"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." - I Peter 4:10
Smiles, food, and cleaning supplies are free on the third Friday of each month at Trinity Covenant Church in Manchester, CT. That's when the church puts ministry in action through Hope 4:10 based on the above verse from I Peter.
Along with families from the 750-member Facebook group, the church now works with a public school to identify families to participate in their programs. People drive through and get free food and cleaning supplies to help stretch their budgets. About 40 volunteers work to show God's love to others by sharing smiles and building relationships. The volunteers make it a priority to get to know people by name. Darcy Johnson, Director of Hope 4:10, recounts examples of reaching out, like delivering food to a young mother with Huntington's disease. "We want people to know that we care about them," Darcy says.
Darcy read about MFB New England in the newspaper and attended an open house to learn about MFB and how to receive food for Hope 4:10. "We were able to provide over 45 more families with food this month with Midwest Food Bank's help," she says. "We are so grateful for this new partnership, in which we see the church at large working together for good.
"It is a blessing to enable Hope 4:10 to expand their services as they work to share God's love with those in need," says Jan Young, Executive Director of MFB New England.
Hope 4:10 Volunteer Leader of Missions, David Bauman, is moved by the work of MFB New England. "You have an opportunity here to showcase people of faith leaning into a need," he says.
MFB New England is blessed to be able to partner with nonprofit agencies like Hope 4:10.