Outreach Overview

St. Andrew’s helps to support a number of ministries locally, nationally and internationally through our outreach programs.

​The priorities of our Outreach, identified by our Parish, are:​

• Feeding the hungry
• Providing shelter and support for families and children
• Medical care and assistance to those in need
• Education and mentoring

Our Commitment is to make a difference

The Outreach Committee at St. Andrew’s is committed to employing the time, talents and treasure of the church community by thoughtfully distributing the funds allocated for outreach and by exploring opportunities for our members to become involved in service to those in need. 
In some cases, our work involves financially supporting worthy efforts by nonprofit organizations and in other cases, we contribute our time with hands-on service. 
 
See Below for more information about how to become involved.

Ways  to  Be  Involved

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​RED BAG MINISTRY

Our Red Bag ministry is a major way that our members can be involved. Each month from November through April, specially designed reusable shopping bags are distributed to parishioners with instructions to fill them with items that will assist programs identified by the committee. These have included food for those in need distributed at a local pantry, art supplies for the Boys and Girls Club and items that are used to fill holiday boxes sent to members of the military serving in war-torn areas of the world.

The Outreach Committee in recent years has been instrumental in the establishment of a food pantry at St. James Episcopal Church in Port Charlotte. The pantry, which serves about 40 families on a regular basis, is open two days a month. Contributions earmarked by the Outreach Committee help to stock the shelves and volunteers work at the pantry. The Red Bag collections are instrumental in providing enough food to ease hunger in a particularly low-income area of Port Charlotte.

       Please look for the Red Bags in the Narthex and, if the Spirit moves you, take one and return it with your contributions.

​Current List of Goods to Buy

     
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY APOSTLES' BUILD

Each year, St. Andrew’s joins with churches throughout the area to construct a home, usually in the Port Charlotte area, that will serve a low-income family. This involves soliciting volunteers to help in one of the various stages of construction as well as to participate in the home’s dedication.

SOLDIERS' BOXES

Volunteers work by packing food and personal care items to send to American service members assigned in hot spots around the globe. The boxes are sent with messages of love and hope on Valentine’s Day.
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MEALS OF HOPE

This organization, based in Naples, FL, provides shelf-stable meals to people in need throughout Southwest Florida. St. Andrew’s volunteers participate in a community-wide Holidays Without Hunger event when the meals are packaged and made ready for delivery.

Other  Organizations  to Which  We  Provide  Financial  Support

In the current budget year, we also have contributed financially to the following organizations and programs:

Food for the Poor (Hope for Haiti) -  This effort involves building homes for families experiencing abject poverty in one of the world’s poorest countries. 

SOLVE Maternity Homes - Our contributions have been earmarked for SOLVE’s Evolve program in Englewood that assists new mothers in need to get back on their feet, provide for their children and complete their education or job training.

Englewood Boys and Girls Club -  Most recently, our funds have helped to provide computers and technical support as well as employing an art teacher to help with after-school programs. A Red Bag collection provided donated art supplies and efforts to solicit volunteers for one-on-one mentoring are ongoing.

Dayspring Summer Camp - We have funded scholarships so that children in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, for whom the cost would be a barrier, are able to attend camp and receive spiritual support to enrich their lives.

Englewood Helping Hand, Inc. - Our 2019 contribution was directed to the capital campaign to provide much needed new space so that this organization can continue to serve Englewood’s most needy with food, clothing and other services.

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