UPCOMING MEMBERSHIP MEETING:

MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS ARE HELD ON ZOOM UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:

Regular Membership Meeting

Membership Meeting March 20, 2025 6 PM

Contact Patty Rose pattyrose@pcclc.org or (253) 219-6955 to receive the Zoom link

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITY & Current Information

A CALL TO ACTION!!!!!

APRI-Tacoma Climate Environment

Community Assembly

Community Assembly Project workspace

Next meeting date: Saturday, March 20, 2025

We will be meeting every 4th Saturday 

Time: 10-12 Noon
Location: Elijah Barrel Food & Resource Market

Greater Heights Church 4819 S. 12th St, Tacoma, WA 98405

Our Work:

• Refining food resource tools

• Web version of the food tool

• Planning a community-owned food truck

Unhoused community members’ support services

Unhoused Community Members’ Support Services is an initiative designed to provide nutritious and warm meals to individuals experiencing homelessness in the local area. This program aims to bring together community members and organizations to offer not only food but also a sense of belonging and support to those in need. By fostering a welcoming environment, the unhoused community service support is a vital resource for promoting health, dignity, and community connection among participants.

APRI-Tacoma, along with Elijah Barrel Food & Resource Market, Greater Heights COGIC, and our dedicated community friends, works collaboratively to provide meals and essential resources to the un-housed individuals in our local community. We are currently serving these meals on the 1st and 4th Sunday of every month at 3 PM, held at Fireman’s Park, located at 820 A Street in Tacoma, WA. In addition to our meal services, our current project focuses on collecting winter clothing, along with snacks and other non-perishable items to ensure that those in need are adequately supported during the colder months..

Community Engagement Report:

The APRI-Tacoma/Elijah Barrel Free Outdoor Food & Resource Market's February 2023 report has been released and outlines the work that the initiative did during the month. This initiative, which is an APRI-Tacoma sponsored activity, operates monthly on the fourth Saturday and involves distributing groceries and other items to the unhoused.

For the report period, 144 bags and boxes of groceries were distributed along with 30 rack trays of assorted breads and baked goods. This is estimated to provide 73 families with essential groceries delivered right to their doorsteps or other living spaces.

The report also details that 92 hot meals were provided to the unhoused at church services on the first and fourth Sundays, providing nourishment and comfort between 3 pm and 5 pm.

In a move to strengthen efforts to help support climate change efforts, the report points out that two pieces of household furniture were repurposed and reused, giving them a new life for those in need and reducing the number of items added to landfills.

The report also highlights that 125 people were provided with clothing, shoes, hats, gloves, coats, blankets, and socks and that three voters were registered or updated. This last action contributes to civic engagement in the community.

Finally, the report points out that the outreach efforts of this activity reached many segments of the community. These included the African Diaspora, Russian and Ukrainian communities, Living Word Church, the unhoused community, the South Korean community, and the TCC Black Student Union Foodbank.

Youth Connection -Senior Support

Current Project: Community service hours are offered at our various events, encouraging participation.

Re-purposing & Reuse: We are in the process of setting up virtual instructional videos that teach participants how to safely use various tools, promoting both safety and skill development.

Additionally, we have ongoing projects aimed at engaging youth within our community. These young individuals create handmade items that are gifted to seniors throughout the year, particularly recognizing them during special occasions and holidays. Youth also play a vital role in assisting with voter registration and education efforts, ensuring informed participation in the democratic process.

Upcoming Community Assembly: We are organizing a free Food and Resources Market, aimed at providing essential supplies to those in need.

Assist at the Green Thumb Community Garden: Volunteers support the community garden, helping to cultivate a space for growing healthy food.

Support Seniors with IT Issues: We also offer assistance to seniors facing challenges with technology, ensuring they can navigate digital devices with ease.