Animal Angels Cat & Dog Food Bank

Again, we want to thank everyone for helping feed needy animals! The number of homeless who have animals seems to be increasing. We missed worship October 16th because we chose to meet a homeless group and take them pet food, water and other supplies during that time. One lady today tells us she uses her food stamps for tuna for her cat. We never want her to have to do that again. There are teens, middle aged and elderly in Kent who have no homes and many have pets to feed, they send sincere thanks to KUMC members and friends for all you do for them. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. Thanks again for your generous donations.

Animal Angels Cat & Dog Food Bank delivers free cat food, litter and dog food to pet owners who are having trouble making ends meet. Audrey Torrey and her husband, Mark, members of our church family, started this charity late in 2009, and in June 2010 they received their federal 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a non-profit organization.  They operate the food bank alone, always trying to work with people and meet their schedule. 

Animal Angels Cat and Dog Food Bank is looking for dry or canned cat and dog food, and kitty litter. The Social Outreach Committee will have a container in the narthex for donations as well.

 
For more information on Animal Angels Cat & Food Bank; Call Audrey and Mark. All donations are Tax deductible as allowed by law. Please help.

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Lunch in the Park

We drive into the park behind the Kent Library at noon, after getting the food ready to serve at church, and then loading it and a few tables in our vehicles. We park our cars where many people are lined up waiting for the serving to begin. Some of the waiting men help us unload our vehicles, and help set up the tables, and we begin bringing out sandwiches, snacks, cookies, fruit, hot soup, hot chili, hot dogs and coffee, water, and juice packs.

In 5 minutes or so, everything is ready and we are ready to begin another Lunch in the Park. Everyone is greeted warmly and given a plastic bag to put everything portable in and then they take the hot dishes and beverages. At the end of the line, they stop for toiletries, and socks or hats/gloves-whatever we’re giving away today.  Some of us help them carry their food to a spot on the few benches or the rocks. Everyone is so grateful and we hear many Thank-yous and God Bless Yous.
We’re beginning to learn their names and their stories as we joke and talk with them. Most of them sleep outside or in their cars. Can you imagine sleeping outside on these cold nights?

We are always tired after Lunch in the Park, but never as tired as the 50 – 70 homeless people we serve each time.

We are SO grateful for all the people who help us-2 teams of some 18 people each. They are steady in their support and we rarely have to buy any of our food. We also get packs of white socks donated in our wicker basket. We are thankful for the donations, large and small, from individuals and the UMM, UMW, and 2 Golf Tournament teams. We use the money to buy more socks, gloves, and hats. On Friday, Dec. 23rd, everyone will get hand warmers and toe warmers and Christmas cookies.

If you would like to contribute food and/or serve lunch every other Friday, please email the church office at general@kentmethodist.com.

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Holiday Drop-In Center

Holiday Day Centers

The Homeless Advocacy Committee will sponsors Holiday Day Centers for the men of H.O.M.E. and A.R.I.S.E. (parallel program in Renton) on holidays when public buildings like the Kent Library are closed. They will be served soup and sides, and provide conversation, movies, and games.

If you would like to help with the Day Center-either to provide food or your companionship, please contact the church office at general@kentmethodist.com.

If you would like to join the Homeless Advocacy Team, please email please email the church office at general@kentmethodist.com or come to our next meeting on January 8 at noon in Rm 18-19.

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Homeless Advocacy Team

1. We participate in the HOME shelter program, housing men in our Fellowship Hall the month of November.
   
   
2. We sponsor a Day of Caring for HOME the Saturday before Thanksgiving and provide a hearty meal, free haircuts, a movie, clothing depot, and new underwear and/or socks.
   
   
3. We have recently begun a Homeless Advocacy Committee and are focusing on the establishment of a drop in center in Kent for the homeless. We are partnering in this endeavor with social agencies and other church congregations. (Click here to find out more about this exciting project).
   
   
4. We have an established program, Shared Bread, which has been in existence for over 20 years, that extends emergency funds to help with water, rent, and energy bills. Clients call for an appointment on Monday morning and come in on Wednesday afternoon. The funds are distributed to the appropriate agency or landlord. We see 8 clients a week and the minimum amount we give is $50. Last year we gave over $33,000.
   
   
5. We participate in St. Stephen the Martyr’s transitional housing program by sponsoring a family. We provide necessities at various times of the year and give gift cards on holidays.
   
   
6. We hold 1-2 work parties every year to help Way Back Inn refurbish homes for homeless families.
   
   
7. We held a Companionship Training workshop at our church on Oct. 22nd, led by Rev. Craig Rennebohm. Companionship Training fosters connections between church congregations and people who have mental health challenges.
   
   
8. We support the Kent Food Bank and Northwest Harvest by collecting food and volunteering at their events. We hosted 8 tables at the Kent Food Bank breakfast in October and KUMC was a depot for sorting food that was collected during the recent Letter Carriers’ Food Drive.
   
   
9. We are currently planning potluck lunches with speakers who will educate and inform about the homeless situation in our community.

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Kent Homeless Day Center

One of the things we hear over and over when we talk with the men of H.O.M.E. or the people we serve at Lunch in the Park, is how wonderful it would be to have a day center in Kent. There are very few places to go during the day, even if you have shelter at night. Most end up riding the bus (if they have money) or hanging out at the Kent Library. You’ve probably seen them there. Many times they are asked to leave, and end up walking the streets or congregating in a place where they are not welcome.

The South King County Homeless Advocacy Group is trying to change that. We are a group made up of people in various churches in Kent (several from KUMC) and people who work for social service agencies. Our goal is to have a day center in Kent for the homeless, a place where they could be out of the weather, wash their clothes, take a shower, have a meal, look for a job, and make a connection to resources and services to get treatment and housing.

We submitted a proposal for the Kent Resource Center building last June, but, although our proposal was ranked #1, we were turned down due to lack of committed funding. Since then we have had conversations with funders and possible supporters, formed a board, and we are ready to raise funds.

We’ll need lots of help if we’re to make this day center a reality: many volunteers for the day center and substantial funding. Pastor Jon has given his support and wants KUMC to take a leading role.

What can you do? Talk to others in our Kent Community and let them know that we need a day center and are working towards establishing one. Pray for us as we continue to work with the City of Kent and supporting agencies. Join us at our next meeting on Dec. 29th at noon in Rms 18-19. Be ready to contribute. Think about your blessings and our neighbors who are hungry, cold, and homeless. What would Jesus do?

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Communion Sunday Food Drives

A receptacle in the narthex is ready for your donations of:

• Pop-top canned soups, stews, fruit & vegetables, etc.
• Snack items like crackers, boxed juice, & dried fruits
• Staples for cooking and baking
• Paper products, soap, toiletries & personal hygiene items
• Pet food and supplies
• Clothes for the clothing bank

If you have questions or need suggestions, contact the church office at general@kentmethodist.com.

Remember…..on COMMUNION Sunday, think COMMUNITY!!

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Northwest Harvest

Every Wednesday we are signed up to sort and repackage food during the 1:00pm to 3:00pm shift at the Northwest Harvest facility in
Kent—22220 68th Ave S. Kent WA 98032-1915.

Please contact the church office at general@kentmethodist by noon on Monday if you are planning on going so we can give them a head count.

To find out more about Northwest Harvest, go to their website by clicking here

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CROP Hunger Walk

Kent CROP Hunger Walk Update

This year we had 38 people who walked on our KUMC team. It was nice to have Pastor Jon join us. We had 4 families, who walked with a total of 12 children; the youngest only 2. It was really nice to see so many families walking this year.

Donations are still coming in, but at last count our KUMC team raised $4,904. This is about $900 more than our team raised last year. Unfortunately, the total amount raised for the CROP Hunger Walk was about $13,200, which is down over $5,000 from last year. However, we should be very proud of our team and congregation because, out of six participating churches this year, our KUMC team raised the most. Thank you to KUMC’s walking team, and to all of you in our congregation who “stepped up” in this down economy and generously donated to the walk. The money we raised will assist people in need right here in our Kent community, and around the world.

Kudos to the 3 people who raised over $500 this year. They each received a $25 gift card to Applebee’s from Pastor Jon and his wife Karen. Thanks Jon and Karen for offering that incentive.

Click here to go to the KUMC CROP Walk donation page

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Relay for Life

Relay for Life gives all of us a chance to participate in the fight against cancer by walking 1 hour or more in the relay and soliciting donations to support the American Cancer Society. This is our opportunity to give a little of our time and energy to help our family and friends who are using alltheir energy to conquer the cancer that has invaded their lives.

Please help us make a difference! Please commit to fight cancer.

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