If not clothing, can you help with food?

You can drop items off downstairs near the Choir entrance at the back of the church building on Mondays 1-3 or during the weekdays at the church office or on Sundays (collection boxes in the Narthex).

Time to "Bag It"

We don't get much in the way of April showers here in the desert, but we're hoping some generous people will help us fill our OBB donation board with May flowers.

The Outreach Bonus Bag program provides fresh dairy, meat and produce items for families in need of assistance from the St. Margaret's Outreach Center. The Center and the OBB program will continue to operate over the summer months, but we will not be collecting donations at coffee hour. Please come by our table after church on May 13 and May 20 and make a $20 (or more!) donation. We will honor you or the person of your choice with a lovely tulip on our garden bulletin board. And please consider signing up for a monthly donation to be charged to your credit card or just writing a larger check. Hunger doesn't leave town for the summer, and families with school age children face a bigger burden because the school lunch program doesn't operate. Please dig deep and help us care for our desert neighbors. Monthly collections will resume in the fall.

As always, contact Barb Gibson, Peg Leo or Becky Hensley with any questions. And thanks so much for your support so far!!

• Tuna Fish or other canned fish or meat
• Beef Stew
• Meat Soups
• Hearty Soups
• Canned Spaghetti or Pasta
• Chili
• Canned vegetables
• Beans - (kidney, pinto, green, yellow, refried or black beans)
• Baby Food or Formula
• Ensure or other nutritional supplement drinks
• Rice
• Dry Beans
• Noodles, Macaroni
• Powdered Milk
• Pancake or Baking Mixes
• Cereal/Oatmeal
• Granola Bars
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly (in plastic jars)
• Diapers
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes

Outreach Ministries at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church

St. Margaret's is committed to making the Coachella Valley a better place to live for all its residents. Our mission statement includes the promise to be "a telling presence in the community." We do this, in part, through our outreach efforts by working with various local agencies and non-profit organizations, by direct assistance, and by working in conjunction with our Diocese (based in San Diego), The Episcopal Church (offices in New York) and the community of all faith filled people. Here is a sampling of the ministries we support:

Angel Tree - A Prison Fellowship program providing Christmas presents to prisoners' children. St. Margaret's parishioners provide Christmas gifts and toys for children of prisoners who cannot purchase gifts for their children. Over 100 children are served in this way each year at Christmas.

Episcopal Community Services - Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego in Riverside County St. Margaret's is working in conjunction with other local Episcopal churches to expand the ministry of ECS into the Coachella Valley and other areas of Riverside County.

F.I.N.D. - Food In Need of Distribution distributes basic staples - canned goods,, bread, USDA government surplus - to needy individuals and families at various locations throughout the Coachella Valley. St. Margaret's supports this agency with cash donations, and our parishioners staff a weekly food distribution site at Whitewater Park in Rancho Mirage, working from 7:15 until 8:15 am. In addition, food is delivered to those handicapped individuals who qualify for assistance but are unable to get to the distribution site. The F.I.N.D. outreach always can use a few more volunteers to help sack groceries; Please contact Ron Kelly or Jim Hatfield for more information and to volunteer. Call 760-346-2697.

Kairos Prison Ministry - The mission of the Kairos Prison Ministry is to bring Christ's love and forgiveness to all incarcerated individuals, their families and those who work with them, and to assist in the transition of becoming a productive citizen. Locally, men from St. Margaret's join with other Christian men and twice a year conduct a weekend retreat at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, CA. Women from St. Margaret's join other Christian women to minister to spouses of those in prison.

Martha's Kitchen - Along with Martha's Closet, is located in Indio. A hot lunch is served Monday through Friday to hungry people, without qualification. Martha's Closet provides clean, used clothing for the needy. In addition, this ministry also assists with short-term shelter needs and medical care.

Shelter from the Storm - The Coachella Valley's only facility for victims of domestic violence, Shelter from the Storm provides housing, counseling, and assistance to enable women and their children to escape violent and abusive environments and to start their lives anew.

Tools for Tomorrow - A literacy improvement ministry offered after school in local elementary schools. In 1999 educational experts in the fields of writing, drama, music and art developed literacy based curricula for grades K through 2 and 3 through 5 that were implemented four afternoons a week in four Coachella Valley elementary schools. Tools for Tomorrow continues to provide this free, on-site, after-school program in fifteen Title I (academically at risk) schools in the Palm Springs, Desert Sands, and Coachella Unified School Districts.