Outreach & Missions

Outreach and Missions efforts have grown at St. Matthew's through the commitment of the parish as a whole and as individual parishioners saw needs and organized means, people, and resources to meet those needs. Our outreach efforts can be long term, or shorter term, depending on need, and involve parishioners of all ages. Many of our outreach efforts are multi-generational.  

Summer 2018 Mission Trip
UrbanPromise

LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL THIS SUMMER? 

Volunteers are needed at URBAN PROMISE TRENTON Summer Camps!

As we have done in the past, St. Matthew's is supporting Urban Promise Camps this summer and is looking for some volunteers and food donations.  Adult help is needed for some camp activities (particularly for Camp Grace activities), but teenagers are welcome to join in, too. My family assisted with camp last year and found it to be a fun and rewarding experience!

More specifically, help is needed with the following:
 

For the Weeks of July 9, 16, 30 & Aug 6, 2018 (Monday-Thursday):
Camp Truth at Trinity Cathedral - located at 801 West State Street 

Provide, prepare and serve healthy snacks/drinks for approximately 40 kids; pick a day
 
Camp Truth is for pre-teens and teens who are UP Jr. Street Leaders and Street Leaders. Snack may be provided for one day or multiple days that week, from 2-3PM.  If you are unable to deliver the snack to the camp but would still like to donate, arrangements may be made and it can be dropped at St. Matthew’s for delivery.

Might be nice to volunteer to provide & delivery snack for one day, either as a family, or with friends.

Suggestions for healthy snacks (best to think in terms of fruit/veggie and protein, and grains), combinations below are suggested but anything appreciated:

*Fresh Fruits (berries, melons, pineapple, bananas), with cheese and crackers
Peanut Butter and Jelly/Bread or Crackers
Veggies and Dips, Crackers
Yogurts and pretzels
Cold cuts
Cubed cheeses or cheese sticks
Frozen yogurt pops, pretzels
100% Frozen Fruit Bars, popcorn

Water bottles (cases)
100% fruit juice boxes

*Fresh fruit, especially berries, are a special treat for these kids, as families are often unable to afford them. Healthy sources of protein are appreciated, too.

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For the Week of July 23rd-26th, 2018 (Monday - Thursday): 
Camp Grace @East Trenton Community Center, 601 N. Clinton Ave

Assistance is needed (one or two folks from St. Matthew’s) with providing programming to campers during the hours of 1-4PM:
  
There will be about 15 children, grades 1 - 4 from 1 PM to 4 PM in the afternoon.  A lead volunteers, a retired Trenton Public School Librarian, has planned for a Hawaii theme (Thursday, Luau day); a site director and one or two interns are present to assist as well.

Provide programming for 14 kids at a time at Camp Grace the week of July 30

Half of the kids will be at Golf nearby while the other half remain at the camp site.  The two groups have a snack together in the middle of the afternoon, followed by the second group of kids going to golf. Volunteers are needed to provide an activity or two (crafts, reading a story, games, etc. - to one half of the group at a time), with assistance from staff of Site Director and two great interns. 

Any questions, please reach out to Debbie Linthorst at (609) 902-2905 or dlinthorst@comcast.net.

Thanks for your support!

-Debbie Linthorst

SUMMER 2017 highlights to El Hogar

El Hogar in Tegucigalpa, Honduras TBA - Click here for pics & 2017 BLOG!

You can find out more about UrbanPromise at: urbanpromiseusa.org. 

You can find out more about El Hogar at: elhogar.org.