Outreach Team – July 2025 Newsletter Article
Our members include Chris Kollen as lead, Carol Buuck, Phyllis Teager, Patty Clymer, Gail Nicewander, Sandy Mitchel, Ruth Gross and Janette Carollo.
We are planning new and exciting projects this coming year. If you’d like more information about becoming a member of Outreach, contact Chris Kollen at lizzykollen@comcast.net or at 520-419-7475.
Continuing Events
Marana Food Bank
The Marana Food Bank would like to request that we collect ready-to-eat meals, canned mixed veggies, canned tomato sauce or Alfredo sauce, jelly, pancake mix, syrup, cereal/oatmeal, and canned tuna/chicken.
Summer is an especially difficult time for families since kids are out of school and missing some essential meals. Let’s help lighten their burden and make sure they all have enough to eat.
Donated items can be placed in the wooden cabinet located in the hallway outside the Fellowship Hall. Please remember that the food bank cannot accept any food items that have been opened/used or expired. Also, please no glass containers.
If you would like to donate and keep your gift for the needy of Marana, you can send a check to:
MFB-CRC
c/o Sahuarita Food Bank
PO Box 968
Sahuarita, AZ 85629
Please make checks payable to Marana Food Bank – Community Resource Center or MFB-CRC. You can also donate online at http://mfb-crc.org
Your monetary gift goes a long way. Every $10 helps provide 50 meals.
Upcoming Events
Roadrunner Elementary – Backpacks and School Supplies Drive
We will be collecting backpacks and school supplies as part of Roadrunner Elementary’s Backpack and School Supply Drive to help collect essential and urgently needed items for vulnerable students that attend Roadrunner. The drive will start on Sunday June 29th and run until Sunday July 27th. Needed items include:
· Backpacks
· Reusable water bottles
· #2 Pencils
· Colored pencils
· Pencil box or pouch
· Expo dry erase markers – fine-tip or thin
· Crayola markers, broad
· Crayola crayons
· Highlighters
· Glue sticks
· Scissors
· Erasers, regular and pencil top
· Two or three Pocket folders
· Composition notebooks
· Spiral notebooks
· Wide-ruled paper
· 3 ring binders
· Ear buds (with cord) or headphones
· Post-it notes
Also please consider donating Ziploc bags, Kleenex, and Clorox wipes.
There is a handout with the needed items in the Narthex. Please return all items by Sunday July 27th. Thank you!
Any questions, contact Chris Kollen at lizzykollen@comcast.net.
Interfaith Community Service (ICS) Peanut Butter Drive
ICS is holding their peanut butter drive for the month of July. Please consider donating 1 or 2 cans. There will be a donation box in the Narthex. Thank you!
Past Events
Sister José Women’s Center Supper
Sister José Women’s Center sent a message to all Sister José Supper volunteers asking for help to prepare meals for the women during the month of June. Outreach members stepped up and prepared a meal of lasagna, salad, bread, and dessert for the women on Wednesday June 25th. There were about 55 women who enjoyed!
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) – update on status of refugees
LSS-SW held an online meeting where they recapped the status of refugees in Arizona. An outreach member was able to attend.
Due to the change in federal funding for refugees, LSS-SW appealed for help in raising money to support refugees. The result was that 456 individuals raised over $600,000 to support newly arrived refugees in Arizona.
Episcopal Migration Ministries ended its refugee services contract with the federal government, this affects Tucson operations. Due to this change, no new refugees will be resettled in Tucson. Current refugees in the U.S. are here legally and are safe from deportation. Some of you may have heard of founded accusations of misconduct against LSS-SW. These have been assessed with no findings of wrongdoing.
How can we help? They have ongoing needs for volunteers in a variety of roles included co-sponsors, English tutors, First Friends, child care and job mentors. In addition, they also need in-kind donations such as toiletries, cleaning supplies, and gift cards.
Churches can help in a variety of ways:
· Pray for refugee families facing hardship and instability
· Donate to LSS-SW if able
· Advocate for compassionate policies and fair access to benefits
· Volunteer to help organize local donation drives