​This past week, St. Simon’s Parish Hall looked like Santa’s workshop as your outreach team organized donations for distribution to Project Renewal and to families of C. J. Hicks students. Toys were distributed, books for children were distributed and the mitten tree items were distributed.            
                                           
Outreach Chair, Beverly Gulstone, on behalf of St. Simon’s made an application to Toys for Tots for toys to distribute to Project Renewal and C.J. Hicks.  Our application was granted and on behalf of St. Simon’s, over 250 toys were distributed.  Thank you Beverly for seizing this opportunity and making a difference in Christmas for so many families.

Through donations, over 100 children's books were purchased to be distributed to preschoolers and kindergarteners at C. J. Hicks.  Imagine the smiles on little faces when they get their own book to take home to read.
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Finally, some 250 to 300 items from our mitten tree were collected (they keep coming in) and distributed to Project Renewal.  You were generous in your giving and you see by the items collected, how your giving will make a difference in the everyday lives of Project Renewal families.  
 
Food from the food fight will be distributed this week.  Can you say “peanut butter”??  We are happy with the healthy foods that we are donating this year.

​Take a mitten or two off the tree in the narthex, purchase the named item(s) and place them and the mitten(s) under the tree by December 22nd.  Share the Christmas joy with the residents at Project Renewal.  Thanks for your support.

​Thanks for all the slightly used items you so generously donated for Project Renewal so far this year. In the spirit of Christmas, we will only be collecting NEW items as of October 17, 2019.  A list of needed items is posted on the Bulletin Board for your convenience, Thank You.

​Thanks to the generosity of many parishioners, we delivered six large bins of school supplies to C.J. Hicks Elementary School. We are still collecting sample size items to be distributed to homeless Veterans who attend Stand Down events in Georgia a list of items needed is available on the table in the narthex. Our deadline for delivery is September 1st.

​The Outreach Team is once again collecting school supplies for our adopted school C. J.  Hicks. This drive will run through the end of July. Please stop by our table in the narthex to drop off your donations.  Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

​Project Renewal is once again accepting slightly used clothing and other household items.  New sets of pot and pans are always welcomed. We appreciate your continued support in our effort to help the needy in our community.  Please have your donations at the Church by Wednesday each week or, by contacting any Committee member.

See the Outreach Bulletin Board outside the Parish Hall for information on two new opportunities to support Project Renewal and C J Hicks.  Project Renewal is sponsoring a fundraiser "Dancing with the Stars" to be held. Feb 16 in Covington.  C J Hicks Elementary is selling candy in hopes of purchasing a new projector for the library. Tomma Stone has more information about both opportunities for our support.

The Tutu desk project was the largest part of the almost $950 in outreach checks mailed to the Diocese on December 31st. The girls raised an impressive $503,  enough to provide 25 desks. That is in addition to several other outreach projects at the end of 2018. Our December "Food Fight" (which ended in a draw) helped restock the shelves at Rockdale Emergency Relief. Our friends at C J Hicks have received books, food, and gift cards for five families which helped them through the holidays. Many of you gave coats and new sets of pots and pans to be donated to our friends at Project Renewal. The success of this ministry is due in large part to your continued generosity. Many thanks to all of you for your time and efforts.

​Because of your generosity, many of our neighbors will have good food for Christmas. On the first Sunday of each month, we take up a second offering for the Rector’s discretionary account.  This account is used by Jane to assist our neighbors who find themselves in a financial pinch.  From your contributions to the discretionary account, our outreach committee has generously filled five storage buckets with food for five families at CJ Hicks for Christmas. In addition, we have made a $250 donation to Rockdale Emergency Relief who will provide lunch materials during Christmas break for children in our community. In addition, the Food Fight has resulted in bountiful donations to help fill the shelves at RER. Thank you for giving, it makes a difference for our neighbors. Thanks to outreach for making this happen.

Beverly Gulstone, Jackie Cummins, and Tomma Stone delivered 5 bins of shelf stable food to be distributed to families of C J Hicks.  Also included were hams, bread, and a new book for each of the 38 children in the pre-K classes.  Blessings to all who contributed to Rev. Jane’s discretionary fund, for you made these donations possible.  Also MANY thanks to Ian Cummins And Naile Gulstone for their muscled help.