service opportunities

Interchurch Food Pantry

Healthy volunteers are needed locally to serve at the Interchurch Food Pantry of Johnson County to pack and distribute food boxes, Monday thru Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Contact Beth Stillabower at bethstillabower@franklingrace.org or Carol Phipps at pantryjcmanager@gmail.com for more details and to sign up. The pantry could also use financial donations. Nonperishable goods are helpful, but monetary donations can actually go farther, as the pantry is able to take advantage of their tax-exempt status, as well as arrangements with food banks. Visit www.jcpantry.org/donate to make a monetary donation.

Indiana Women's Prison Supplies

Inmates at the Indiana Women’s Prison are currently make masks to be given to those on front lines of COVID-19. They could use 100% cotton fabric and bias tape to assist in their efforts.  Another need they have right now is Walmart gift cards to purchase crib mattresses for their Wee Ones nursery. Ongoing needs include diapers of all size (especially sizes N, 1, and 2), baby wipes, and baby formula. Items can be brought to the church lobby and placed in the tote marked Indiana Women’s Prison. Gift cards can be labeled “Women’s Prison”, and placed in the metal drop box in the wall to the left of the office door. Contact Beth Stillabower for more info at bethstillabower@franklingrace.org.

Better Together Initiative

A new community initiative called Better Together is now underway to help Johnson County residents stay mentally and physically healthy and stay connected with the community. Learn more about this initiative at https://sites.google.com/view/bettertogether1823/home. You are welcome to volunteer through Better Together to make food deliveries, phone calls to neighbors in Johnson County, or lead classes via Zoom. You are also welcome to register to receive any of these services. Email  bettertogether1823@gmail.com with questions.

Blessing Box Item Contributions

Persons may want to help by giving the following items to the Grace Church Blessing Box Ministry: Peanut Butter, Canned Soup (Pull-Off Tops), Canned Fruit (Pull-Off Tops, Oatmeal, Granola Bars, Beef Jerky, Canned Tuna (Pull-Off Tops). Bring items to the Lobby in the church and place them in the Blessing Box tote by the sanctuary, or contact Beth Stillabower at bethstillabower@franklingrace.org to have items picked up from your home. These items are given to families who may come to the church in need.

New Outreach Facebook Group

Stay informed about current needs and efforts through our new Grace Outreach Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/669796680438923/.

Fabric Masks

Several Grace members have been making cloth face masks. If you would like to help support their efforts, they could use 1/8" to 1/4" wide elastic, bias tape, and tightly woven 100% cotton fabric. These items can be left in the lobby at the church. To arrange for pickup from your home instead, contact Beth Stillabower at bethstillabower@franklingrace.org.

Gleaning Fields

Grace Church is looking at service projects which involve gleaning cucumbers and lettuce. The food gleaned will help to feed people at the Interchurch Food Pantry here in Franklin. Please note the following: 
 
1.     Gleaning of cucumbers on Monday, July 6th, in Edinburgh, Indiana from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up by creating a profile and then signing up for the 7/6/20 field gleaning opportunity on the calendar here: www.endhunger.org/indiana-calendar. 
 
2.     Also, if anyone wants to take cucumbers back for the Food Pantry here in Franklin, let us know. We will be bagging them in 10 pound mesh bags. Just let us know how many you would like!  
 
3.     Gleaning of lettuce in Morgantown, Indiana on Wednesdays in July. We are working on the details.
 
If you would like to help, let Beth know at
bethstillabower@franklingrace.org. This effort is through the Society of St. Andrew’s.

Care Kit Item Contributions

The church always welcomes donations of travel-sized toiletry items such as shampoo, tooth paste, soap bars, dental floss, lotion, and hand sanitizer, as well as small wash rags, band aids, and individually wrapped toothbrushes. Items are assembled into Care Kits to be given to individuals in need. Bring items to the lobby and place them in tote marked Care Kit, or contact Beth Stillabower at bethstillabower@franklingrace.org to have items picked up from your home.

Local Food Giving Option for Children

Many local children are in food-insecure situations. To assist directly in the effort to feed children, go to the website of the Johnson County Community Foundation at www.jccf.org/give or simply make a check to Grace UMC/Memo – School Meals. Either way, you can help children locally.

Local Businesses and Health Care Facilities

One way to help both local businesses and health care providers at the same time is to provide a meal from a local restaurant to a health care facility: to offer a meal specifically to those who care for others. Such a gesture can assist a staff at Morning Pointe or Homeview, for example. Contact Pastor Andy directly at andykinsey@franklingrace.org or Beth Stillabower to contribute to these efforts.