The Chard Wray Memorial
Food Pantry
The
Chard Wray Memorial Food Pantry was established in 1989 as an outreach
program of St. Stephen's. Today the Food Pantry is called upon to
feed hundreds of people each year – in fact, our records from January of 2004
through April 2007 indicate that 1706 families totaling 4,555 people received
food.
Although an outreach of our parish, the Pantry is heavily
supported by other churches: Sacred
Heart Catholic Church, First United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church,
Hardwick Christian Church, Hope Lutheran Church, Bethel Baptist Church,
Evergreen Baptist Church, and Hopewell United Methodist Church. Countless
individuals and many civic clubs and organizations participate in its
support. The Beta Clubs of both middle schools and Baldwin High School are
staunch supporters, as well as the Honor Society at John Milledge
Academy. The pantry is also a recipient
of the Boy Scouts "Scouting For Food" each spring. Various clubs & organizations at
GC&SU and GMC support the pantry periodically. American Legion Post # 6 faithfully supports the pantry
monthly. EMS of Oconee Regional Medical Center has sponsored food drives
which benefits the pantry. The
employees and management of Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. have been the
major supporter of the pantry for the past several year. During the Christmas season their
tremendous generosity in the “Holiday Giving Drive” actually sustains the
pantry for most of the year.
Recipients
of food may come every sixty days, and are screened and referred to the food
pantry by Baldwin County Department of Family & Children Services. Referrals are also made by the Oconee
Center, the Salvation Army, the school systems and area churches.
A dedicated
volunteer group of more than 40 individuals from St. Stephen's, First United
Methodist, Sacred Heart Catholic, Toombsboro Christian and Hardwick Christian
churches, along with volunteers with no church affiliation staff the Food
Pantry. Another 9 volunteers purchase and deliver food to the pantry,
and stock the shelves. The Food Pantry is open Tuesday through Friday
from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (noon).
Habitat for Humanity
Members of St. Stephen's participate in a
work day several times a year on a Habitat for Humanity house in
Milledgeville. For more information about our local Habitat organization, visit their web site.
Meals On Wheels
St. Stephen's day of the week to deliver
meals is Tuesday. We deliver meals every Tuesday of each month.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Maidana Nunn at 478-452-0147.
Scouting
St. Stephen's sponsors two Boy Scouts of
America groups. Cub Scout Pack 316 is for boys from 1st through 5th
grades. Boy Scout Troop 316 is for boys age 11 through 18. Both
groups engage in traditional scouting events and activities. They also
participate in the Scouting for Food program each spring, which benefits the
Chard Wray Memory Food Pantry.
In 2006, St. Stephen’s opened our doors to a
Brownie troop which meets twice a month.
Young Life Ministries
"Radically Loving Christ and kids, and
bringing them together."
Young Life meets on Thursday nights from 7:59
until 9:01. St. Stephen's fully supports Young Life and the work they do with
the youth in the community. We encourage you to go to a meeting and see what
the hype is all about!
Regional/Global Outreach
2000 - Funded the building of an Anglican Church
in Allentown, Sierra Leone
2001 - New York City Emergency Relief following September 11
2002 - Jerusalem 2000 and Habitat Jordan
2003 - Habitat International
2004 - Diocese of Dar Es Salaam |
