May 2022

Ministerium Social Outreach and Planning Meeting

May 5, 2022

Welcome- Doug Lamb

Informational Updates:

·         Elizabethtown Area Communities That Care- Gail Viscome

o   PA Youth Survey at 6, 8, 10, and 12 grades.

§  Just got the 2021 results and at the next meeting, there will be a presentation with the results.

§  This is super accurate with the data of social, mental, and emotional standings of the students.

§  They have been doing this for 20 years with the 3-5th grades.

§  Programs are based on the data they collect as well.

o   PAWS and Think

§  1200 t-shirts being made with messaging pointing to the facts that kids don’t do drugs/drink alcohol also mental health stats to lower stigma.

o   Do the Right Thing

§  Celebrated the students that earned the award at a Hershey Bears hockey game.

o   Take B ack Prescription Program

§  Earth 2 Etown- collected 50lbs of medications.

§  Take Back Rx Day at Giant- Collected 70lbs of medications.

·         Community Cupboard of Elizabethtown- Doug Lamb

o   Serving around 80 families.

·         ECHOS- Brie Anderson

o   2020/2021- 33 people served

o   2021/2022- 83 people served

§  2,897 bed nights (counting each person who stays a night).

§  42 beds are available.

o   Benefit at the Etown Fairgrounds- Etown Evolution

§  March 21st and 22nd.

o   First resident moved out of the Homestead program (transitional apartments).

§  6 apartments available.

·         They have one available.

·         55+

·         Sign a year lease, and then their situation is evaluated

·         Works with the VA to serve veterans.

o   Offer workshops from job searches to resume writing

o   Hiring

§  Volunteer Coordinator (full time)

§  Connection Center- help people on the laptops and possibly lead computer workshops (part time)

·         The Naaman Center- Pete G.

o   Trying to work with ECHOS and UCEA to have an office in the new CPOW building.

·         EASD- Doug Lamb

o   St. Paul’s UMC has donated $3,000 for the service dog program.

·         Police Chaplains- Doug Lamb

o   Still looking for chaplains to serve (Etown, Mt. Joy, NW Regional, and Susquehanna Regional)

·         CPOW- Vard Gainor & Doug Lamb

o   Working on reconfiguring the fire/smoke alarms in the older brick building and white house.

o   Turning the white house into transitional housing.

o   Have a possible tenet for the first floor of the brick building, they’re just waiting on grant money to be approved.

·         UCEA- Doug Lamb

o   Ukrainian Refugees

§  Are the churches interested in helping with refugee relocation in Elizabethtown?

·         Refugees are already here.

§  Met with Church World Services to get information.

§  Met with Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, who has helped refugee families in the past, most recently a family from the Congo about 5 years ago.

·         Everence- Lynnette

o   Webinar coming up 5/12 and 10/13 on Medicare

o   Workshop for retirement years and pastors

§  Dinner and a show as well.

§  Will be happening in the end of August

o   Offer a lot for pastors

§  Workshops

§  Getaways

§  Lots of support

Upcoming Events

·         Celebrate Etown- 5/7 11am to 5pm at the Elizabethtown Park Amphitheater

·         Free Car Wash- Elizabethtown Mennonite 5/7 1pm to 3pm

·         UCEA Delegate meeting 5/19 7pm

o   Naaman Center will be sharing how they would like to partner with UCEA.

o   The full-time counselor with the district, through ECHOS, will be sharing what she does.

Next Meeting: 5/19, 8:30am at Christ Church United Church of Christ- Pastors Prayer, Spiritual Enrichment and Light Breakfast.