Community Ministries Outreach for May/June

The Board of Community Ministries is excited to support The Ecumenical Outreach Partnership during May and June.  As Rev. Susan Sparks mentioned in her recent sermon, New York City has received a surge of migrants from the U.S. southern border and a large number of them have found their way right onto our doorstep.  These individuals often arrive with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and are in need of basic supplies for survival.  As a result, we will be partnering with The Ecumenical Outreach, an organization on the front line in helping these migrants out daily. Specifically, we will be running a clothing and supply drive to help provide for their needs.  If interested, they are asking for the following things:

Supplies: Body lotion, deodorant, snacks, bottles of water, razors/travel size shaving cream, soap, new socks, and new Underwear (no used socks or underwear, please).

In addition, gently used items for ALL ages (infants to adult men and women) are also being requested:  Children’s clothing/shoes, sneakers/work shoes (all sizes and genders), hoodies, lightweight sweatpants, jeans, shirts, shorts, and T-Shirts.

If you’re unable to physically bring these items to MABC and would like instead for the Community Ministries Board to purchase them on your behalf, we’d be more than happy to do that.  If you’re interested in helping us support this mission, you can make a donation HERE. Please earmark the funds for this specific purpose so we know how to allocate it.  Remember, the Community Ministries Board will match donations provided by the congregation to help make an impact for those in need.  Thank you for your consideration!

MABC Cares Day – Rescheduled for Saturday, June 3

The Board of Community Ministries is excited to announce details about our upcoming event at the Daniel Wilson Garden in June, rescheduled from April because of rain.  For the past few years, congregants from MABC have volunteered their time cleaning, painting, planting flowers, and beautifying this wonderful community space in Harlem.  We have termed these biannual volunteer events at the Daniel Wilson Garden as “MABC Cares Day” and they have turned into some of our most popular activities.  Wwe will be continuing our partnership with the Daniel Wilson Garden in our Spring MABC Cares Day on Saturday, June 3rd in the morning.  If you are interested in attending, please contact Jacki Friedmann at jackikf@icloud.com for specific details and to sign up!

Letter-Writing Volunteers Needed

New Alternatives for LGBT Youth, an organization MABC partnered with earlier in the year for a soup kitchen ministry, has asked for volunteers in writing letters to some of their incarcerated clients. These at-risk individuals often become isolated and vulnerable in jail and this communication helps provide them with support along their journey. If anyone is interested in participating, please email Adom Crew at adom.crew@gmail.com for more information.