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Published Friday, August 15, 2008 in Religion

Ministries reach out with helping hand

By Winston Skinner

The Times-Herald

Christian ministries in Coweta County are enabling local citizens to reach out a helping hand to others.

Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity has approved a record number of families to become homeowners through the program which allows families who might not otherwise own their own home to do so. Several ministry efforts surround One Roof Ecumenical Alliance Outreach and the Coweta Community Food Pantry.

The two ministries are housed in the same building on Temple Avenue. Derenda Rowe heads both outreach programs.

Church members throughout Coweta County are being encouraged to contribute a dollar each to help one roof through their churches on Aug. 24. The idea originated with retired Baptist pastor Harvey Fuller who has a heart for children and was touched by newspaper accounts of families who are without housing in the current economic downturn.

Local Boy Scouts are working to gather food to refill the food pantry's shelves. Scouts have held an annual Scouting for Food Drive to benefit the local Salvation Army for several years. The effort for the Salvation Army will be repeated again in February, but Verna Funk, coordinator for Scouting for Food locally, said Scouts are responding to the need for food now by helping the food pantry.

"We're trying to get the kids out on the 23rd," Funk said. On that Saturday, Scouts will be visiting "the neighborhoods they normally do during Scouting for Food."

In addition to the Aug. 23 blitz, Scouts are placing boxes in some locations hoping to boost the number of canned goods. William L Bonnell Company has allowed a box to be placed, and Funk said she is talking with some other area companies.

"I'm hoping they will do the same thing," she said.

Scouts will not be leaving bags at homes this weekend as they sometimes do during the February effort. They will simply go door-to-door next Saturday asking people to help with canned goods if they can.

One troop did make an early run to collect cans because of a scheduling conflict. "They had a nice turnout. The kids had a fun time," Funk said. "One little boy did not want to stop."

The Scout was Jared Shiffert, a member of Pack 51, which is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"He had many wonderful adventures and wanted to go back and collect some more food," Funk said.

Schiffert told about a family visiting from Dallas, Texas who only had their baby food to offer. The Scouts told them that it was OK not to give, if they needed the food. The mom gave the baby food and said she would go out and purchase more.

"One homeowner came driving past the boys to stop them and give them a bag of food," Funk said. Troop 51 and Pack 51 collected 416 items.

Funk requested that the Scouts speak at the congregations where they attend church on Sunday to help boost the Aug. 23 collection of food. She also suggested Scouts "talk to their sub-division boards to see if they can set up drop boxes and locate a few food stores which would allow Scouts to meet and greet at the door as they request the shoppers to buy a little more to help support this food drive."

Anyone wanting to help with the Aug. 23 food drive should contact Funk at fhotonut@msn.com .

"Every little bit helps," Funk said.