| The Heifer Project ("Helping Hungry Families Feed Themselves") |
| During the Christmas season families may purchase poinsettias for the Sanctuary. They may also choose to donate to the Heifer Project which is part of our international outreach. Heifer's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty. With gifts of livestock and training, families improve their nutrition and generate income.
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| Habitat for Humanity |
| Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity aims to provide affordable home ownership for low-income families right in our own community. Prospective homeowners contribute 400 hours of labor on their Habitat home. During the Easter season we may purchase flowers for the sanctuary and /or purchase Habitat for Humanity shares to help provide building materials and other items for these homes. These gifts stay in our local area to assist in creating decent, safe housing.
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| Opportunity House |
| Reading Berks Opportunity House (formally Reading Berks Emergency Shelter) provides temporary housing to families, men, women, and children and offers programs to help people get back on their feet. Our congregation prepares and serves the shelter's evening meal every second Friday of the month. St. Paul's, along with other faith-based and secular organizations, volunteer to ensure a meal is prepared 365 days of the year.
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| St. Paul's Food Pantry |
| We distribute food received from the Greater Berks Food Bank as well as other generous sources to needy families in our community. On average, we serve 70 families. Our faithful food pantry volunteers, lead by Shannon Simpson, give of their time each month to unload the delivery truck, unpack, sort, and fill large box's over flowing with food to give to families in need. Food Pantry can always use a hand.
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| Society of St. Andrew |
| Since 1983, the Society of St. Andrew has salvaged fresh, nutritious produce from American farms - produce that otherwise would be left to rot - and delivered it to agencies across the nation that serve the poor. Members of St. Paul's have participated in apple gleaning at an orchard in Lebanon County, PA. Some of the apples were given to local food banks and some were brought back for St. Paul's Food Pantry.
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| Lifewater International |
| Lifewater International is a Christian not-for-profit development organization that believes all people should have safe water for life. With a focus on sustainability, Lifewater helps communities gain safe water, adequate sanitation, effective hygiene, and the skills they need to pass on these resources to future generations.
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| Wycliffe Bible Translators |
| Borrowing the name of the Reformation hero, John Wycliffe, who first translated the Bible into English, Wycliffe was founded in 1942 by William Cameron Townsend in order that every man, woman and child should be able to read God's Word in their own language. To date, Wycliffe has played a part in completing more than 700 Scripture translations.
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| Nu-Vizion United Church of Christ |
| Nu-Vision is a scrappy new church that emerged to minister to the needy in downtown Toledo, Ohio. It is a multi-ethnic ministry that seeks to bring hope to a broken world and to care for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. Nu-Vizion is on Facebook.
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| The United Church of Christ |
As a member of the United Church of Christ, St. Paul's members are given the opportunity to give through their church to the following denominational funds:
Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) basic support
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) humanitarian relief overseas
Neighbors in Need (NIN) justice and compassion ministries in the United States
Strengthen the Church funding new church starts and invigorating existing ones
The Christmas Fund supporting retired UCC clergy
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| Pop Tabs |
| Soda tabs benefit the Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for families of critically ill Children receiving treatment at local hospitals. It operates two houses in Philadelphia serving a total of 60 families each night. To date, the Ronald McDonald House has collected over 168 tons of tabs, which has translated into more than $135,000.
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| New/Gently Used Shoes |
| Shoes are collected for Soles4Souls which distributes the shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 10 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes. The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.
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| Toiletries |
| Toiletries are collected and given to Opportunity House. Opportunity House is a multi-service organization that improves the quality of life for children, families and adults who face various obstacles to independence, and supports their efforts to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and well-being.
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| Coats for Kids |
| Gently used coats (for all ages) are collected for the Salvation Army. These coats are professionally cleaned and then donated to those in need in Berks County.
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| Children's Clothing |
| Gently used children's clothing (infant to size 14) is collected at St. Paul's for distribution in the fall and spring to families in need.
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| Cell Phones for Soldiers & Berks Women in Crisis |
| Used cell phones benefit Cell Phones for Soldiers and Berks Women in Crisis. Berks Women in Crisis' mission is to provide supportive services to victims and to eliminate domestic and sexual violence in Berks County. It collects cell phones for refurbishing and recycling and provides a cell phone to its clients.
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| Various Items |
| Each December the church's wish tree is filled with dozens of tags. These tags list gift suggestions for the children and grandchildren of our food pantry recipients. The gifts are purchased and wrapped by the parishioners, brought to church and then separated into family bags. These bags are picked up by each family the Saturday before Christmas. St. Paul's congregation shares the warm feeling knowing there will be a smile on the children's faces on Christmas Day.
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| Cancelled Postage Stamps |
| Cancelled stamps are collected for the various goodwill projects of the Order of the Eastern Star.
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