Helmut Linne von Berg
Within the ECM my assigned duty is to maintain a relationship with the Caroline County Social Service Assistant Director, Ms. Anne Tyree. She identifies to our group needy families in the Port Royal area which we support on major holidays during the year. We also provide food items to the Caroline County Pantry when sufficient funds are available to us. Early in 2017, ECM delivered canned meats to the County’s Pantry using funds left over from the 2016 Thanksgiving/Christmas Fund Drive. There seems to be a consistent shortage of canned meats in the pantry.
During the week of 2017 Thanksgiving the ECM delivered to three needy families identified to us by Social Services full baskets with turkey, ham, pumpkin pie, canned veggies and miscellaneous food items to assure that the folks would have a Happy Thanksgiving.
For Christmas, Social Services provided us with names of three needy families with children in the Port Royal area. There was a total of 12 children, ages 9 months to 15 years. All the children were provided with clothing (we had fun picking out the appropriate sizes). Each of the children received several toys, some received a bike. The families were also provided with a selection of food appropriate for the Christmas Season.
Quoting a response to our activities from Caroline Social Services:
“Dear Gentlemen,
Thank you so much for sponsoring the three families for Christmas. You have made a number of children truly happy! Without your continued support we would be unable to serve such a large number of Caroline children.
Happy New Year to you all!
Sincerely,
Anne Tyree, Assistant Director Caroline Social Services.”
I wish to thank the members of ECM and our congregation at large for their continued generosity. Seeing the happy faces of those folks to whom we make deliveries and knowing that the children will not go hungry is a most rewarding experience. I believe it’s truly what our Lord Jesus wants us to do! The good news is that we have sufficient funds to make two or three canned meat deliveries during the months to come!