Much like our “Hope Cares Team” that provides meals and rides for members who have been hospitalized, recently given birth or have lost a family member or need funeral arrangements we have decided to add a new way to help members within our Family at Hope. “Hope Helpers” will be a list of able-bodied men and women who are willing to help when members need handyman type services in their home.  This may include but is not limited to helping do lawn work, light housework duties, fixing minor items like light bulb changes, fan repairs, swapping out door handles/ locks or anything else not requiring a   licensed electrician, plumber or contractor. This list will include 5-15 members of Hope who would be willing to help with various items and can be contacted as needed.  We will create a “sign up application” for anyone willing to be added to this list that includes work experience or willing to work on (fill in the blank).  Be on the look out for more information as we create this wonderful team. We know it can be hard to ask for help but know that everyone at Hope is family and we treat our family with kindness, comfort and dignity.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated socks for our Sherwood students this Spring. We were able to donate 53 pairs of shoes using two Thrivent cards and $114.50 from our Outreach Account. Hope members donated 12 packs of boy socks and 19 packs of girl socks with 2 additional pairs of girl shoes. We are able to bless so many students in our own community.

Baker’s Blessings will be taking a break for the summer. Look for the sign-up list in August when Baker’s Blessings resumes.

Thank you to all who have donated to Daily bread this April.  We were able to collect 1 bag of cleaning supplies, 36 wash cloths, 30 hygiene items, 1 extra large bag of clothes, 1 bag of sheets and 1 box of hydration drinks and 6 XL 3 in 1 shampoo/ conditioner/ body wash. Our April Thrivent card will be used in May to purchase bug spray rather than feminine hygiene items as they received a large donation recently as there was a hiccup in ordering the card for April. In May we will be having Hope members donate hats and sunglasses.  We received our may Thrivent card already and tori was able to purchase 62 spray bottles of sunscreen. I have been trying hard to keep up with exactly what Daily Bread needs at the moment so that our donations are immediately used and not stored in their warehouse. They are and will always be in need of light weight blankets, hats, socks, sunglasses, bug spray and sunscreen.  They cannot keep these items on the shelf. Any and all donations are always welcomed and appreciated.

Loving Stitches is ready to start up again. We have taken a break as we worked on partnering with VITAS Healthcare sewing for those who have entered hospice care. Our project this year will be making Veteran’s Bed Scarves for veterans who have entered hospice. Deaconess Lois will be getting some sewing kits together soon. There will be a sewing workshop at VITAS Offices, Melbourne, in which we are invited to participate. We have no details currently. If you are interested in joining Loving Stitches sewing group or are interested in more information, please contact Deaconess Lois via email, deaconess.lois@hope-brevard.org, or in person after church.

Here at Hope, we have the best Outreach, we also have a wonderful program to take care of our Hope family. The beginning of a new year is a great time to sign up for Hope Cares. There are lots of categories in which you can participate; such as, sending greeting cards to our shut-ins, bringing a meal to someone that has had injury or surgery, making a phone call, or giving someone a ride to church or to do errands. All you have to do is pick up a golden colored half-sheet and check off the items which interest you.  If you are already signed up, check to see that you still are interested in those items that you checked. It’s a great way to help others in our Hope family and share your blessings.

• Operation Christmas Child
• Gifts from the Heart
• Guardian ad Litem Angel Tree
• Children's Hunger Project
• New Life Mission
• CITA Mission
• The Haven for Children
• Trinity Lutheran School
• Sherwood Elementary School
• Daily Bread, The Sharing Center, Genesis Food Pantry
  
• Family Promise of Brevard
  
• Habitat for Humanity
• LCMS and LWML
• Seven AA Groups