SANDWICHES TO GO
Sandwiches for the Homeless Action Committee will now be made on Thursday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. Please call Mary Scott at 439-6061 if you can help. Also needed are extra blankets for the homeless. Call Mary about blankets or leave them in the Committee Workroom (labeled for Mary Scott).

BLC WOMEN REACH OUT TO THE HOMELESS
More than a year ago, a group of BLC women began gathering once a week to make sandwiches for the HAC [Homeless Action Committee} Van. The van travels around Albany 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 2:00 pm until 10:00 pm. The Van is staffed by a driver and a volunteer. Their job is to assist the police by transporting men and women, usually intoxicated, to the Alcohol Rehab Center at Albany Med, to a local hospital, or to The SRO – a Single Resident Occupancy Center.

Sandwiches and clothing are distributed from the van; old fashioned conversation and kindness are also a significant part of the evening’s activity. People living on the street are very thankful for the food and clothing. I am very thankful for the commitment and interest of our BLC ladies: Chris Abelseth, Virginia Mead, Dolores Jerabek, Dee Ertell, Marie Millspaugh, Sue Haswell, Dale Broman, Ruth Navratil, Jessica McMullan, Margaret Cropsey, Phyllis Chambers, and CecileMulhern.

When you drop a stone into a pond, the ripples touch many beyond our reach. The sandwich ministry makes a big difference to the Albany community of homeless people. God bless you and thank you for your support.
Mary Perrin Scott

(If you would like to join our group, call Mary at 439-6061)

CLOTHING FOR THE HOMELESS
If you have T-shirts, undershirts, or socks, the HAC [Homeless Action Committee] Van is in need of clothing to hand out on the streets. This summer has been particularly difficult for the homeless because of the rain. They are always in need of dry clothing. If you would like to buy and donate packages of underwear: men’s briefs 32 – 34 and large T-shirts would be great. As we get into late summer, long sleeved shirts are always welcome. Please leave them in the Committee Work Room, labeled with a sign for Mary Scott or HAC.

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS
We are requesting toilet paper, paper towels and paper napkins for this month. September will be peanut butter & jelly, juice boxes, and spaghetti sauce. Thank you for your continued support of the Food Pantry.

ORPHAN GRAIN TRAIN NEWS
Thank you to those volunteers who sorted and packed clothing during the month of July: Don Ballou, June Boluch, Bev Bozzella, Dee Ertell, Doris Gold, Jane Hartnett, Rob Hartnett, Sue Haswell, Barbara Mabee and Gretchen Willi. We had an extraordinary amount of clothing to process, sending 62 large, sealed boxes to the warehouse for shipment along with bicycles and medical equipment. Clothing and medical supplies are now going to Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe. A special thank you to Alan Willi for transporting boxes, bicycles and wheelchairs to the warehouse. Steve Adams, Dan Adams, Dave McMullan and Libby Mullens have continued to repair and clean many broken bicycles and wheelchairs. We appreciate their efforts.

We thank all of you who have donated so generously to Orphan Grain Train. Right now we are experiencing a problem in that we have to be out of our Albany warehouse at the end of September. We have been given the use of this warehouse for many years free of charge by the owner. As of October 1, someone will be renting that space. We have made tentative arrangements for a replacement facility, but that site has yet to be confirmed. Because of a lack of storage space, we ask that you hold all donations until further notice.

We will continue to pack the remaining clothing on hand at church on Saturday, August 14th from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. If you can help, please call Rhonda Ballou (439-3078). If you are able to help with the repair of bicycles and wheelchairs for OGT, please call Steve Adams (439-8683).

FROM YOUR BOARD OF COMMUNITY CARE

BACK PACK DRIVE
Now that 4th of July has passed, stores are starting to put school supplies on sale. Please remember our Backpack Drive for underprivileged children when you shop. There is a box in the fellowship hall to receive back packs and general school supplies. Near the end of August, the back packs will be filled and distributed. Some will go to area schools and the Unity House in Troy where there is a great need. Unity has an after school program that reaches out to homeless and inner city youth to enhance what they are learning in school. Many of them do not have basic supplies such as glue sticks, colored pencils, markers and crayons. Will you help?

WOMEN’S CLOTHING DRIVE TO BENEFIT TWIN COUNTIES
Twin Counties Rehabilitation Center in Coxsackie rehabilitates women who have abused drugs and alcohol. It houses approximately 12 residents at a time. Over a period of time the residents change as some leave and new ones come in. The Board of Community Care is hosting a clothing drive to help these women get a fresh start as they go back into the working world. We are asking for women’s clothes, shoes and handbags (in good condition) that are suitable for going to work or a job interview. Winter coats and boots are acceptable too. Marylyn Praga and her mom just delivered a small truck load to them this past week. The women were so happy to receive the clothes that they came right out and unloaded the truck themselves.