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Let’s talk about treasure - ShopRite Cards
You have probably noticed intermittent requests for ShopRite cards or the funds to purchase ShopRite cards in The Buzz and recently in Mission Monday. Take a few minutes to read this note to further understand the ShopRite card process at BBPC.
There are two important bodies at BBPC that distribute ShopRite cards – the Deacons and the Mission Commission.
The Deacons maintain a number of $25 ShopRite cards at the church office for distribution as needed to people who come to the church seeking assistance. The needed assistance may be far greater than a $25 ShopRite card and, when that is the case, the Deacons become involved in financial problem-solving efforts that can range anywhere from assisting with a utility bill, a medical bill or rent for a month or two. More about that in a later article. But, as to the ShopRite cards themselves, typically they are distributed by the administrative assistant or pastor who is present when the person comes to the church. Not surprisingly, people in the community occasionally learn of the availability of these cards and, in an effort to make them available to as large a group of people as possible, one is typically given to a particular individual only every 6 months. It is through the occasional Deacons’ Fund fundraisers, that the money for these cards is raised. An effort is made to also inform people who come to the church for ShopRite cards about the Food Pantry on Sundays in order to further assist in their food insecurity. A slip of paper with detailed information about the Food Pantry and how it works is given to each recipient of a ShopRite card. When one stops and thinks about
how little $25 buys today, it is understandable why the Food Pantry would be a valuable additional lifeline to the food insecure in our community.
The other body at BBPC that distributes ShopRite cards, the Mission Commission, does so differently. Through contributions by church members, two organizations, near and dear to BBPC, are given ShopRite cards for distribution to their recipients. The organizations are HOME (the organization through which we house and feed homeless families in the Cave every few months) and Casa de Esperanza (the organization down the street from the church that provides legal, educational and social services to immigrants in the community). Many of us know Joyce Phipps who runs Casa de Esperanza and her daily meditation which some of us receive and value. She is a lawyer by education and operates Casa de Esperanza. Every week four $25 ShopRite cards are given to Home and 6 $25 ShopRite cards are given to Casa de Esperanza. Decisions regarding their distribution to recipients are totally in the discretion of the two organizations. It is this need that is intermittently the request for money or cards in The Buzz or Mission Monday.
Both routes of delivering ShopRite cards satisfy the deep need in our community for financial assistance, particularly for life-sustaining food. Through the Deacons’ Fund, it is a direct contribution to an individual. Through the Mission Commission, it is to our partner organizations for their direct contribution to the recognized needy in their midst.
One last point – when cash, rather than cards, are contributed, BBPC is able to purchase the cards at a 5% discount rate. Ways to go BBPC as our contributions make differences in the lives of the needy among us!
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