Outreach

We are so happy to share that Lifeline Christian Mission has successfully moved the packed food, by water, from Port au Prince to Grand Goave (closer to Bondeau).  Thank you for your prayers!  

Pere Phanord has arranged with a transportation company to pick up the food from there Friday; they have a truck large enough to fit all of it.  And so we have another prayer request for this next and final step.

Thank you for your continued prayers for the movement of the Food Packing For Haiti meals transit!

We encourage your to read this account: 

MESSAGE FROM NEW YORK HAITI PROJECT

Here is the progress timeline of our supply of meals: 

March 11 - We all gathered together and with great energy and compassion packed 75,000 meals. Civil unrest continued in Haiti and no shipments were being sent from many NGMO’s because it was unstable/unsafe

May 26 - We received a ‘green light’ from Food for the Poor that shipments were back underway and so we moved the packed food to Food for the Poor’s warehouse

In early June, some parts of Haiti were impacted by flooding and flood relief specific shipments were prioritized

June 23 – Food for the Poor shipped a container which included our packed food, with an anticipated arrival date of June 26

July 17 – The container which included our packed food cleared customs

July 20 – Lifeline Christian Missions transferred the packed food to their warehouse in Port au Prince

Annual Food Packing 2023 hosted by Good Shepherd 

Thanks to months of planning, fundraising, and a grant from Episcopal Charities, 75,000 nutritious meals were packaged for school lunches for the 350 students in Bondeau! Over 422 volunteers packed and organized to make this possible. Thank you Good Shepherd in Tequesta for your leadership and thank you to all the many donors including corporate donors.

Creative NEW Ways to Ship Food After diligently trying for 3 months to ship the packed food to Bondeau, a new alliance has been formed with a similar organization serving the Petit Goave community! They have loaned 30 boxes of their food to bridge the gap until our Food Packing food arrives! Food For The Poor is shipping our food from FL to Port Au Prince but cannot truck it the 3 hours to Bondeau due to gang blockades. SO, our new alliance will take it on a barge around the gangs to Petit Goave where Pere Phanord can safely pick it up! Praise God for the help of partners!

Bondeau has been out of food since the end of January, so in the emergency need, SFHP has also wired money to purchase food as they can from what is safely available in Miragoane. Prices have skyrocketed due to lack of supply. It is not an easy problem to solve. Please pray for continued collaboration, more donors, and new creative ways to meet the basic needs of the children in Bondeau.

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.  

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 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. 

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.  

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)

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. 

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. 

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. 

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!

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)