COMMUNITY OUTREACH FROM THE CHURCH OF THE ROSES
  Just before Thanksgiving our Church and World Committee conducted a series of interviews with local outreach programs to determine who would receive the local mission portion of our giving for the year ahead. The Church of the Roses continues to support the global work of our denomination, special offerings for mission and disaster relief. A portion of our mission budget also supports local organizations whose charitable works parallels the humanitarian goals of our church and denomination.

  Pictured are Marge Baur, Pat and Larry Kocher, and Alice Crouch interviewing Lynn Camparanario who represented Santa Rosa’s Drug Abuse Alternative Center at the interviews.


  The church and World committee invited representatives of several local programs to “pitch” them for a grant from the Church of the Roses, and answer the question, “How would a gift of $1,000 help your program?” In answering that question, the agencies identified themselves, and translated our mission giving into something identifiable and specific to help our community. I asked Pat for a summary of their interviews, and learned much from the diversity and quality of the people who responded to our invitation to meet with our committee. Pat’s notes make interesting reading.

(1) Drug Abuse Alternative Center – Lynn Campanario
  Founded in 1969, DAAC is one of the oldest and largest alcohol and drug treatment organizations in Northern California. It is a non-profit organization whose mission is turning lives around by providing healthy alternatives to alcohol and other drug use. They treat more than 2,000 clients, adults and youths, every year in Sonoma County. A $1,000 gift would enable DAAC to enroll one client in comprehensive treatment services for three months.

(2) Meals on Wheels – Shirley Zane, CEO, Council of Aging
  This is program of the Council on Aging of Sonoma County founded in 1966 to serve meals to seniors who are homebound and/or unable to shop and cook. They prepare and deliver almost 1,000 meals per day. A $1,000 gift would provide one year’s service to a senior, and there are currently 40 seniors on their waiting list for this service.

(3) Hope Counseling Services, Petaluma – Diane Olson, Director
  HCS is a non-profit counseling service funded by client fees, grants and private contributions. They serve between 100 and 175 people per month, referrals from churches, physicians and community agencies. This is the only free counseling service in Sonoma County. A $1,000 gift would pay for 50 to 100 counseling sessions.

(4) CHOP’S Teen Club – Santa Rosa – Nancy Vogl, Program Director
  This youth center services 17,000 young people, 12 to 20 years of age, with a variety of activities in art, sports, music, with an emphasis on character-building. They provide a recording studio and an alcohol and drug-free nightclub for performances on Saturday nights. A $1,000 gift would pay for printing a flyer to be circulated in the local high schools offering volunteer opportunities which would be coordinated through CHOP’s. There is also a need to replace their pottery wheel which would expand their art program.

(5) Imani Presbyterian Fellowship – Vallejo – The Rev. Carmen Mason Browne
  This Fellowship is a New Church Development project under the auspices of Redwoods Presbytery serving a multi-ethnic congregation in a one-room store-front location in Vallejo. With a membership of 65 and a potential of future growth, they are seeking a new location on Mare Island. A $1,000 gift would enable them to offer a mentoring program to their teenagers.

(6) Task Force for the Homeless – Georgia Berland, Executive Officer
  This Task Force was founded in 1981 to assist the homeless by supporting policies which will help low-income people. This encompasses advocating for low-income housing, providing emergency shelters, assisting in health-care needs (mental and physical), obtaining substance abuse treatment, assisting in court-related needs, focusing on the unique needs of veterans, and administering the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (FEMA Funds). A $1,000 gift will be used to provide needed health-care assistance.

(7) SW Community Health Center – Rory Gibbens-Flores, Director of Outreach & Health Education
  Within the SW Community Health Center, a program entitled “Xinachtli”, which means “the germinating seed”, is a 12-week program offered to young Latino and Native American men ages 13-18 in Santa Rosa who find themselves involved in a gang or at risk of gang involvement. The program, which began in 2006, uses a multi-cultural education and prevention curriculum which emphasizes male responsibility. Three groups have graduated (34 participants), and they currently have 26 males on their waiting list. A $1,000 gift would be used to purchase a digital camera to be used to record their achievements and for taxi vouchers which are needed to assure the transportation of the youth to the evening sessions. Recipients have been selected and will be notified by the committee. We have asked them to come to a Sunday worship service so we may award the grants to them personally, and introduce the programs and the providers to our congregation.

 “Well done!” to our Church and World committee John Cushman
 

• San Francisco Theological Seminary

• Cook College in Arizona

• Westminster Woods

• The Fund for Theological Education

• Drs. Leslie and Cynthia Morgan, missionaries in Africa.

• Media Line news service in Jerusalem

• Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County

• Catholic Charities and F.I.S.H. (Homeless services)

• The Interfaith Network (Homeless services)

• The Living Room in Santa Rosa

• The Salvation Army

• The Redwood Empire Foodbank

• Church World Service

• Home building in Mexico

• Offerings of our denomination including

  • Peacemaking

  • One Great Hour of Sharing

  • Pentecost

  • Christmas Joy

• Canine Companions for Independence

• Mission programs of the Presbyterian Church, USA

• Mission programs of the Presbytery of the Redwoods

• The Logos Youth Program

• The Presbyterian Women Offerings

• Special projects of Windjammers, Voyagers and Simply Friends Groups.

• The Deacons Family Fund for church families and friends.

• The Pastor’s Scholarship for post high school education

• Camperships for young people to attend summer camps

• Start up expenses for the Rosebud Preschool

• Social Advocates for Youth

• The Giving Tree

• The Montgomery High School Breakfast for students attending the local high school.

• The Per Capita donations enabling the administration of the Presbytery of the Redwoods, The Synod of the Pacific, and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA