Grocery Cart Chatter
A word of explanation: Because I had someone question me, in not so nice a manner, as to why and who the HOH was serving, I have revised this and will post it in order to make it perfectly clear what and why we do what we do. Blessings, Sid
April 12th, it has been 4 months since the House of Help open its doors. What’s the old saying, “you’ve come along way baby”. Yes, we have by the Grace of God, continued prayers, local Church, Community, and individual support, assistance from those I call our “Angels” and our wonderful Volunteers, have made it possible for us to serve and respond to the voices of need in our Community.
Let me give you some numbers from the HOH FOOD PANTRY. We give out what we call a “basic grocery cart”. Depending on the size of the family, extra food is added to a Basic Cart as needed. In April our Grocery Cart rolled out the doors with food 164 times. Counting ONLY what we consider a “Basic Grocery Cart” of groceries, HOH gave out 4,592 individual food items in March; 328 pounds of Rice, 164 cans of Tuna Fish, 328 pounds of Beans, 164 packages of Mac and Cheese, and 164 – 1 pound packages of Spaghetti just to name a few of the basic items. When you add to that extra grocery items we give, again depending on the size of the family, PLUS the non-food items like personal hygiene and baby products, that number increases in leaps and bounds.
The House of Help is a non-profit Outreach Community Ministry. Bear with me Angels, I need to get on my Soapbox a minute and clarify our purpose.
The HOH DOES NOT belong too nor do we serve only one Church or group of people. We are a Christian Base OUTREACH MINISTRY that strives to serve the needs of all our Community Neighbors. Hunger and Need knows no boundaries, nor does it discriminate against gender, age, nationality nor wither you are poor or rich; a crisis can take any family to its knees in a heartbeat.
We are here to serve no matter what Church you belong to or if you even go to Church. We don’t care if you are a U.S. Citizen or what country you came from; in the eyes of Our Lord we are ALL Neighbors. Is that not what we were taught; Love thy Neighbor? We are ALL Children of our Heavenly Father. He asked that we Know, Love and Serve Him in this world. Did He not say,” What you do for the least of my Brothers, you do for ME”? Neither Gender, Age, Rich or Poor, Church, Country nor a Piece of Paper changes the fact that someone is hungry and needs to be fed. This is what the House Of Help is all about.
End of Sermon!
HOH is run strictly by Volunteers from all walks of life and members of our various local Churches. We are able to serve our Neighbors that live within the Hempstead ISD boundaries only by the Grace of God and with your continuous prayers, food and monetary donations plus fundraisers.
Speaking of Fundraisers, the HOH Thrift Shop Volunteers are having a YARD SALE on Saturday, April 20th from 10 AM – 3 PM on our front lawn.
Then get ready for our ” First Annual Spring Fashion Show” Sunday, April 28, 2013, 3 PM at Faith United Church, located behind the HOH. Please join us for Fun, Fashion, and Fellowship. Proceeds from the $8.00 Donation for Tickets, which are available at the House of Help, Tina at the Hempstead Theatre, Shirley at Newcomb’s Furniture, the office at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church and Gloria at First United Methodist Church. Proceeds from Ticket Donations, and our Silent Auction will go to purchase food items for the HOH Food Pantry.
From the Heart of all those at the House of Help, thank-you. May each of you be Blessed and be a Blessing to others.
Sid Chipman
House of Help Director