Your Donations Provide a Much-Needed Freezer for Put Your Hands Together (PYHT) Food Outreach Ministry

This past Thursday, an LCC staff member was able to deliver a check to pay in full for the new freezer for the Put Your Hands Together (PYHT) Food Outreach Ministry of Immanuel, Hillside. In the early months of 2020, as the Covid pandemic was rapidly plaguing our country, Immanuel Hillside’s Food Pantry saw a huge increase of people. People who had lost their jobs were flocking to the food pantry to be able to feed their families.
 
A few months later, LCC received a request from Jayne Siou, the Director of the PYHT, asking if we could help distribute the food they had received. Through these food donations over the last four years, God provided food supplies to our congregations who could not afford to order from the Illinois Food Pantry or the Chicago Food Depository.
 
PYHT serves 43 congregations or ministries of the Northern Illinois District who can receive free food for their ministries. In addition, the Food Pantry at Immanuel Hillside once a month serves 125 families. Every Friday, 45 families receive boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat, bakery, canned and shelf staple foods, beverages, and personal care products.
 
In June, PYHT will be celebrating its 4th year of service. Their greatest need is to have a building on the property of Immanuel Hillside to house the food pantry. Every Friday and Saturday, the Food Distribution and Pantry occupies the narthex, school hallway, some of the school classrooms, the basement where a freezer and refrigerator are stored, the courtyard, and two entrances to the church. Each Friday and Saturday, the pantry has to be set up and taken down so the church and school can function on Sunday through Friday.
 
The school and church would like to use the facility again this fall. The congregation has the site location and the plans for the food pantry. Jayne has been writing and submitting grant proposals to build and furnish the pantry.
 
Please pray that according to God’s will, He opens the doors and provides the funding for a facility to house PYHT Food Distribution and Pantry; this vital ministry can continue to bless so many people in their community and our congregations.

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