At the 2017 Desert Southwest Annual Conference, participants will have multiple opportunities to make an impact in the community. Here’s a sneak peak at the first three projects that will take place on Saturday, June 17, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Registration for mission projects and Annual Conference will be available on the same form on April 30th.
Thank You Project
Everyday police and firefighters put their lives on the line to make sure we are safe and protected. This year our Conference will thank Glendale Fire and Glendale Police for their dedicated service. People will travel to the Glendale area departments with a giant thank you card and gift cards for their personnel to say hello and thank you for their service. We will need more gift cards than participants.
- Max: 40 participants
- What to bring: Donations of gift card(s) in the amount of $5.00 each. Please bring your gift card(s) donation to the Registration Desk (not the hotel reservation desk) on Saturday, June 17, 2017, where we will meet 8:00 a.m. for maps & additional instructions.
- Questions: Contact Dave Hepburn at dhepburn@umom.org
Welcome to America Project
Refugee families arriving in America come with extremely limited resources and only a few possessions, let alone items to help in the set-up of their first home. This year one or more small teams of people will travel to one or more apartments with Welcome to America gift baskets which include items such as cleaning products, toiletries etc. A larger, second group will remain at Conference helping sort through donated products of this nature, to be donated to Welcome to America for future use in apartment set-ups. Donations needed: toilet paper, paper towels, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, diapers, adult diapers. Flushable wipes, Ajax or Comet, Windex, dish soap, hand soap, hand or body cream. Full size only no travel sizes can be accepted. All churches can donate to this project even if people have selected other mission projects this year to participate in.
- Apartment Visit: limit 8 participants
- Max onsite: 50-100 participants needed for packing and sorting crews
- Bring: Please bring your donations on Saturday, June 17, 2017, to Cira C at 8:00 a.m. (room subject to change).
- Questions: Contact Mara Klein at mara@dayspring-umc.org
Beyond SNAP Project
Urban Ministries Aide: Our urban ministries need help in stocking a strong supply of items not allowable for purchase through SNAP. We are asking all our churches to donate the following items to be brought to Conference for sorting, bag or boxing, and then distribution. These are the same items needed for the Welcome to America project. Donations needed: toilet paper, paper towels, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, diapers, adult diapers. Flushable wipes, Ajax or Comet, Windex, dish soap, hand soap, hand or body cream. Items will be distributed to TMM, UMOM, Justa Center, Wesley Golden Gate, and the Welcome to America project as noted earlier. All churches can donate to this project even if people have selected other mission projects this year to participate in.
- Max onsite: 50-100 participants needed for packing and sorting crews
- Bring: Please bring your donations on Saturday, June 17, 2017, to Cira C at 8:00 a.m. (room subject to change).
- Questions: Contact Betty Mathis at bmathis@wccphx.net
