Christmas Outreach Projects

Contact:  Peggy Harding (Peggy Harding - 704-846-4170)

The Christmas Gift List for Thompson Child and Family Focus is one way that Trinity brings joy and love to the many children that are living in dormitories and group housing at Thompson.  These children are displaced from their parents due to abuse and mental problems within their families.  Our congregation donates gifts to this project which runs from mid-November to early December.

Crisis Assistance Ministry Clothing Closet

Contacts: Gene Bennett – 704-364-5966 and Rick Hutchins – 704-366-2475

Trinity has designated a space in the Administrative building to collect clothing and other household items for Crisis Assistance Ministry.  Crisis Assistance Ministry is dedicated to helping low-income families who are facing a financial emergency and struggling to meet their basic needs.  The agency offers resources and programs to help them get back on their feet.  www.crisisassistance.org

Friendship Garden

JESUS AND TOMATOES COMING SOON!!
 
This clever song title describes well the excitement felt in the October 2011 Stated Session meeting.   At this meeting, the Session approved a motion presented by two committees to plant a community garden on our grounds at Trinity.  The garden will be called the "Trinity Friendship Garden" (since we're partnering with Friendship Trays) and will be located on the Providence Road side of our sanctuary.  Charlotte's community garden expert, Henry Owen, toured our property  and stated unequivocally this spot offers the best sun, soil, drainage and access of any other on our 21 acres.   The motion to plant a garden in this spot was unanimously approved by both the Mission & Outreach and Buildings & Grounds Committees before the Session approved it (also unanimously) at its Stated meeting in October.  Labor to work the garden will come from Trinity members as well as many non-members in our community.  Wanna get your hands dirty?  We are still in the planning stages of this wonderful outreach but are building a list of interested gardeners.  If you would like to help work the garden (and reap some of its bounty), please contact Gary or Carol Sugg (704-552-2955 or csrsugg@aol.com) to get your name on the list.  Imagine:  next year at this time those vegetables on your holiday table may just be from the Trinity Friendship Garden!!!

Friendship Gardens on Facebook

Friendship Trays

Linda Brown – 704-364-6631

Drivers are needed five days a week.  Volunteer assistance is always necessary to coordinate the route and to distribute the food to the drivers for delivery to the homebound.  Trinity delivers a route five days a week and always welcomes volunteers who are willing to be drivers.

Habitat for Humanity Crew

Contact:  Jimmy Hair - 704-544-3131

Trinity’s Habitat Crew is part of a national ministry that builds and renovates homes in order to provide decent housing for all.  Our crew works approximately every sixth Saturday putting vinyl siding on the houses under construction.  With donations of time, money and materials, Charlotte Habitat crews have built more than 500 homes.

Loaves and Fishes

Contact: Sherese Smith – 704-367-1085

Loaves and Fishes is a nonprofit emergency food pantry program which provides a week’s worth of groceries to people in crisis in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.  Trinity has an on-going food drive to support the needs of Loaves and Fishes with special emphasis during February and July.   www.loavesandfishes.org 

Partnership with Nations Ford Elementary School

Contact: Susanne Sawyer – 704-375-7857

Trinity began a partnership with Nations Ford Elementary School in April 2007.  Since that time, our volunteers have contributed in many ways, including:  (1) proctoring tests for third graders in the fall and end-of-grade testing in May for the third, fourth, and fifth graders; (2) helping with the Spring Book Fair; (3) working in the classrooms with individual teachers; (4) providing a Christmas Breakfast and end-of-year Teacher Celebration Luncheon; and (5)going on field trips to the Columbia Riverbank Zoo with the first graders.

The work for the children at Nations Ford Elementary School is an exciting collaboration between the staff and our volunteers.  Please join us in this meaningful partnership.  We need you, the teachers need you and most important of all, the wonderful children need you to become a part of this rich ministry!

RAIN (Regional Aids Interfaith Network)

Contact: Debbie McLaney - 704-442-9633

The RAIN (Regional Aids Interfaith Network) Team is a group of committed individuals who provide non-medical support for an individual living with HIV/AIDS.

Room in the Inn

Coordinators: Debbie McLaney - 704-442-9633, Coordinator for December and February; Tricia Sistrunk – 704-540-1572, Coordinator  for January and March)

The Room in the Inn program provides a bed, shower, supper, breakfast and bag lunch during the cold weather months for some of Charlotte's most needy citizens, the homeless.  Our church volunteers provide these services at Trinity for twelve (12) nights during the four winter months.  The dates for 2010-2011 are December 7, 145 and 21, January 4, 18 and 25, February 8, 15 and 29, and March 7, 14 and 21.  www.urbanministrycenter.org.

Team Leaders:
Transportation - Richard Williams – 704-542-6150 or rdwilliams4@gmail.com
Overnight Hosts - Lynette Neel: 704-544-1575 or neeldurham@mindspring.com
Laundry - Happy Davis: 704-364-7526 or davis_happy@bellsouth.net
Lunches - Susanne Reid:  704-844-2885 or susanne.reid@providenceday.org
Breakfasts - Nancy Williams:  704-542-6150 or nancywilliams@carolina.rr.com

Sew 'n Sews

Coordinator: Peggy Crowley - 704-366-7900

Sew N Sews is an ecumenical group of dedicated women who offer their sewing and knitting talents to several organizations in our community.  Trinity provides workroom space for these women on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.  They sew over-sized women's dresses, infant layettes, children's tops and bottoms and they knit scarves, hats and baby blankets for Crisis Assistance Ministry.  They also provide special aprons and blankets for the Carolina/Piedmont chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.