Dear Plymouth Members,
As you prepare to celebrate Christmas, please consider a Special Offering gift that supports our Just Peace covenant. This year’s Christmas offering recipients have been decided. Below are the groups that this offering will go towards and some more information about each.
Pastor’s Discretionary Fund
These funds are directed to urgent needs of community members, covering items such as rent assistance, utility cost, medicine, and bus/travel expense.
Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center
Funds from Plymouth’s Christmas Special Offering will support therapeutic supplies for children and teens who seek mental health services from the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center’s C.O.O.L. (Children Overcoming the Obstacles of Life).
CROSS Outreach
The funding from this grant will provide direct financial assistance toward the payment of rent, security deposit, mortgage, electric/gas or water bills for low- or no-income Des Moines area residents experiencing a one-time emergency. If fully funded the funds from Plymouth’s Christmas Special Offering will prevent 20 households from losing their utility service or from becoming homeless.
Des Moines Public Schools
As a district level professional, I will collaborate with our programs and needs to identify how the support can impact the most families. This year we may look at using funds for basic needs and keeping families in housing or we may just use it for holiday giving.
Nutrition4Young Children
When mothers/pregnant women attend our sessions they receive a back pack containing several items of use for babies and small children. We serve both English and Spanish speaking clients. One item in each pack is a bilingual book for mothers to read to their children. We are requesting funds for this expenditure.
Children and Family Urban Movement
CFUM has incurred new cost due to Covid-19 and all the changes we have made to fit the needs of our community. Funding from this gift would relieve some of the additional cost CFUM has accrued. It will allow us to continue to offer all-day programming until students return to 100% in person learning. It will allow us to continue to get the extra supplies needed for each individual student. CFUM’s added expenses due to Covid-19 include mask, thermometers, gloves, disinfectant wipes and cleaner, paper towels, and hand sanitizer. CFUM has had extra cost for staffing now that we are limiting the classroom sizes to a 10:1 student to staff ratio.
Children and Families of Iowa
To assist with the transportation and housing needs of clients, Children & Families of Iowa respectfully requests a grant of $5,000 from Plymouth United Church of Christ. Funding would specifically be utilized for drivers’ salaries, insurance, gasoline, and vehicle maintenance for shelter’s van; bus tokens and cab vouchers for clients when the van is in use; as well as apartment application fees, rent deposits and moving assistance. Although CFI budgets for these needs, a grant from Plymouth Church would allow CFI to reach even more survivors.
To keep our Church Family safe and healthy, we will not be passing the plate at our brief in-person Christmas Eve services. You can give online or by mail. To keep our Church Family safe and healthy, there will be no in person Thanksgiving services. Please make your gifts online at plymouthchurch.com/give (see more details below).
If you would prefer to mail a check, please include the memo line “Christmas Gifts” and mail address it with the following:
Plymouth Church Attn: Nancy Bassett
4126 Ingersoll Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50312.
Thank you for your generosity,
Plymouth Board of Benevolences