Meal-Making Groups ... Your Participation is So Important!

Last month the UVA Department of Anesthesiology was the first large hospital office to organize and produce full-day meal packets. Details on that successful project are provided on the IHS blog site posting of March 3, 2014. The Department took advantage of the program which allows University employees sixteen (16) hours annually for community service. Guess where they devoted their time? Spring is sprung ... and old friends are invigorated  Three (3) steadfast friends of the charity are planning meal-making sessions later this month. Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist in Charlottesville, VA; Louisa, VA  Scout Pack 183; and The Children's Garden of Earlysville, VA have been partners in this food program for the last three years.  A new participant, which has indicated that they wish to be a "repeat provider" is Unity Church in Charlottesville.  Read on ... The Uniteens of Unity of Charlottesville engaged in a labor of love A note from Gina Leah, Unity Church Coordinator "The Uniteens are a group of middle school students who attend Unity and gather as a group twice a month to learn and share spiritually. As part of a first-ever service project sleep-over event, seven of our teens joined together to assemble meal packets for Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS). With financial assistance from the congregation and ministers at Unity of Charlottesville - Reverend Don Lansky and Reverend Patricia Gulino Lansky - and shopping help provided by Youth Minister Kate Adamson, the Uniteens were able to purchase enough products for 24 healthy full-day meals. The enthusiasm shown by these young people was delightful! To make things 'flow', they lined up in a circle and began playing the beat to "The Cup Song", filling up gallon zipper bags with everything from plastic-ware and paper bowls to healthy snacks, breakfast, and lunch and dinner items. Their joy and enthusiasm was contagious! As a special treat for their efforts, the teens were joined by Reverend Don Lansky - who treated them to dinner! After everything was cleaned up and we were ready to settle down for the evening, I asked them if they enjoyed this labor of love, and their overall thoughts. Each of them enjoyed the packing, but enjoyed even more the feeling that they were doing something important to help people in the Virginia community. When I asked them if they'd like to do this again, the answer was a resounding YES! One young lady asked if we could do this next month! Two members of the Uniteens spoke to our congregation the next day about their experience and how wonderful they felt being able to be of service.  What an amazing group of young people! I feel so blessed to be able to spend time with them. We thank IHS for the opportunity to express the Unity teaching of putting our love into action in the world!                                                      Blessings ... Gina Leah Become involved in this on-going food program ... making meals or providing funds Just visit the link herein, and read about the food program. Download and share the GUIDE for making these special meals for underfunded caregivers and outpatients who come to Charlottesville for treatment at UVA Medical Center.  These generous acts by small and large groups throughout central Virginia make a cumulative difference for so many who simply would not eat without this program.  If you need more ideas ... e-mail us at ihsanctum@gmail.com.                                                                                  Sincerely ...   T. Wade Clegg III, IHS