AGAPE (American Greater Armenian Project Effort)
Assembling Christmas Shoeboxes
Project AGAPE — ministry to Armenia and to some of our most desperate Christian brothers and sisters — is a collaborative effort of the North Carolina and the Western North Carolina Conferences of the United Methodist Church in a joint effort with the Armenian Apostolic Church. Members of Long Memorial, contribute financially, donate designated items and pack shoe boxes to be sent to Armenian children for Christmas. Visit http://nccumc.org/outreach/project-agape/.
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief )
Cleaning Bucket
UMCOR assists the most vulnerable persons affected by crisis or chronic need without regard to their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. UMCOR’s work in more than 80 countries, including the United States, encompasses programs and projects in disaster response, health, sustainable agriculture, food security, and relief supplies. UMCOR works to provide humanitarian relief when war, conflict, or natural disaster disrupt life to such an extent that communities are unable to recover on their own. UMCOR spends 100% of designated donations on the projects its donors specify. Members of Long Memorial contribute financially to this mission. From time to time we participate in hands-on projects such as donating supplies and assembling Cleaning Bucket kits for flood relief. Visit http://www.umcor.org/.
Rise Against Hunger
Meal Packaging
Long Memorial supports Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now) by raising money and hosting meal-packaging events. The assembly process combines rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a flavoring mix with 23 essential vitamins and minerals into small meal packages. The Rise Against Hunger mobile unit brings the necessary equipment and supplies; our volunteers set up and take down packaging stations and equipment, fill bins with raw ingredients, scoop ingredients into meal bags, weigh and seal the bags, box and stack them on pallets, and load the pallets and equipment onto a truck. A group of about 40 volunteers can package 10,000 meals in about two hours. The food is stored easily, transported quickly, and has a shelf-life of two years. The meals are shipped throughout the world to support school feeding programs, orphanages and crisis relief. The mission of Rise Against Hunger continues to evolve and expand with a goal of ending world-wide hunger in our lifetime. From the meal packaging program to the implementation of sustainable community development projects, the organization strives to make a global impact on hunger by building resilience, self-sufficiency, and empowerment among the communities with whom they work. Visit http://www.riseagainsthunger.org/.
Methodist Home for Children
Methodist Home for Children works to provide safe, stable homes where children can thrive and live fully into their God-given potential. While not always traditional or biological, an MHC home is where both child and family are equipped to succeed. It may be a group home that helps juvenile offenders transition to healthy, independent living or a foster home that shelters a child while his family is stabilized. Whatever form it takes, the end goal is always the same—a safe, stable home. Members of Long Memorial contribute financially to this mission. Visit http://www.mhfc.org/.
ZOE
ZOE, whose name means “life” in Greek, is a program developed in Africa that empowers orphans and vulnerable children around the world to overcome extreme poverty, become fully self-reliant and learn of God’s love for them. Active in Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Liberia, Guatemala and India, ZOE has approximately 28,000 children currently enrolled. ZOE is invited into communities where orphans are already living and brings them together in supportive working groups of 60-100 children. ZOE’s indigenous staff members help these children articulate their own dreams for their lives. ZOE then provides the small inputs and training they need to work together to transform their lives in just three years. These children who often feel beyond God’s love are able to both see and hear the gospel in ways that are compelling but not coercive. Members of Long Memorial contribute financially to this mission. Visit http://www.zoehelps.org.
Imagine No Malaria
The mosquito is a pesky and pesty little creature that carries a variety of diseases. One of these is malaria. Fortunately, in the US, we do not have many cases. However, in other parts of the world, specifically sub-saharan Africa, malaria continues to kill a child every 1 – 2 minutes. Millions of women risk severe illness and harm to their unborn children from malaria. “Imagine No Malaria” is the United Methodist church-wide effort to overcome this disease and eliminate deaths that are preventable. By distributing bed nets, providing access to diagnostic tests and medicines, draining standing water, improving sanitation, and training a network of community health workers, we have begun to significantly reduce malaria deaths. Long Memorial UMC supported and contributed to the cause in 2016 with our chicken pie fundraiser giving over $1,700. Together, we CAN make a difference!
