Food For All, An Effort Sponsored By The National ACRY
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
JOHNSTOWN, PA – [National ACRY] – The National ACRY is pleased to announce the start of its “Food for All” campaign which will run in conjunction with the annual stewardship campaign (December 2nd through February 21 st ). The goal of this program is for a concerted effort within our communities across all ACRY chapters, both Jr. and Sr., as well as diocesan churches, who may not have an ACRY chapter, to provide food assistance within our communities in ways both big and small. In addition, we wish to collect data on our efforts so it can be shared with everyone across the ACRY and the diocese. If you chapter completes any effort big or small, please use the google form to record it: https://bit.ly/ACRYFFA. It should only take 5 minutes of your time!
The ACRY wants to help provide you with the tools to succeed in helping provide meals to those in your community, hereare just a few examples of things you and your church community can do to get involved.
Host a community meal
Action like this may seem like a daunting task, but did you know that our community at St. Michael Orthodox Church in Binghamton, NY accomplished this throughout the summer of 2021 and beyond? If you are looking for a place to start, reach out to Barb at 607-621-6079 or Fr. Jim at 607-797-4471 (frjimd@stny.rr.com).
Host a free food giveaway
Are you a more organized group in an accessible area for your community? Why not utilize the church property as a safe haven for food insecurity? Offering a consistent location for food insecure individuals to receive some essential goods is a great way to address the needs of others. The best part is a variety of fruits and vegetables can be provided as well since they won’t be sitting in a collection box or food bank. Not located in the best place to distribute? Take a small group on the road with folding tables and setup shop where you are needed most. Buy some pizza, provide some refreshment and
fellowship.
Provide bag lunches for shelters
Many programs exist which directly supply packaged meals to the homeless. Many of them rely on bulk donations as well as individually packed donations. The simplest way to get involved is to reach out to your local organization(s) with a simple email or phone call to see how to best support their efforts.
Canned food drive for local food bank
Simply reach out to your local community food bank and ask how best to get involved. Often it is as simple as collecting non-perishable items and dropping them off to serve as a resource to those who need it most in your area.
Volunteer at a local food bank or soup kitchen
There is often nothing better than getting together and making a difference with hard work. Many food banks have direct forms for expressing interests in getting people where they need them most. Oftentimes local meal providers rely on those who volunteer their time and talents. The best part is, it’s free to volunteer your time!
Raise money/collect donations for food insecurity charities locally and nationally
Funds are always a good way to help out charities that try to tackle food insecurity from families to school lunches. Simply use search terms like “food insecurity charity in (your city here)” to identify groups that are experts in making sure your fundraising efforts benefit those who need it most. FOCUS North America has many locations in cities across our diocese and also represents a fantastic recipient of fundraising efforts. More can be learned by searching FOCUS North America or accessing their website: https://focusnorthamerica.org/get-involved/
Thank you to those of you in your communities already engaged in projects such as these, don’t hesitate to report them as well so we can highlight the good works of the diocese! Don’t hesitate to reach out to ACRY President, Paul Zdinak, (paulzdinak@gmail.com) with any questions, concerns, or even ideas that you wish to share with your fellow diocesan members!
God Bless,
Paul Zdinak
National ACRY President
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The National ACRY (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Youth) - The Fellowship of Sts Cyril and Methodios, is the national youth organization of the American Carpatho-Russian Diocese of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It is divided into two separate organizations. The Junior ACRY (for ages 8 to 18) and the Senior ACRY (for ages 18 and older). The ACRY is an Orthodox Christian family fellowship dedicated to the purpose of encouraging spiritual growth through charitable and apostolic missionary works, prayer and fellowship for the Glory of God and the building up of the Church and our Diocese.