Coats for Cold Kids

Last Sunday we kicked off our effort to gather 500 coats for the students of the 5 elementary schools in York City.  You can read the whole story here, but this is a quick update on how you can help. 

Take Tags:  Thank you everyone who took an “I want to provide a coat” tag on Sunday.  This Sunday we will have coat racks with more tags on them for those of you who were unable to get some.  Also, consider taking some tags to “share” with others at friends, families, and co-workers.  This ain’t selling girl scout cookies  :-)  (although I REALLY love girl scout cookies).  This is NOT a fundraising event for actionchurch.  This is simply folks putting their faith in action and providing coats for those who do not have them.  I’m the worst “salesman” in the world but I can even feel comfortable asking others to help with that…

Bring Coats:  If you took a tag.  Bring back a new or like new coat. (Thanks SO MUCH for the folks who started bringing coats even before the tags were distributed!)   Walmart currently has great children’s coats for around $13.  Other stores have sales going on with prices that may be even lower.  Consider buying a coat per week…or a coat per pay til christmas. Your generosity could make a big difference in a child of York’s winter this year.   Collect used coats in great condition that may be just taking up closet space after being out grown.  (Just make sure the coat is clean, not torn or damaged, and generally looks great.  We never want to give something to others that we would want to give to our own kidz to wear to school.)

 Business Drop off points:   Right now we have two great business partners with more to come.   Can’t make it to actionchurch on Sunday?  You or your friends can drop off coats at the following locations:

Brooks Huff Tire

95 Sunset Dr
Manchester, PA 17345
717-266-5200

My favorite Deli

3397 North George Street,
 Emigsville, PA –
 717-764-4461

The Styling Room

2446 Eastern Blvd
York, PA 17402-2901
(717) 650-2406

Are you part of a business and would like to become a drop off point?  Contact us here-  info@actionchurch.com

Spread the word:  In order to reach our Goal of 500 coat we need to spread the word.  It may be as simple as taking cards to work or emailing the link to this website.  We will also have opportunities for folks to go into our community and spread the word in some creative ways.  We need your help…your ideas.

500 coats…

coats

I announced Sunday that the “smart thing” to do right now as a church would be to get one of those cheesy thermometer graphics on the screens and start raising/saving money for a “Building Fund”. Sometimes the “smart thing” is not the “right thing” when it comes to living a life of faith.  Besides,  we’ve never done the “smart thing” as a church…and we’re not about to start now.  :-)

Here’s what I think we should do instead.   First,  Keep praying and asking God about our next venue. (Not forgetting to thank him for our extended time at Club 19!)   Second,  Focus on OTHERS.

We’ve been asked as a church if we would consider gathering/ purchasing winter coats for kids who do not have them in the York City School district.  When we asked how many coats they could use the answer was 500!  Yeah seriously 500…   I never even imagined that many kids could not have proper winter coats…in York City alone.    It’s a big “ask”…a really big task.  A project that will really stretch us as a church.  Our plan is to take coats to schools each week instead of gathering them all for some sort of big “presentation”.  (It’s getting Cold now…)  This project will definitely be a decision to “do good…not just look good”.  It will be a “no strings attached” moment of generosity for all of us who make up actionchurch.

Here’s what we all can do:

1.   Purchase Children’s Coats when we go to the Big Box Store(s) for “supplies”.  Consider leaving an Item out that we would normally purchase and purchasing a coat instead.  (A child in York can be warm all year for the price of a DVD.)

2.  Check Your Closets we want to give 500 LIKE NEW coats…  Nothing ratty or worn out.  Kids grow fast…so lots of us have perfectly great coats that are just hanging in the closet…too small but “too good to throw away”.   Bring em!

3.  Tell your Friends at work…at school.  We will have tags to Give out for folks take to bring a coat.  Consider leaving them out at your place of business to invite your friends to be part of the action….

4.  Keep your Eyes open for Sales…Deals.   See a super sale on Childrens coats and can’t afford to buy the whole rack?   :-)   let us know… Send us an email.  info@actionchurch  or post it in the comments.  We’ll spread the word.

5.  ?????   There are ways to provide coats for our neighbors in York City that we have not thought of yet.   Speak up…we’d love to hear your ideas!

6.  Show up Sunday…bring coats…get tags…let’s get this thing kicked off.