Hearts and Hands in Service
Putting our faith into action
Our Impact: The results of the many projects and programs completed this year.
Walk for WASH
On October 20, 2024, Calvary’s Youth held the annual J. Ray Frank Memorial Walk to raise funds for the church’s mission and outreach activities. This year the walk supported the UMC Global Mission’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program. Sixteen walkers and three volunteers helped to raise $2,410 to support WASH. These funds will help the program provide clean and accessible drinking water, sanitation improvements, and hygiene programs in less developed countries around the world. Thank you to all who contributed to making this walk a success!
Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP)
On Saturday, October 26, seven Calvary UMC members helped wrap 50 collection boxes in preparation for SHIP’s “Home for the Holidays” campaign. Keep an eye out for more details to come as Calvary will once again participate in collecting hygiene and personal care products to support the growing number of homeless students in Frederick County. Contact Beth Stitely autumn.purple@hotmail.com for more information.
Rise Against Hunger
On October 13, members of Calvary UMC completed a fifth meal packaging event with Rise Against Hunger. In just a few hours we managed to package meals that would feed over 10,000 people. Rise Against Hunger is a non-profit organization that works in countries around the world to alleviate hunger, targeting communities facing high rates of food insecurity. We at Calvary UMC are just one of many churches and organizations that packaged the shelf-stable meals that can be shipped wherever there is a need. Rise Against Hunger also provides school feeding programs to support nutrition, education and health for children and families facing hunger and work with local leaders to implement sustainable agriculture and income-generating projects that support long-term solutions to food security.
City of Frederick Food Bank
Calvary UMC members contribute food on a continuing basis to support households in the greater Frederick area. The food wheelbarrow where people can drop off food items is in the Bentz Street hallway, just outside the Parish Hall. Items left in the wheelbarrow are taken to the Food Bank Program location at 14 E All Saints St. that provides a three to five-day supply of food to individuals and families that are facing economic hardship and cannot afford to buy a sufficient amount of groceries. The Foodbank serves between 600 to 800 households each month ranging from very low-income families to moderate-income families that need food assistance. Julie and Roy Schwarzenberg coordinate this work.
Blood Drive, The American Red Cross
Calvary UMC hosts five blood drives each year. So far in 2024 we have successfully collected 193 units. Each unit of blood helps up to three people. Calvary provides the space for the blood drive, many donors and several volunteers at each drive to greet, register and assist with the donation process. Our next drives will be: December 4, 2024, February 5 and May 7.
The 2024 Backpacking Packing Event
Calvary’s Youth hosted the fall Blessings in a Backpack packing event on Sunday, September 15, 2024. This event afforded the congregation the opportunity to serve children in need in the Frederick community. 525 bags of food were packed for children to take home from school so they have food to eat over the weekend. A big thanks goes out to the many volunteers! We look forward to our next Blessings in a Backpack event this spring.