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News - News, August

Nonprofit Partner: Kennett Area Community Service

As a leading life-sustaining organization, Kennett Area Community Service (KACS) provides food and emergency assistance to residents in Southern Chester County’s Avon Grove, Kennett Consolidated, and Unionville-Chadds Ford school districts. Before the pandemic, KACS provided up to a seven-day supply of food to approximately 550 registered households each month. Food donations accounted for 90% of the food KACS distributed.
Since March, the Food Cupboard has served over 8,454 individuals and continues to provide meat, dairy, produce, and non-perishables to our families. COVID-19 precipitated a complete change in Food Cupboard operations. We suspended our volunteer program due to safety concerns and began purchasing all non-perishables when grocery store donations ended. Despite these adjustments, we have continued to serve our community---including 500 senior citizens, more than 2,000 children, and an additional 900 households who had never requested KACS services prior to March.
The KACS Emergency Assistance program has provided over $373,235 in rent, mortgage, utility, and other emergency payments to help those impacted by COVID-19’s devastating economic fallout. We continue our work with individuals and families to both prevent homelessness and assist those who are currently experiencing homelessness. In just four months during the COVID-19 crisis, KACS re-housed ten families into permanent housing. Click here to support KACS's work.

August Update: WPC Thrift Shop

The Westminster Thrift Shop Board of Directors has been planning to announce an early September reopening date of the Westminster Thrift Shop. However, the thrift shop incurred flooding damages resulting from the recent heavy rains. The board is working with a restoration company, therefore our reopening date now depends on their schedule and several other factors. Again, we are asking for your patience in holding your donations for the thrift shop. Click here to read the new donation guidelines. Thank you again for your continued support as we resolve this challenge. Our new work day hours are Monday 9am-3pm. Our new business hours are:
  • Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 10am - 3pm
  • Saturdays: 9am - 12pm 
  • Closed: Thursdays & Sundays

How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

Chef Terry is back to teach us how to make cinnamon sugar biscotti, a recipe from Westminster member, Sue Kelly. Click here to watch the video or click here to view the recipe.

Endowment Grant Deadline in September!

Endowment Grant Deadline in September! Looking for funds to help support a project or program? Know a religious or charitable purpose that would advance Westminster's mission? Then apply for a grant and Westminster Endowment can help! Next grant deadline is September 4.  Click here to learn more. For help and support in applying, contact Tim Krenz.

Spotlight on WPC Nonprofit Partner: Family Promise

Since COVID 19, our families, normally in the “rotational” program, are currently safely housed in a temporary location thanks to the generosity of a property owner in Kennett Square. Two families recently graduated, and three new families have moved in. There are about 11 families waiting to enter the program. Family Promise has also provided approximately $98,000 of rental and other assistance to about 80 families in Southern Chester County. We continue to provide food, household goods, and toiletries to current and graduate families. Although volunteer opportunities have been limited due to COVID 19, Westminster has continued to provide financial support and meals for our families. Thanks to a grant from Westminster Endowment we have been able to assist two of our families in furthering their education through our Back to School Program.
 
COVID 19 created a financial and health crisis that will have a long lasting effect on our community. We believe that the increased need for our services will continue well into 2021. In addition, to protect the health of our families and our volunteers, we may be a long way from being able to restart the rotational program. For now we continue to house our guests at the temporary location, which is ideal in that the families can be together, but are separately and safely housed. As Family Promise SCC moves forward, we are assessing various options, including a “static shelter” where the families can stay safely, and our congregations can continue to assist with meals. Long term we are committed to re-engaging our volunteers by returning to our rotational program or a hybrid model in which we would have both a static location and a rotational program. Your continued support is critical to our ability to serve our families Click here to support Family Promise.

CREDO Confirmation Registration

The 2020-2021 Confirmation year will be kicking off this fall at the beginning of October. This class is open to any youth in 8th-12th grade who have not yet been confirmed. If your teen is interested in joining the class, you can click this link to register: Confirmation Registration.Question? Contact Chris Clark.

Westminster's Thrift Shop Update

Your telephone calls, emails, cards, and support of the Westminster Thrift Shop is greatly appreciated. The thrift shop sub-committee is presently in the final stages of making the thrift shop a very safe environment for customers and our volunteers. Patience is a virtue and we are asking you, our donors, for patience just a little while longer. New donations guidelines will be posted on the Westminster website, thrift shop page, in the very near future, and will be somewhat different from the previous donation guidelines. And, confirmation of our reopening date will also be publicized in the Westminster Weekly Update Plus as well as the Westminster website. Thank You in helping us to continue to support our mission through your generosity.