2022 Lenten Outreach Project
Let's build a Kindergarten!
Our Lenten project for this year is to once again come along side our brothers and sisters in Bondeau, Haiti and the youngest members of the community. For a small handful of years now, the community and school administration have identified a need for a separate kindergarten building on the Bon Samaritan School campus. Our goal is to help underwrite this project.
The total project cost is $65,000. An individual donor has already provided the South Florida Haiti Project with an amazing gift of $25,000 toward the project.
The S. Florida Haiti Project is working with other organizations concurrently to raise the other $25,000 needed for full funding.
Good Shepherd has raised the remaining $15,000. If you wish to help, your donations can still help our project partners with any remaining costs.
How to help
Your participation in the Lenten Outreach Project has an impact on the lives of children today, and for years to come. Thank you for demonstrating love and concern for others.
Project Update
As of April 13, 2022
We are extremely excited to report that as of April 6, thanks to your generosity, we exceeded our original goal with a total to date of $17,810 toward the kindergarten building in Bondeau, Haiti!
If you haven’t contributed to the project yet, it’s not too late! We will be accepting gifts throughout Lent as we stated.
Project partners in our diocese are still working to raise a separate $25,000 to finalize funding for the $65,000 total building cost, so any gifts received will be applied to the construction of a safe and pleasant learning environment for the children of Bondeau.
Time after time, our Good Shepherd family has demonstrated that our love isn’t bound to dates and amounts. In other years, when asked to fund an emergency housing camper for a displaced family, we were able to provide three. When a call came to help our friends in the Bahamas after devastating hurricane Dorian we responded with $30,000 and a truck. This is what we do.
Our Generosity Statement — written with your own words — reminds us of our commitment to love one another and serve others in Christ, by sharing ourselves and our gifts from God. Thank you for living into that, once again, with this important project.
Knowing how to read, write, and do arithmetic can be the difference between an impoverished life and a thriving one. In Haiti, just 61% of people age 15 and over can read and write, meaning almost half of the population lacks access to skilled employment.
South Florida Haiti Project
Outreach Committee
Good Shepherd Outreach Committee meets regularly to plan and budget for many projects and events that support ministry in our parish, locally, regionally, and globally. Stewardship to those in need is a vital component of our ministry in this place of love and concern for others. Love God and each other greatly.
Our next meeting is in April 5, 2022 at 6:30 PM in the library.
Outreach Ministries
These outreach ministries offer support in specific, often time-sensitive projects. There are hands-on opportunities for people of any age or ability to directly impact the life of another.
Food Pantry
The Food Pantry is open to the public on Tuesdays from 11 AM to 2 PM. This is a drive up service. An attendant will greet you at your car. Visit the Food Pantry page for more information.
Gleaning
Gleaning is a food recovery strategy that allows produce that is below market grade or unmarketable, but equally nutritious and beneficial, to be harvested and distributed to the food insecure of Palm Beach and Martin Counties instead of being plowed back into the soil. Good Shepherd works with CROS Ministries to help pick the food for distribution to people who need it through the Palm Beach County Food Bank and other agencies.
Good Shepherd has gleaning events where a group may go together, or you are always welcome to glean as an individual. CROS Ministries provides an information packet.
Hurricane Relief
Anyone who has lived in South Florida know the impact of hurricanes on safety, infrastructure, the economy, and individual lives. When a disaster strikes we often pull resources to help communities in need through parish coordination or at a diocesan or regional level. We have a restricted account that accepts donations toward support of hurricane victims.
Knitting for Seafarers
Good shepherd volunteers knit scarves and hats to be delivered in the fall to mariners -- men and women -- at Port Everglades and Port of Palm Beach before they head into colder climates. Yarn and instructions are available in the parish office. Knitted goods are blessed in church before they are delivered.
Check out the link below to access 23 acceptable knit or crochet patterns and suggestions on what materials to use. (you will need to scroll half way down the page)
Prayer Shawls Ministry
The members of this ministry team prayerfully knit or crochet shawls and lap robes for those among us who are ill, home-bound, or experiencing particularly difficult times. Knitted garments are brought to the church to be blessed before they are distributed. The act of knitting a prayer shawl not only benefits the receiver, but the person knitting is also blessed through generosity of time and talent. There's love in every stitch. Contact the office with a request for information about patterns and supplies and we will connect you with someone who can help.
Lenten Outreach Project
Each year for the six weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter, Good Shepherd takes on a Lenten Outreach project. Every year it is different based on current needs and what is happening in our world.
Manna Bag Ministry
Good Shepherd assembles small bags of non-perishable food items for distribution to people who may be homeless or in dire need of of food with no access to refrigeration. Bags are assembled at Good Shepherd and given out at St. George's in Riviera Beach, our main location during the pandemic. There has been interruption in the meal ministry there and these little bags of food have made a huge difference for many. If you would like to help to assemble items or provide needed contents of the bags, please contact the church office and we will get you in touch with the appropriate person.
Run 4 the Pies
Each year, on Thanksgiving Day, thousands of runners descend on the Village of Tequesta to run 4 miles in the Annual Run 4 the Pies! Good Shepherd assists Palm Beach Roadrunners, along with other community partners, to facilitate race-day activities and collect non-perishable food items for our Food Pantry.
It's that time of year when we are actively planning for the big day. Contact us to volunteer!
Warfield School School Supply Drive
We hold annual collections for school supplies or hygiene kits for students and families of the Warfield School in Indiantown. Each winter and each summer we collect a truckload of supplies for these hard-working and appreciative families.
Assistant Principal Angie Gilbride explains in this brief video what an impact Good Shepherd's support means to the school staff, families, and students. The video first published at our annual outreach fundraiser, Artie's Party. (1:29)
Committed Outreach
Good Shepherd reaches out with assistance to communities locally, regionally, and globally. We are committed to doing Christ's work every day through a range of ministries and partners. These are some of our Outreach partners that we commit to support each budget year:
- El Sol
- Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida
- Episcopal Relief and Development
- Food For the Poor
- Guatemalan Tomorrow Fund
- The Lord's Place
- Our Little Roses
- Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders (SAMS)
- South Florida Haiti Project
- St. George's Center
- St. George's Meal Ministry
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