OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY

Outreach to Seniors

Three dedicated outreach ministry teams lead once-a-month worship services at Shouldice Lodge, Bow View Manor Nursing Home and Bow Crest Care Centre. People are invited to help with this ministry to seniors in the community. The residents appreciate this opportunity to worship in prayer, song, praise and fellowship.

Calgary Interfaith Food Bank

Foothills United Church is a Depot for the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank. The depot operates Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and is staffed by church volunteers. A Food Bank donation bin is always available in the church foyer for your non-perishable food donations.

Our Sponsored Child

We are very happy to have Ruhama Galato Sibu as our sponsored child from the Manna Sponsorship Program. One of the mottos for this group is--"The Power of One-- One Sponsor, One Child, One Family, One Community."

Ruhama was born on March 10, 1998 and will be 8 this year of 2006. She lives with her parents and four sisters and belongs to the Oromo ethnic group in Awassa, Ethiopia. Ruhama's mother looks after the girls and home while her father, who is a farmer, ekes out a meager income in rather poor land conditions.

Ruhama is in average health, but suffers from malnutrition and with her family suffers severe poverty so the "Birthday Box" gifts that we send to her benefits the whole family.
Ethiopia is situated in East Africa and has a population of approximately 65,000,000. Life expectancy is 44 years, Adult literacy is men 44% and women 33%. Economic activity includes growing coffee beans, obtaining hides and skins, and mining for gold, copper and platinum. An unbelievable number of children die before the age of 1 and double that number before the age of 5. Diarrhea is a major killer with respiratory infections, measles, malnutrition, malaria and TB rampant. The effects of drought and HIV-AIDS have left thousands of children orphaned and homeless.

Grandparents Reading Program

During the school year our grandparent volunteers meet once a week at a local Bowness school to help and encourage about 75 pupils with their reading. The grandmothers have helped several of the same students over the last two years so the difference has been very noticeable. This is such a rewarding program as we have helped these children along their way. Their smiling faces make our day enjoyable.

Christmas Hamper Program

Every year Foothills United Church provides assistance to area families with our Christmas hamper program. We also erect a Mitten Tree in the sanctuary. The mittens, scarves, toques and slippers on the tree become a part of our Christmas hampers.