Church-wide Missions

Monthly Missions - April 2025

Parfreyville UMC

PROJECT BACKPACK

Tina Brunner is the person in charge of coordinating Project Backpack’s immense service to students in our community. I asked her if she would give us a good overview of the program that could be shared to give all of us better idea of the workings of Project Backpack.

Project Backpack (BP) started in 2010 through Shepherd of the Lakes Church (now The Lakes of Waupaca). The packing facility is owned by Waupaca Foundry and graciously lent to PB at no cost. Currently, PB is serving 10 schools in Waupaca and Portage Counties, with a total of approximately 270 students weekly.

The entire operation is completely donation driven, with no federal or state funding. Donations come from individuals, companies, and, as recently, from stores such as Fleet Farm, which donated snacks for students to have over Spring Break. These extra snacks are included in the children’s bags that they receive the week before Break. All food purchases are made at Aldis, Woodman’s, and Costco. Some food items have had to be cut due to rising costs and/or nutritional value.

There are seven rotating menus, which include snacks, oatmeal, and the makings of a family meal to be enjoyed over the weekend. After the packers get the bags into totes labeled for each school, delivery volunteers take them to the schools, where school personnel put the bags discretely into children’s backpacks to take home. A voucher is included in each bag, good for a free loaf of bread and half gallon of milk from a local grocery store. (The stores submit the vouchers to PB for reimbursement.

Tina let me know that she feels the over 130 volunteers are what make this program a success. I know our WARM group very much enjoys our evening together approximately six times each school year. Coordinating purchasing, shelf-stockers, packing, and delivery volunteers must be mindboggling, but each group knows the importance of their part of the mission and does their very best for the students!

Tina ended by telling me that “Our hope is to continue to raise awareness in our community to help fund this much needed program.”

Crystal Lake UMC

Crystal Lake UMC will be collecting all tomato products, (sauce, soup, etc) for the Food Pantry. There is a jar for a money collection for Bread Basket. There will be a special Sunday collection for Native American Ministries.

First UMC

It’s time for the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church’s annual Ingathering Mission. Each year UMCs throughout Wisconsin are asked to donate items for people in need or suffering from disasters. The items will be taken to Annual Conference in Madison on June 6, gathered into a semi-truck and delivered to Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Pawnee, IL.

Our Conference’s Mission Motivation committee works with the MMDC to determine the greatest needs. Personal Dignity Kits are once again being collected. Midwest Mission distributes the kits locally, nationally and internationally to those in need during times of crisis, as requested by UMCOR. All supplies are given free of charge regardless of gender, race or religion.

The items for each PD kit are listed below. You DO NOT need to assemble your kit(s). Bring all items to church in a grocery bag, including the resealable plastic bag and $2 donation. Our Mission Team will assemble them and add prayer cards. All cash donations will be collected and one check will be sent to Wisconsin Conference.

Monetary offerings will also be accepted. Make checks out to FUMC and write “PD kits” on the memo line or place cash in an offering envelope and write “PD kits” on the envelope.

1 hand towel (Lightweight. Plush towels will not fit in the bag) - no kitchen towels

1 washcloth - no dishcloths

1 toothbrush - no multipacks

1 bar soap – 3 - 4 oz.

1 shampoo -12 - 19 oz. (No pump) **

1 deodorant – 2 - 3 oz. (stick, roll-on, or pump)

1 lotion – 8 - 10 oz. (No pump) **

1- 1 gallon resealable plastic bag (into which all items will be placed) No slider closure bags please

$2 donation (for toothpaste and carrying bag)

** Tubes and flatter shaped bottles are easier to pack than tall, round bottles.

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