As you know, Southminster partners with Grace Jordan Elementary to stock their school pantry, providing essential food and hygiene items for students and families in need. With SNAP (food assistance) benefits expected to be frozen during a prolonged federal government shutdown, we’re preparing for a higher-than-usual demand.

Although SNAP only covers food, we’re still collecting basic hygiene items to help families stretch their limited resources further. When we supply shampoo, deodorant, or hand soap, it can free up a family’s budget for fresh produce, dairy, and other perishable items that the Grace Jordan pantry isn’t able to store.

We’re aiming to stock the shelves more fully than ever in the coming weeks. The school social worker and counselor have identified “high need items” for the coming weeks. If you’re able, please consider donating from the list below. Items can be dropped off in the Narthex/Lobby during regular hours or on worship days.

High-Need Items:
Spaghetti • Mac & Cheese • Cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios are especially popular) • Rice • Mashed Potatoes • Peanut Butter • Jelly • Cup of Noodles • Vegetable Oil • Vinegar • Flour • Sugar • Toilet Paper • Deodorant • Shampoo & Conditioner • Hand Soap

Thank you for helping us care for our neighbors with both compassion and abundance.

Through Rediscovered Books’ “Read Freely Project,” Pastor TJ has been awarded 10 copies of the graphic novel Trans History: From Ancient Times to the Present Day by Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett. This engaging and accessible book offers a rich look at the history of transgender people across cultures and centuries.

Now, we need 10 members of the congregation to receive a copy of the book, read it, and pass it along to someone else in their life. The Read Freely Project aims to help stories and history that have too often been erased find their way into more hands and hearts.

Ready to participate? Contact TJ. Copies are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Grace Jordan Elementary School will open for a new school year in mid-August and in preparation for this we are once again collecting food along with monetary donations! You’re invited to grab one of the “greatest needs” shopping lists (located in the Narthex near the shopping cart) and pick up a few things for our neighbors during your next grocery shopping trip.

As an added spiritual practice, consider saying a silent prayer of gratitude for the ready availability of items on the shelves, and for the families who will receive them.