Over the summer 10 St. John’s members have been busy helping children in the community through the Mustard Seed Project. As you may know, through the Project, each participant was given $100 to help an at-risk child, or children, in the Houston community. Here is what participants have been doing all summer:
Michael and Felicity Bisase: After volunteering at Shearn Elementary and seeing a need to help impoverished students, the Bisases put their Mustard Seed money towards buying school supplies. At the school 73% of the students are Hispanic and 23% are black. Sixty-four percent of them are limited in their English proficiency, and 95% of them are economically disadvantaged. Of the total schoolpopulation (466) 87% qualify for the free lunch program. Donations will help offset start-of-school costs. The Bisases also are collecting socks for students at Small Steps Nurturing Center. Small Steps is a non-profit organization that provides social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth of economically at-risk children in Houston’s inner city.
Jennifer Durand: Jennifer is working with an adoption advocate at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church to provide "My Stuff" bags to children who are picked up from abusive homes and placed in foster homes by Child Protective Services. The bags contain stuffed animals, blankets, hygiene products, beauty items (for girls), and a moving checklist. Donations will be used to help ease stress caused by the abrupt changes in environment.
Jennifer also has collected clothing, hygiene products, baby items, and furniture for the Covenant House, a shelter for run-away youth.
Kay Greer: When it came to the Mustard Seed Project, Kay really took the bull by the horns. She recently donated more than 400 children’s books to Small Steps Nurturing Center. The school’s teachers will deliver them to students on their first home visit just before the fall semester begins. According to Kay, 12 people, including six people from St. John’s, donated money or books. Also, she purchased clothing for a boy who will be entering pre-kindergarten. Finally, as if Kay hasn’t stretched the dollar enough, she is in the process of collecting school supplies for Braes Interfaith Ministries.
Ann Hardy: Through her volunteer efforts at Small Steps Nurturing Center, Ann met and got to know "Roberto," a troubled youth who has had problems in school. As a result, Ann used the grant money to provide aptitude testing for Roberto.
Kathie Hartzog: Kathie elected to help students at Shearn Elementary School by supplying them with school uniforms. The donations will ease the economic impact of children and parents in the community by providing students the proper attire that is required of them by the Houston Independent School District.
Lynne Parson: To ease the impact of moving away from an abusive environment and into a homeless shelter, Lynne is making care bags for children. The bags will contain personal hygiene products, a stuffed animal, paper and crayons (or colored pencils, sharpies, etc.) and a book mark with a Bible verse on it.
Mary Sterner: Having a friend at Morton Ranch Elementary School, Mary decided to provide students with $5 gift cards from a book re-sale shop so each child could pick out and purchase his own book. (The gift cards were part of a take-home reading bag for students.) Morton Ranch is a Title 1 school in Katy, TX, where many of its students speak English as a Second Language and have few books at home.
Mark and Shannon DeSouza: With the DeSouza family heavily involved at BIM, it seemed fitting that Mark and Shannon donated a table, chairs, and games to the center for children whose parents are seeking assistance at the food pantry. BIM supplies food and clothing assistance, as well as employment counseling, to people in need. With this donation, children will have activities to do when accompanying their parents to BIM.
Mustard Seed Project Update
