Our next outreach project at FELC is to help those in Altoona! Help from the congregation is needed.

The Circle of Hope is assembling disaster buckets. In the past, there was a mission in the Allegheny Synod for this particular project, but not at this time. We at First Lutheran are giving it a try. The buckets with items inside will be donated to the Altoona Fire Department for them to distribute to families in need especially after flooding and cleanup after fires.

The Circle has gathered 24 buckets to be filled. We ask that the congregation help us supply the contents which will include liquid laundry and dish detergent, bottles of household clearer, scrub brushes, re-usable cleaning wipes, trash bags, etc.

Each Saturday and Sunday during the Lenten season, we will focus on donating items. Bring NEW items only. Small to medium sizes are best. Pick up at list of items needed from the back table in the narthex. Once we collect enough items for the buckets, they will be taken to the Altoona Fire Department. If you are unable to shop, but want to contribute, a monetary donation will be accepted. Bring your products to the Saturday morning Lenten breakfast or place on the table in the narthex.

Don’t forget ….. Come help us with our Easter egg making. All hands are needed for this fundraiser. Sign up sheets are in the narthex along with our order sheets. Come at 9 am to the Social Hall kitchen on Tuesday, February 14th and Thursday, February 16th at 9 am. We will dip and package the eggs. This is a great time of fellowship and fun. Lunch is provided. No experience needed!

The Circle of Hope met for its reorganization meeting of 2023. It is such a good feeling to give back to others!

This year, our projects will continue to include:
1. Easter egg fundraiser.
2. Making of disaster buckets to be distributed by our local firemen.
3. Feeding the Hungry project (which replaced our Love Feast program participation).
4. Collection of items for school backpacks for Lutheran World Relief.

We have a new project this year which we call Backdoor Lunch Program. We will provide a sack lunch of sandwich, chips, cookies and drink 3 times in 2023 on the fifth Saturdays of the month. More info on all these projects soon!

HELP WANTED!!! Those delicious Easter eggs are again being made and sold by the Circle as our only fundraiser. We have a lot of projects in 2023, and we invite all church members to help in this effort. We will gather at 9 a.m. in the social hall kitchen on February14th and 16th to “dip” and package the eggs. Lunch will be provided. We have a great time of fellowship and fun. Order sheets for egg purchases will be available soon in the narthex.

Our Care & Connect Team held a spaghetti dinner on Friday, November 4th to provide fellowship and collect Thanksgiving shelf food donations for the Altoona Food Bank. Attendance was great, the food was delicious and many donations were received. A special thanks to Helen Cramer and Sondra Thompson for a successul and delightful evening!

The Circle of Hope once again sponsored the observance of Harvest Home Sunday last week with an ingathering of food to be given to the Altoona Food Bank. Circle members express their gratitude to all congregation members who donated food.

On Sunday, September 24th, Pastor Folmar blessed the 80 school kits for Lutheran World Relief that were prepared by members of the Circle of Hope. The circle appreciates the donations of school supplies and monetary donations from congregation members for this project. Special recognition also goes to Beth Andrews, Christina Caputo, and Doris Reigh who sewed the colorful backpacks that contain the school supplies.

On Friday, May 27th a spaghetti dinner was held in the Social Hall, with 60 people attending/donating. Dinner was provided to those who brought food items for the Altoona Food Bank. The dinner was scrumptious, and we received 106 food items, which were donated to the Food Bank. Many thanks to our Care & Connect Team and all those who helped make this dinner possible! Shown here are just some of the food items, and the plentiful staff who made this all happen.

In January the Care and Connect Team challenged our congregation to bring in 150 pairs of socks, to be donated in our community. Our church family doubled that challenge, providing over 420 pairs of socks, which will be distributed to Domestic Abuse Project, Family Services, Inc., and Catholic Charities. Many thanks to all who donated socks and to the Care and Connect Team for organizing and carrying out this challenge!

When the Altoona Food Bank had almost depleted its shelves of boxes of cereal, our church Care and Connect team announced a challenge to collect 100 boxes of cereal for the Food Bank during the month of November. This past Sunday we counted 145 boxes of cereal, which have been donated to the Food Bank, thanks to the generosity of our church family. Thanks to the organizers and to all who helped us surpass our goal!