BACKPACK SHEPHERDS

Jesus said “Feed my sheep” - John 21:17

Outreach Meeting - Monday June 9 at 7 PM
Come and take part in making decisions that affect this wonderful ministry. Each month this committee designates an Outreach ministry of month. Back Pack Shepherds will be in July.

Monday June 16 at Noon: bring a sack lunch. First we will eat, then we will clean out the closets, mark the remaining inventory and give the back packs a good cleaning.

Training Session for 2008/2009 school year: watch for an early August date.

Saturday Oct. 11, 2008: 2nd annual October Fest food and fund drive for the BackPack Shepherds.

Packing News
We completed our final packing of the school year on May 21st. Thank you to the many people that donate money, time and food at this critical time. We now have money for a first packing of the next school year. We are hoping to receive money from our grant applications. We gave as much food as we could fit into boxes. The food wouldn’t do any good sitting in the closet for the summer but will make a big difference to our backpack kids over the next week or two. They received three to four times a normal back pack would hold. Estimate low retail value per box is $70. In the last month of school many of the children have not been participating. We only filled 36 boxes. Estimated total low retail
value is $2,520. Keep this kids in your prayers over the summer.

Not on the Back Pack Shepherds email list? Contact Nancy Maloney and she will add you to her list.


The Nearly New Shop
4710 N.E. Vivion Road (Between the post office and Big Burger)
453-3063
The Nearly New Shop is a thrift shop with a purpose. For over 23 years, this not-for-profit store has operated with one goal in mind: To financially assist non-profit charities in Clay & Platte Counties. Each year proceeds from the store are distributed through grants to northland charitable agencies that provide assistance to individuals and families in the Northland.

The items we sell are donated to the store (clothing, shoes, purses, books, computers and household items). They are then sorted, checked over, priced and displayed in the store. The Nearly New Shop offers items that are nearly new, very gently used, or sometimes new.

Donations are appreciated and welcomed. If you are cleaning out closets, having a garage sale, etc, please keep the Nearly New Shop in mind when you are trying to figure out what to do with the leftovers. Donations are accepted Monday thru Saturday from 9:30 - 4:30 and Sunday from noon - 4:30. After putting donations in the box outside the front door, step inside to obtain a Tax
Receipt.
Volunteer – some volunteers work once a month, some weekly. Some people work at a schedule time, others come in when they are available. There are a variety of jobs to be done.
Shop - While the inventory changes daily, there is always a selection of clothing, jewelry, gift items, toys, books, purses, shoes, household items, and furniture. These items, donated by people in the community, are offered for sale at very reasonable prices, and the profit is given back to agencies in the area for to assist them in their work.
The store is open Monday – Friday from 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM, Saturday 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM, and Sunday noon to 5:00 PM. For up-to-date information, visit our website at www.nearlynewshop.org.
The Nearly New Shop board meets monthly at Good Shepherd. Over the years, several people associated with Good Shepherd have served on the board and volunteered to work in the shop. Parishioner Donna Zaiger is currently on the Nearly New Shop board.

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C.O.G.S

The COGS program is enables Good Shepherd parishioners to help other parishioners with home maintenance projects in and around the house. We are looking for small projects to do. Some material and all labor will be provided by the church.
Some projects we have completed are wheelchair ramps, yard work, plumbing and electrical maintenance. Contact David Talbot or Bob Kile if you have any questions about the type of work we are able to do.

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Synergy Services
If you have any unused, travel-sized shampoos, soaps, or other bath or beauty products that you don't need please leave them in the basket in the foyer of the church. We donate these to Synergy Services for the use of the women, teens, and children who take refuge at their facility. For more information, visit www.synergyservices.org.

Clothes Closet
The Clay County Clothes Closet is one of the recipient of the outreach donation. CCC gives new and good used clothing to the needy at no cost. Donations of used clothing are appreciated. We are located at 3939 N. Cleveland. A drop off shed is located at the rear of the building. The staff of the closet is all volunteer from various churches. Good Shepherd's day is on the 4th Tuesday every other month. Our hours are 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Our next day to work is this month on March 25th.
Contact Isabel Deibler for more information, or if you would like to volunteer some of your time.

Northland Assistance Center
The Northland Assistance Center (NAC) is a faith and community based collaborative that provides emergency services to families in Clay and Platte Counties who meet eligibility criteria for assistance. Referral options are also offered to clients for needed resources that are not provided at the Center.

The number of people requesting services has dramatically increased as well as the harshness of their
emergency financial needs. With this increase in need, the Center is continually in need of additional funds in order to operate at the present level. In 2004, about $5,500 spent each month for the staff salary, office operation, and services to clients. In April 2008, $10,781.95 was spent just for client services.
As funds are available, emergency assistance for utilities, rent, and/or prescriptions is made available once every six (6) months to qualified clients. Food assistance is generally available once a month, sometimes more often as the situation warrants. Current funding comes from individuals, churches,
grants, an annual awards banquet and a golf tournament benefit.

How can we help?
• Money - Northland Assistance Center is designated by the Outreach Committee to receive the Good Shepherd outreach offering for June. We have the opportunity to be as generous as possible when filling out our check for the special Outreach Offering envelope.
• Food – Bring non-perishable food items to church. Our donations will be taken to the Center biweekly.
• Volunteer – several varied opportunities. Call the Executive Director, Rita Pearce at (816) 421- 2243.
You can learn more about the center –Rita Pearce, NAC Executive Director, will be speaking at the Good Shepherd Forum on June 8.

The continuing and generous support of our Good Shepherd parish family is greatly appreciated by the NAC board, staff, and most of all, the clients.

The Good Shepherd representative to the NAC Board, and current Board President is John Zaiger (452-3816).

THE SHEPHERD CENTER
The Shepherd Center of the Northland is a faith-based organization whose mission is to assist senior citizens so they may remain in their homes for as long as is feasible. By providing personal services, social contacts and life enrichment programs hundreds of our older adults stay active and happier than they might be without this help. Your gifts help make this possible and are very much appreciated.
Brochures providing detailed information about the various services & programs are available in the tract rack and on the bulletin board.

Do you have some free time you could fill by helping make life easier for older people? Shepherd Center has a need for people to take clients to medical appointments, do personal shopping , visit homebound clients, answer phone calls in the office, help with programs, etc. There are many parishioners at Good Shepherd who are enjoying doing this. Ask Nancy or John Bash for more information about it.

For more information, call Clay County Senior Services at 455-4800.