Thanksgiving Needs

The last month has held several bits of news and excitement, some personal and some for our community, but too many to get to in one post.  The most pertinent item is Thanksgiving!

From the beginning, we have been working together with local churches to provide meals for the families enrolled in Bear Necessities.  Grace River Church is new to the area but they have set themselves to serve the community from the beginning.  Over the summer they held outdoor (and indoor in the rain) movies with popcorn, cotton candy and many other fun activities for anyone who wanted to come.  If there's been a community event, they've had a table set up to greet people and offer a church family to them.  I've had the privilege of speaking with the pastor, Chris Highfill, and his sweet wife, Sarah, and they strike me as incredibly genuine and kind.  I believe that Grace River will be a great asset to this community… and they already are!

Grace River has a team of people who are working to provide Thanksgiving meals to our Bear Necessities families.  They are still receiving donations and welcome our already established Bear Necessities community to participate with them.  I explained to Chris that the Lord has brought together people with a heart for sharing Jesus through sharing food with local children and we're both excited about this partnership opportunity.

You don't have to attend Grace River to help but if you're looking for a church to try, they are currently meeting at John Weldon the second Sundays of the month at 10 a.m. but will begin meeting EVERY Sunday January 11, 2015.

If you've already got a church home but feel connected to the kids at John Weldon and Bear Necessities, this Thanksgiving thing is for you too!  Just because many of us go to different buildings on Sunday mornings to worship does not mean that we are not a part of the same church family.  The church belongs to Jesus and so, we're all one family through him!

I just love when we get the opportunity to be with family!


UPDATE: 11/15- VOLUNTEER POSITIONS HAVE BEEN FILLED.  tHANK YOU!

Packing will take place NEXT SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 AT 9 A.M. in the JW CAFETERIA.

You can contact me or Chris to help out:  dorinda_peyton@yahoo.com or Chris@graceriver.cc

A short week before Halloween...

This week Bear Necessities needs the following:

12 individual boxes of cereal
13 tuna
27 ritz cracker sleeves
4 easy mac envelopes
28 cans of corn

Since there is no school on Friday, the deadline for this week is no later than Wednesday morning.  Thank you to everyone who helps and prays!

Needs for THIS WEEK

This week Bear Necessities needs 

15 cans of tuna
21 cans of corn

We need everything for set up on Wednesday.  Thanks!

Back in the swing of things...

Hi Everyone!

This week we will be back in the swing of things at both schools.  We have served kids at John Weldon the last two weeks and are scheduled to begin at the middle school on Friday. 

As I've gone through the pantry, I wanted to share some important information.  There are just a few items that we are low on and some that we have a HUGE surplus of, which we don't want because we don't want food to expire before we can get it to the kids.  For this reason, if you're out purchasing for Bear Necessities, please only get the following items at this time:

beefaroni
ravioli
spaghetti o's
tuna
cake mix
icing

At this moment, we do not have needs in other areas but have little or none of these items.  When other items run out, I will be sure to let everyone know. 

This ministry is such a blessing for struggling families and it would not happen without each of you listening to the call from the Lord to take care of the kids he loves!

New School Year 2014-2015!

While we do not know yet how many students we will be serving, we do know that we will still serving in John Weldon and FHMS this month. There are a few things that we are just flat out of if you're out and about and want to pick some things up:

ravioli
beefaroni
corn
green beans
easy mac

We exhausted all of those over this summer but were able to serve those who needed it most each and every week! Now that the school year is upon us, we will surely increase our numbers from the summer and cannot do it without you!

This week's Needs

First I want to thank everyone who helped so much when I needed to leave so unexpectedly.  My stepmom has been fighting cancer for over four years and after several strokes and a heart attack, I just had to fly out to be with her and and my two sisters for a while.  She is still fighting the battle but it is definitely a tough one.  God has granted us many miracles over these four years as the doctors have told us over and over against that she just had a short time to live and yet, she got to see my youngest sister get married last year and hold her grandkids some more.  Only God knows the number of our days but we are grateful for every day he gives us.

Beth, Julie, Joan, Angie and my darling husband-  Thank you so much!

There are just a few weeks left in school and this week we only need a few things each week.  Here is the list for this week:

30 cans of tuna
25 sleeves of Ritz crackers
15 Easy Mac envelopes
30 apples

If you are able to help, it is always appreciated!

Needs and Unexpected Needs

I am leaving town today unexpectedly for a family emergency.  Everything is taken care of for this week but I will need someone to deliver the bags next Friday in case I am not back or have just returned.  If you can do that, please text me 314-540-4718.  Be sure to tell me who you are in the text in case my phone has deleted some of my contacts.  :)

The following is needed for next week:

10 cans of chili
45 cans beefaroni
45 apples

There is no longer a tub on the front porch as the last one broke and I have not gotten a replacement yet.  Please feel free to set items on the porch and my family will bring them in to the basement pantry.

I am thankful that at times of unexpected emergency, there is always the confidence that God will take care of the details.  We are His and so is Bear Necessities.  What a privilege it is to serve a loving Lord!