July 10, 2025 

Dear Friends,

We’re midway through the summer—in the dog days for sure—and it seems like the needs of our community are also turned on high. We receive numerous requests daily for assistance with rent and utilities, and most of these we turn away. Our own funds deplete rapidly, and I know that funds in Crisis Assistance and Nourish Up and Roof Above are also low. We’re all holding our breath (and I can sometimes feel myself literally doing just that) to see what new budget cuts and natural disasters will befall us.
 
Monday Jim and I attended the monthly Uptown Pastors’ Meeting on Homelessness. We gather at First Presbyterian, which is the site of one of the Nourish Up pantries. They are open 3 days a week. Rev. Lucy Crain reported record numbers of persons seeking assistance, and record numbers of households that have expanded to 8 or 10 or 12 persons as families move-in together.
 
Joe Hamby from Roof Above reported on growing numbers of unhoused individuals, even though the organization continues to move more and more people into housing. He noted there was a growing need for congregational support for Room in the Inn—they lost several congregations last year even as the need has grown. Our program is one of the few they could offer to men needing shelter—and these were only to disabled and elderly men. They usually could only shelter women and children through the regular congregations every night.
 
First UMC continues to provide assistance to all of these groups and needs. We also continue to provide extensive support to our refugee families. These folks new to the country are experiencing the fears of employers who are threatened and pressured from the administration. Our refugees have an additional layer of fear and uncertainty to carry with them always. We’ve been able to provide needed furniture to the Al-Ksabra extended family that we helped come to the country.
 
If you are able, please consider a donation to our refugee ministries, crisis assistance and pastor discretionary funds, and funds that could go towards the purchase of food. The First Presbyterian Pantry has plenty of peanut butter, canned meat, and soup. They really need rice, diapers, milk (including milk that doesn’t need refrigeration), and fruit. Staples like coffee, sugar, flour, corn meal, oil, and grits are always appreciated, as are items like cake and frosting mixes (and birthday candles). They can be placed in the bin in the narthex.
 
I’m so appreciative of the ways First UMC has stepped up and continued to be a leader in these and so many other ministries with those who are most vulnerable. I’m also so appreciative of the many friends of the congregation working to implement policy changes and to advocate for those who have little voice of their own.
 
Blessings on us, one and all!
Val