So, what has our Community Service Ministry been up to lately? Several things actually… and with great participation and enthusiasm from many of you!
May 16, 2025 Tornado Response:
We started with an immediate response to the tornado that hit St. Louis on May 16. With help from two other local Unity churches, Unity St. Louis – South and Unity Christ Church, we raised $2,682 which was used to purchase weekly and monthly bus passes for tornado victims. Bus passes were the number one item requested since people were displaced from their homes and often had cars destroyed. Our bus passes helped them get to work and live a more normal life in the midst of the chaos. We worked with a Red Cross designated response organization based at St. Paul AME Church to distribute them. Our contact person was Dr. Marty Casey, who was ever so grateful to us whenever we showed up with more passes. Tornado Response will be ongoing since the need is still there. Any monies donated for this cause will be used to buy more bus passes.
Youth Ed’s Annual School Supply Drive was so successful that we were able to provide 36 backpacks filled with school supplies to students also affected by the May tornado. Amazingly, our Youth Ed teacher Cindy Gibbs, discovered a contact on the local news for the delivery of backpacks, and it turned out to be Dr. Marty Casey! Dr. Marty arranged for students affected by the tornado to receive these backpacks.
Tower Grove Pride Fest! Coming up next month (September 27 and 28), we will once again have a booth at Tower Grove Pride Fest. This will be our third year to participate, and we’re excited to be there and make contact with more people in the community to let them know we’re an inclusive, welcoming spiritual community. Ben Sauter is our Pride Team leader and is doing a great job!
Ongoing Projects:
- Quilters and Crafters Group
- Food Drives for Feed My People
- Mitzi MacDonalds’ Annual Toy Drive
Hope Dodson, Community Service Chair