Dear Friends,
As you may have heard, due to the federal government shutdown, the State of California will be delaying benefits for those enlisted in SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) also known as CalFresh in the state of California. These are the resources that our most vulnerable neighbors have been relying on to meet basic nutritional needs.
As a diocese, I know we are moved to help our churches. I will be making use of a $25,000 donation to the Bishops’ Discretionary fund to support our churches. (It’s important to note that this gift came from St. John’s, Marysville, a church long-focused on feeding the hungry in their community.)
In order to fairly distribute the funds, we need to know more about the specific needs of each church. Please tell us about the work your church does to feed your local community using this form.
At this time of need for so many, I also invite your communities to engage in new or additional ways to help feed hungry people. We know you are the experts on what is needed in your particular area. Below are some general ideas:
- Host a food drive – ask for food donations to be brought to your church each week.
- Ask folks to purchase an extra bag of groceries during their regular shopping to donate to someone in need or stock their local food pantries.
- Ask for financial donations – we will share some social media images that you can use on social channels and on your website or newsletter.
Here are some resources you may find helpful:
- Calfresh Information home page
- Link to find food bank near you
- Here is a link to a tool that will generate a flier for posting in your church
- Some social media templates that we’ve drafted to share
We welcome your creativity and look forward to supporting you in your efforts.
In Christ,
Bishop Megan Traquair
