Faith In Action Sandwich-Making Events

The Garden City Clergy Fellowship (GCCF) sponsors monthly Faith in Action events, where members of various faith communities gather together to make sandwiches and assemble bag lunches to feed the needy. Each lunch consists of a sandwich, cookies, a juice box, and a piece of fruit. Some 300-500 lunches are made at each event and then delivered to the Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead. Last month, volunteers met at the Presbyterian Church in Garden City and made over 500 lunches.

The public is invited to participate in any of the upcoming GCCF Sandwich-Making Events:

* Sunday, April 6, 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Garden City Jewish Center, 168 Nassau Blvd., Garden City. Call 516-248-9180 for more info.

* Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m.-12 noon at the Cathedral House of the Cathedral of the Incarnation, 50 Cathedral Avenue, Garden City. Call 516-746-2955 for more info.

* Sunday, May 18, 1-2 p.m. at the Garden City Community Church, 245 Stewart Avenue, Garden City. Call 516-746-1700 for more info.

We all have been affected by the economic turndown in some way or another. Everything costs more now. On Long Island, many go hungry because they don't have enough money for food, even though they may be working one or more jobs. In a joint study conducted in 2005 by Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, it is estimated that some 37% of people who seek help at food pantries and soup kitchens are White, 32% are African-American, and almost 23% are Latino/Hispanic.

On Monday, April 14 at 8 p.m., the Garden City Community Church will host an information meeting on the Family Promise program. The speakers will be The Rev. Dan Olson of the New Hyde Park Baptist Church and Mr. Steve Perron of the Shelter Rock Church in Manhasset. They will explain how congregations in a local community such as ours can team up to assist homeless families who are seeking to find jobs and housing on Long Island. The Family Promise program has been very successful in other communities around the country in helping families get back on their feet. Congregations are encouraged to send their outreach representatives to the April 14 informational meeting. For further information, contact the Garden City Community Church at 516-746-1700.

Let us all do what we can to help those in need. Together we can accomplish a lot and feed so many who are hungry. For more information about the Garden City Clergy Fellowship, contact GCCF President, The Rev. Debra Low-Skinner at Christ Episcopal Church, 516-775-2626.