July 2020 Update: Our partners at Church of the Redeemer in Newton continue to create 60+ bags of non-perishable food and gift cards to be distributed weekly to families at St. Stephen's Boston. They are very grateful for all the donations that St. Andrew's has been making each week - THANK YOU! Redeemer is also buying fresh chicken in bulk and distributing this to families. Below this text you can link to some photos of the food collection.
During this Covid-19 crisis, SSYP (St. Stephen's Youth Programs) is working intensely with 200 families, based on children who attend their programs or are part of community activism. The 32 adult staff and 29 teen staff are meeting kids and parents virtually and supporting academic and social-emotional well-being, as well as logistics of applying for aid, etc. More than 98% of these households have lost one or more jobs.
B-LOVE is a weekly food distribution of a bag of groceries and a Visa gift card (fifty dollars). It is a critical component of survival for many families, and it is a need that may go on for many months. Church of the Redeemer in Newton is bagging the items and taking them to SSYP for safe distribution. The grocery stores and big box warehouses are limiting the quantities that can be purchased and that's where you can be a big help.
When you are doing your own shopping, either in-person or via delivery such as Instacart, could you buy some items from the list below? The items should be dropped off, or delivered, at the home of Heidi and Wade Harper at 16 Rice Street, Wellesley (large labeled bins on the front porch, gift cards in envelope in mail box) on Tuesdays. Church of the Redeemer will pick up what we have and will use the supplies to make up the bags for SSYP for the following week.
Please enter yourself for as many of each kind of bundle as you think you can purchase (for example, if you think you can get 8 cans of chicken and 8 jars of peanut butter, then sign up for 8 slots of the protein bundle). Please stick to providing the requested items, but if you can't get the amount you signed up for, don't worry. Please call Joanna Horobin at 781-249-2166 or email [email protected] with any questions.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
B-LOVE committee:
Heidi Harper, Cam McCormick, Joanna Horobin, Margaret and Jim Blackwell, Rev. Adrian Robbins-Cole
Below this text you can link to a printable list of items to purchase.
Proteins and Fruit bundle: 1 can chicken (12.5 ounce) or 2 cans tuna (5 ounce each) or 1 bag of beans or 1 peanut butter (18 - 24 ounce); 2 cans of fruit (15 ounce each) or 2 packs of single serve, e.g. pineapple, fruit cocktail, pears, peaches, mandarin oranges) and 1 jar apple sauce (24 ounce) or 2 packs single serve.
Carbohydrates and soup/sauce bundle: 1 lb. pasta any type or 1 lb. of rice and 1 box Mac and cheese (6 oz) and 1 box cereal (10-15 oz, any brand) or breakfast bars and 1 box crackers (Triscuit, Wheat Thin, or similar); 1 jar or bottle of marinara sauce (24 oz) and 2 cans soup or chili (10 - 15 oz each)
Visa gift card in the amount of fifty dollars (it requires an additional $4.95 activation fee)
