance.
Your contribution will go directly to farmers facing these climate disaster challenges, offering immediate relief funds to help them recover and rebuild. Every dollar makes a difference and serves as a lifeline for a farmer in need.
Stand with our farming communities today — donate now to help farmers get back on their feet. 100% of the funds raised will go directly to support farmers impacted by the hurricanes. Together, we can help them restore their farms and ensure the future stability of our food system.
You can make a donation to RAFI-USA’s Farm and Faith Partnerships Project, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Raleigh Episcopal Campus Ministry (Raleigh ECM)
The Episcopal Campus Ministry of Raleigh serves college students on Raleigh campuses. Read more about the work of the Episcopal Campus Ministries in our diocese at http://yeah-raleigh.org/ or at https://www.facebook.com/RaleighECM/
You can make a donation to Raleigh Episcopal Campus Ministry (Raleigh ECM), by clicking on this DONATE button:
Rise Against Hunger
From the implementation of sustainable community development projects to our meal packaging program that harnesses the passion of local volunteers, we strive to make an impact on hunger by building resilience, self-sufficiency and empowerment in communities worldwide.
While long-term food security projects take root, communities facing hunger still need to meet their basic needs today. We support safety net programs that provide nourishment as well as education, skills training or health services that support the difficult journey out of poverty. As communities continue to experience a lack of access to food, we are working to expand our efforts to consistently provide nutritious food through educational settings to over 6 million people by 2025.
Our ability to use funds and resources to respond to disasters and other urgent needs that put lives and livelihoods in danger is based on your gifts. Learn more at https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/what-drives-us/our-model/Donations
You can make a donation to Rise Against Hunger, by clicking on this DONATE button:
Western North Carolina Hurricane Relief
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene came ashore at the Florida coast as a Category 4 storm, then began traversing over land into Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina as a tropical storm, causing historical flooding. In North Carolina alone, 103 people lost their lives; 26 are still missing. The damage is estimated at $53.6 billion; 126,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and more than 1,000 bridges and culverts, at least 6,000 miles of roads, and over 160 water and sewer systems.
In coordination with The Rt. Rev. José A. McLoughlin, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, Church of the Nativity is raising funds to help in their relief efforts.
Through the generosity of many of our talented parishioners, beautifully handmade items will be for sale during the Day of Giving, Dec. 8, 9:30-12:30. All proceeds from the sale of these items will go to hurricane relief efforts led by the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina.
Below is a sneak peek at some of the many wonderful items that will be available during the Day of Giving December 8. Hope to see you there.
Donations can also be made through the link below or checks can be written to Church of the Nativity: Hurricane Relief.
You can make a donation to Western North Carolina Hurricane Relief, by clicking on this DONATE button:
US-Uganda Orphans Education Fund (UUOEF)
The US-Uganda Orphans Education Fund (UUOEF) is a global partnership between people in the United States and Uganda that aims to provide scholarships for secondary education of children in Uganda, who have been orphaned and are in financial need. Read more about this ministry at http://usugandaorphans.org/about/.
You can make a donation to The US-Uganda Orphans Education Fund (UUOEF), by clicking on this DONATE button: