Help Fight Hunger in Our Community

Food insecurity is on the rise in our community, and local food banks are feeling the strain once again. Recent legislative changes to CalFresh/SNAP have reduced access to food for many immigrants, including certain refugees, asylees, and others with lawful presence. The California Department of social Services (CDSS) estimates that 72,000 CalFresh recipients will lose their monthly food assistance as a result of this change to SNAP eligibility rules. Additional restrictions beginning June 1 will further limit benefits for certain adults, where an additional estimated 600,000 Californians are at risk for losing their benefits. Together, these changes mean that more families may soon find themselves without enough to eat.

Our local mission partners are already seeing the impact. Demand is increasing, resources are stretched, and many families are facing difficult choices about how to put food on the table. In this moment, our church has an opportunity to respond with compassion and care. You can make a difference in several meaningful ways:

VOLUNTEER! Volunteer your time by joining one of our regular workdays with our mission partners.

Love Does: LOPC Work Days at the Food Bank (Concord Warehouse, 4010 Nelson Ave)

• Saturdays, May 16 and June 27, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Help sort, box, and bag food for families in need. A great way to serve, connect, and make a difference. Ages 11+ welcome.

Love Does at Monument Crisis Center Food Distribution Program

• Wednesdays, April 22, May 20, and June 10, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Assist with food distribution; volunteers should be comfortable standing and moving throughout the shift.

To sign up for these opportunities, go to at lopc.org/registrations or email Michelle Browning.

DONATE FOOD! Bring non-perishable items like canned goods, pasta, rice, cereal, and peanut butter. Collection barrels are located between the Ministry Center and the Oak Room, and all donations go directly to local families.

DONATE MONEY! Your financial gifts to our partner organizations, like Monument Crisis Center and the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, help provide food quickly and efficiently to those who need it most.

TAKE ACTION! Sign up for The Food Bank's Advocacy Newsletter to learn how you can end hunger for good; or sign up for Food4All to learn how to ensure that every Californian, regardless of immigration status, has the food they need.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD! Encourage friends and neighbors to get involved and help raise awareness about the growing need in our community.

At a time when many are facing uncertainty, our collective response can be a source of hope. Together, we can ensure that our neighbors are cared for and reminded that they are not alone.

11:11: A Conversation with Food Bank CEO Caitlin Sly

Join us for a special 11:11 with Caitlin Sly, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano on Sunday April 26 at 11:11 am in the Oak Room.

Caitlin will share how the Food Bank is responding – through local food system investments and partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders – to tackle the root causes of hunger. Learn how we can support our neighbors and help build a stronger, more resilient food system. Questions? Contact Michelle Browning.

April 22, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm, at Monument Crisis Center - Love Does: MCC Food Distribution Warehouse Volunteer. Additional workdays on May 20, and June 10. We’re looking for eight volunteers to assist with Monument Crisis Center’s Food Distribution Program. Volunteers should be able to stand for about four hours and move throughout their shift. Thank you for helping our neighbors! Register and more information at lopc.org/registrations.

April 26, 11:11 am - 11:11: A Conversation with Food Bank CEO Caitlin Sly. Join us in the Oak Room as we hear from Caitlin as she shares how the Food Bank is responding to take the root causes of hunger.

May 2, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm - KidsFest at Hope Solutions. Join us for KidsFest, a fun youth service program supporting Hope Solutions in ending homelessness where middle and high school students connect with local kids through games, crafts, and lunch in Concord. Parents and caregivers are welcome too! Go to lopc.org/registrations for more information and to register.

May 16, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - Love Does: LOPC Work Day at the Food Bank. Additional workday on June 27. Come join us and volunteer at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano! By working together (up to 20 of us), we'll sort, box, and bag food to provide for those in our community facing hunger. This is an opportunity to serve those in need while building connections at LOPC. Go to lopc.org/registrations for more information and to register.

May 17 - June 13, Love Does: Trinity Center Clothing and Essentials Drive Drive. LOPC is collecting gently used (or new), clean clothing and essentials, like sleeping bags, blankets, and warm gear, to support Trinity Center’s work with unhoused adults in Contra Costa County. Donation bins will be available in the Ministry Center reception area from May 17–June 13 (weekdays 9:00 am - 5:00 pm or Sunday mornings), with a final drop-off event on Saturday, June 13 from 9:00 - 11:00 am).

Stay engaged with issues that reflect our faith and values! PC(USA) Action Alert emails give you timely updates on policies and legislation affecting communities, social justice, and mission work, along with easy ways to contact your elected officials. Sign up today by clicking HERE.

Feed our Neighbors. Food insecurity is on the rise, and local families need our support. Donate, volunteer, or spread the word to help Monument Crisis Center and the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano provide groceries and emergency aid. Learn more and take action!

Continue the spirit of United in Prayer from wherever you are. In October, our community gathered to support mission partners through reflection and intentional prayer, and you’re invited to join in. Click HERE to access the prayer booklet.

Celebrating a Milestone at Children of Faith

Capturing Easter Week in Guatemala

Easter Week is one of the most vibrant and tradition-filled times in Guatemala. It is also one of the most transformative moments of the year, when learning turns into real-world experience for students at Fotokids.

As the streets fill with thousands of people, Fotokids students navigate dense crowds in search of the perfect angle, working alongside professional photographers and looking for that “perfect shot.” Easter Week is more than a celebration—it is a powerful classroom. It teaches resilience, creativity, and confidence.

Your support makes these moments possible. It gives students the opportunity not only to learn photography, but to tell their stories, preserve their culture, and see new possibilities for their future.

As every year, Fotokids will host their annual photo contest featuring the best images of Guatemalan traditions. We invite you to follow Fotokids on Facebook and vote for your favorite—be part of celebrating these young photographers.

Thank you for being part of their journey.

Watch a recording of Rev. Jorge Bautista's 10:10 presentation on March 24 as he shares his personal story and offers a faith-rooted perspective on immigration, identity, and belonging. His talk invites deeper understanding of why migration happens and how communities of faith can respond with compassion and courage. Click HERE to watch the full recording.

Hear from Margaret Grun Kibben, acting Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives and American Presbyterian minister, on faith-based leadership in challenging times. Her talk, Leading with Faith During Turbulent Times, delivered at LOPC’s Leadership Retreat (1/24/26), shares insights on guiding with courage and conviction in uncertain seasons. Click HERE to watch the full recording.

Learn how caste has shaped Indian society and challenged Christian faith. In Christianity and the Caste System in India, LOPC International Scholar Rev. Joby Joy draws on theological insight and lived experience to explore how Christianity has both confronted and been shaped by the caste system. Click HERE to watch the 2/11/2026 presentation.

May 16, 6:00 - 10:00 pm at Bally Keal Estate - The Food Bank's Nourish Gala 2026. Save the date for The Food Bank’s annual gala, your opportunity to gather with fellow hunger fighters, and celebrate the impact you continue to make for your neighbors facing hunger. More info and tickets HERE.

May 14, 6:00 pm at Lafayette Park Hotel - Trinity Center's Spring Fundraiser. Click HERE to learn more about Trinity Center's special evening celebrating resilience and community while raising vital support for programs that provide safety-net services and pathways toward stability, independence, and wellness for unhoused neighbors.

October 22, 4:00 - 6:00 pm at Pleasant Hill Community Center - STAND!'s 34th Annual Rebuilding Lives. Save the date for STAND!'s annual event held during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, where they lead a variety of awareness raising activities within the community as well as its signature fundraising and award celebration.

Connect with our partner liaisons to learn more about our mission partners:

Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano

Sandy Ducey

Linda Groobin

Monument Crisis Center

Jim Boyd

Hope Solutions

Stephanie Bontemps

STAND! For Families Free of Violence

Steve Crocker

Trinity Center

Jim Olufson

Barb Weikert

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children

Chris Johnson

Children of Faith Missions

Ginny Ross

Congo Mission Team

Herb Long

Fotokids

Marjorie Nicolaisen

Kapnek Trust

Phil Hunter

Pastor Lauren Gully

Pastor for Mission and Outreach

Michelle Browning

Program Manager, Mission