St. Christopher’s Community Church

We were heartened recently to receive information from Lindy Vincent, Outreach Coordinator for the St. Christopher’s Satellite Food Program, regarding work to address need right here in the Steamboat area. “The year of 2011 was very busy and we found many families moving away, finding part-time jobs and more families taking their place in our outreach program,” Lindy writes.

“What started as a Food Bank Satellite program in 2007 has slowly expanded and evolved into much more than just food for our Steamboat Island community. As our church family, as well as others from the Griffin Neighborhood Association, heard about the needs of their neighbors on the Steamboat peninsula, they have generously opened up their hearts and their donations – and amazingly always at the times that needed that particular assistance – household items, cash donations or clothes.”

Residents can be forgiven for imagining St. Christopher’s Food Bank Satellite program is just about food. It is so much more.

The program distributes 3 to 5 gas cards a month of $40 each to people who are going to doctor’s appointments, hospital or job interviews. Lindy carefully monitors these and sometimes even meets her clients at the Island Market’s Chevron station to assure that the gas cards are being used appropriately.

Emergency power assistance has been provided in the form of aid to pay electric bills. Lindy’s program has even been able to obtain emergency supplies of firewood.

Grocery Outlet gift cards for items that aren’t covered by food stamps such as paper products, laundry soap, etc.

Household items including housewares, furniture, clothing, and even donated washer and drier sets.

“A clothes give-away tradition started by [Griffin Fire District Commissioner Meredith Hutchins] last year is being continued this month. Many bags of very nice clothes have been left at my food bank closet during the month of December.”

The Steamboat Animal Hospital has made donations to assist families to care for their pets. “A big round of applause to Steamboat Vet Hospital and to those companies that have assisted our community that we don’t even know about!”

Rental assistance to avoid eviction and scholarships to Camp Michael are among the services provided to local residents in 2011.

Lindy’s program provides important referral services to local assistance. Energy assistance agencies, referrals to the Housing Authority, help in dealing with the Social Security Administration – even driving residents to local offices to apply for assistance – are within the scope of activities.

In December, the St. Christopher’s congregation purchased and wrapped a record 81 gifts for 20 children and 7 adults.

Food remains an important need. 1,344 individuals were assisted with food in 2011. The program services about 26 adults and 30 children twice monthly. “The families change but the number seems to stay consistent.”

It is very gratifying to learn of the scope of the activities of the St. Christopher’s Satellite Food Program. If you can make a donation to assist families in need in the Steamboat Island area, please call the St. Christopher Church at 866-2111 to leave a message for Lindy Vincent.

The annual St. Christopher’s Community Church Blueberry Bash is Sunday, August 21, from 12 noon to 4 PM.

St. Christopher’s Community Church Blueberry Bash
Sunday, August 21
12 noon to 4 PM
7902 Steamboat Island Road NW, Olympia, WA 98502

This year’s free musical entertainment will be provided by The Straw Hat String Band.

The Straw Hat String Band

This year there will be a silent auction, bingo tent and a raffle for 4 Diamond Club Mariner’s tickets. Those tickets include free parking, a gourmet dinner, seat-side food service during the game, and seats only 6 rows behind home plate! Raffle tickets will be $2.00 each.

This year the Bash is bigger than ever. They will have a bounce house for the kids, an expanded carnival games section and a Circus Acts area where people can try out a unicycle, walk a slack line/tight rope and more.

For food, St. Christopher’s will be offering polish sausage, hotdogs, corn-on-the-cob, fresh fruits and vegetables, chips, nachos, homemade pies (blueberry and other fruit pies depending on what type of fruit they can get!), homemade blueberry and chocolate shakes, pop, water, sno-cones and popcorn.

St. Christopher’s will also be recycling/composting all of the days waste.

Come and enjoy an annual family tradition on the peninsula: the Blueberry Bash!
 
 

Lindy Vincent, at St. Christopher’s Community Church, has been helping 14 families right here on our peninsula and Lindy could use regular help. She picks-up and delivers food from the Thurston County Food Bank, and also helps families with other necessities like gas to get to work or a job interview, clothing, furniture, moving them to new housing and so much more. She if often using her own funds to pay for these items – without reimbursement!

If you can help, especially on a regular basis, please give Lindy a call at 866- 6781.

Please also remember that our food bank families are supplemented with additional food and other donations made by your friends and neighbors right here in the Griffin area. Families can especially use items like toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap and dish soap. Call St. Christopher’s at 866-2111 or drop your donations of non-perishable food and toiletries to the Griffin Fire Department’s main station.

Thank you for your generosity!

Area residents may be surprised to find out that St. Christopher’s Community Church provides a satellite for the Thurston County Food Bank. Presently, St. Christopher’s is supporting 14 local families. These are families in need, right here in our neighborhood.

The coordinator for St. Christopher’s efforts, Lindy Vincent, picks-up and delivers food from the Food Bank and also helps families with other necessities. This includes providing vouchers to purchase gas, so family members can get to work or to a job interview. St. Christopher’s provides assistance with clothing, furniture, moving families to new housing, and much more.

Summer is when donations are down and kids are home all day with no access to free or reduced-cost school lunches. Food donations are particularly welcome, right now.

Donations may be conveniently dropped at the main station of the Griffin Fire Department at 3707 Steamboat Loop NW.

Home gardeners with plentiful crops, please consider donating your excess to our local families. Fresh produce delivered directly to St. Christopher’s on Wednesdays, in particular, can be distributed to families on Thursdays. Please contact Lindy Vincent directly, at 866-6781, if you have fresh vegetables or other perishables to donate.

Local families in need can always use toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap, shampoo, bar soap and dish soap too!

Coats, particularly as cold weather approaches, are welcome.

Donations of cash are used for gasoline and other purchases.

Right now, Lindy is looking for pots and pans, for a family receiving services.

If you can help, especially on a regular basis, please give Lindy a call at 866-6781.