Outreach

Outreach
The Committee is composed of the following members: Laurel Destry, Vestry liaison and co-chair, Pat Robinson, Vestry liaison and co-chair, Laura Armour, Vestry liaison and clerk, Natalie Bayless, Vicky Gribble, Pam Nolte-Viau, John Turley, Dana Smith, and Paula Welling.
 
The Outreach Committee is funded by our parish budget to fulfill our charge, “To enable our hands to be God’s hands in caring, comforting, and advocating for God’s people beyond our doors.” In recent years we have assisted in several programs:
Meals on Wheels

• Pathways Meals reimbursements
• Backpack for Central High Students who take home Manna food.
• Shoes for the homeless students at Tuscola and Waynesville Middle
• Supplies for the Summer Program at the Pigeon Center​
• Open Door Emergency Housing Coalition for Homeless Women and Children
• 30th Judicial Alliance Hispanic Program
• Mountain Projects New building refurbishing
• Senior Center Christmas boxes
• Providing hot lunches for the Alternative School on the second Tuesday of every month
• Cooking and serving ​meals at Haywood Pathways on the second Sunday of each month and fifth Mondays.

Parish-Wide Appeals

Grace parishioners have a heart for mission, and often this takes the form of wanting to have a Parish-Wide Appeal to help fulfill a need beyond our doors. The 2019 Outreach Committee developed an application process for Parish-Wide Appeals to prevent "extra giving burnout" and to help with scheduling. 

In recent years we have had the following Parish-Wide Appeals:

• a drive for items needed for the summer children’s program at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Center
• a collection of school items for homeless school children and the Alternative School children
• “Undie Sunday” collected new underwear for the Clothes to Kids Organizatio
• “Angel Tree” that provided Christmas presents for children and youth in need
• “Warming Tree” that collected warm clothing items to be distributed by Mountain Projects to those in need

Application for Parish-Wide Appeal

The Outreach Committee has developed an application process for Parish-Wide Appeals.  This is to prevent "extra giving burnout" and to help with scheduling.  In order to consider as many Appeals as possible, please submit applications by April 1.  You may download this application or pick one up in the church office.  If you have questions, please contact Laurel Destry, Pat Robinson, or Laura Armour by email.
Local coverage of Grace’s outreach can be seen in these Mountaineer articles:

• Consider this: Belonging is an inside job by Joslyn Schaefer
• Grace Episcopal is ‘all-in’ when it comes to service by Vicki Hyatt