We have concluded our backpack ministry for the current school term and want to thank all of our volunteers who volunteered their time every week to pack the backpacks. We will be resuming in the fall when school resumes. We are asking for donations of jars of peanut butter for the month of June. Donations can be left on the rear counter in the church kitchen once we reopen. Thank you again for your prayers and support.
March was a month full of surprises. Everyone was carrying on with their everyday lives then BAM! Coronavirus Pandemic. That changed everything. Suddenly we were faced with self-quarantine advice, grocery and TP hoarding and fear of any cough or sneeze by a stranger.
We were prepared to pack food for our Backpack Kids for March 20th and during the entire school closure. We were told by the Board of Education that they did not want us to send food the first week. At this time we have no idea when we can resume sending backpacks. Since Helping Hands is closed Doc suggested we make up a few bags of food for anyone who came to the church wanting food for their children. We prepared 10 bags packed with some canned food, mac & cheese, etc. If needed they are ready.
Please pray for our Backpack Kids during this time. We trust they will have adequate food to keep them happy and healthy. Thanks to everyone who has contributed time, food, money or prayers for this ministry. May God bless you.
For the month of April please donate Instant Oatmeal Packets. Your donation can be dropped off at the church or you can bring it when we resume services.
March is here already which means there are only three more months of school. We all have been fortunate that this winter has been mild with very little snow. Our Backpack Kids have been able to have breakfast and lunch at school every day before going home. We know they have been fed two meals even if there is not a supper meal for them at home. Our backpacks provide plenty of food for the weekends.
Our Backpack Ministry has been very blessed to always have “enough” money to purchase food for our children. The first few years of this ministry we did not have an abundance of money but we always had “enough.” This year we have been so blessed with contributions from our congregation and from sources outside Beckley First Baptist.
When Joyce Mills started this ministry about seven years ago we knew God would always provide “enough” for us to operate. How right we were! Thank God for blessing this ministry.
Thanks to everyone who has donated food, cash or prayed for our children. We appreciate you so much. God bless you! Please continue to pray for our Backpack Kids. For the month of March please donate peanut butter. Donations can be left on the back counter in the kitchen.
With winters’ cold, windy, snowy weather a body needs food to stay healthy. Our 22 Backpack Kids are receiving food for their weekends away from school. They receive food like cereal, milk, soup, canned meat, canned vegetables, peanut butter, a loaf of bread, fruit cups, pudding cups and, of course, a bag of snacks. We pray that these children will feel healthy and warm this winter with the help of our Backpack Ministry.
Thanks to each one of you who has donated your time volunteering, donated food or money for this mission. Thank you also for your prayers. May God Bless You! Please continue to pray for our Backpack Kids and their families.
For the month of February, please bring packages of fruit cup. Donations can be left on the back counter in the kitchen.
Christmas shopping is complete and gifts have been delivered to our 20 Backpack Kids. We hope that each child enjoyed the toys and clothing that were purchased for them. Many thanks to every volunteer that shopped and wrapped each gift. Our Backpack program could not function without our dedicated volunteers.
As you all know we lost our precious Joyce Mills on December 20th. Joyce started the Backpack Ministry at Beckley First Baptist about seven years ago. She inspired members of our church to volunteer time to shop for food, pack backpacks and deliver the backpacks to needy children at Beckley Elementary School. We will miss her serving spirit in our church and we will carry on her mission. Our loss is heavens gain.
Thanks to each of you that have given time, money or donated food to our Backpack Ministry. May God bless you!
For the month of January please bring Vienna Sausages.
Christmas is just a few weeks away and there is shopping to be done! We will be purchasing Christmas gifts for our Backpack Kids again this year.
Each year we receive a wish list for every child. This list shows us the first name of the child, age, grade and gender. Each child’s wish list is different. Usually they request some clothing items and show the sizes they need. Always there are toys and games of some sort that they want. Of course we can’t purchase everything they request but if you shop around you can find bargains. It is really a lot of fun to do!
After we make our purchases we wrap each one and add name tags. We then put each child’s gifts in a large garbage bag with the child’s wish list attached. All the gifts are brought back to the church.
We deliver all the gifts to Beckley Elementary. Just before Christmas break the parents or guardians of each child will pick the gifts up to take home.
If you would like to shop for one or more of our Backpack Kids please let me know. You will be given a child’s wish list and an envelope with the money to do your shopping. We will have $100.00 to spend for each child due to a very generous donation by an anonymous benefactor. Thank God for this wonderful and kind person. May God bless them!
Thanks to everyone who has donated food, money or prayers for our Backpack Kids. We so appreciate everything you do.
For the month of December please bring cans of beans and franks.
Our Backpack Ministry has been very blessed to receive an anonymous donation of over $1,000 to be used to purchase food as well as Christmas gifts for each of our Backpack Kids. Thank God for the giving spirit of our donor. May God bless you!
We continue to pack two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, a bag of snacks as well as a fresh loaf of bread every week for every Backpack Kid. Thanks to everyone who has brought food, given money or has prayed for these children. Please continue to be in prayer for our Backpack Ministry.
For the month of November please bring hot cocoa mix packets.
by Helen Greene
Backpacking is going full speed ahead! Every Wednesday morning we are packing food for our “Backpack Kids” at Beckley Elementary School.
Thanks to each one of you who brings food, gives money or prays for our kids and this ministry.
For the month of October please bring small cans of chicken noodle soup for our kids.
Well it is back to school for our Backpack Kids. We have already started packing food for them to take home every weekend. As you may know, we pack two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, a loaf of bread and a bag of snacks for every child.
Please be in prayer for these children and for our Backpack Ministry. Thanks to everyone who prays for this ministry. Also, thanks to everyone who donates food or money. May God bless you!
For the month of September please bring small cans of tomato or chicken noodle soup.
by Helen Greene
Shopping, shopping and more shopping. That is what we are doing during the summer months to replenish our backpack pantry. Lots of canned meat, veggies and fruit are needed to fill the backpacks of our Backpack Kids.
We will need lots of volunteers to help with this project. If you are interested in helping please see me and I am sure I can find you a job! Thanks to everyone who has given food, money or prayers for this ministry. May God bless you!
For the summer months please continue to bring applesauce cups for our kids.