This year VBS families and adult leaders donated school supplies to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). There’s a Methodist distribution center affiliated with UMCOR in Pawnee, Illinois just a few miles south of Springfield. Volunteers from Midwestern states make school desks, pack supplies, sort donations, sew items and prepare kits for those affected by disasters. The school desks, and kits travel all over the Midwest and some go to western African countries and Caribbean countries. Some of the volunteers come for the day, some for a few days and some stay for a week. There are dormitories, duplex housing, and discounted hotel rates. You might want to volunteer there. UMCOR has cleaning kits (previously called flood buckets), health and hygiene kits, and school kits. The volunteers at the Methodist Midwest Distribution Center are going to be packing school supplies from our own VBS at the end of the month. I will be delivering 30 school supply kits donated by our VBS families and adult volunteers, on July 27. I will also have monetary donations which will allow them to purchase supplies for more kits and pay $1.00 per kit shipping costs. As of Sunday, July 15 we have monetary donations of over $260. There are over 50 children who will benefit. When a fire, flood or hurricane destroys your school or your home, it’s difficult for children. With an UMCOR school kit, children can smile and be ready to learn. Hat’s Off to the VBS Families and Adult Volunteers.
Maylo Hranac, Co-Mission Team Leader