God's Work. Our Hands

God’s work. Our hands. Sunday is September 13, 2020. This day is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.
Service activities offer an opportunity for us to explore one of our most basic convictions as Lutherans: that all of life in Jesus Christ – every act of service, in every daily calling, in every corner of life – flows freely from a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.
You may have wondered if CGS is doing something for GWOH this year during the time of COVID-19. The answer is YES! Although we won't be able to gather together in the Great Hall to pack food, we will still be able to get food to those in need during this time. And this year we will celebrate GWOH for the entire month of September.
 
We are doing a Virtual Food Drive with Second Harvest Food bank. Traditional food drives have been put on hold for the time being, but the need for food is greater than ever. Last year traditional and virtual food drives created nearly 30 million meals. Second Harvest is currently providing free food for 500,000 people a month, which is more than DOUBLE what they were doing prior to the pandemic.
 
Did you know:

• Nearly 1 in 10 people in Silicon Valley receives some of their food from Second Harvest. This includes tens of thousands of children and seniors who rely on Second Harvest to get the nutritious food they need to thrive.
• Second Harvest of Silicon Valley was one of the first food banks in the country to adopt a Healthy Food and Beverage Policy to increase the amount of nutrient-rich foods we provide to the people we serve, and decrease unhealthy items like candy and beverages that contain sugar.
• With a $1 donation, Second Harvest can source the equivalent of $3 worth of food from a local grocery store.
• Every $1 donated helps provide two nutritious meals.
• 95 cents of every dollar donated goes to programs.
• For more than a decade, Second Harvest has received Charity Navigator’s annual four-star rating for financial stability, accountability and transparency – exceeding industry standards.

 
You can find the portal for our virtual food drive here: http://fundraise.shfb.org/goto/cgslc
 
Thank you for living out the mission of CGS - to Proclaim God's Word and Love, and to Serve One Another and the World - through this food drive that will help feed our community in this incredible time of need.