Learn about New Journey’s Social Ministry.
Food for Kidz – March 15, 2018
New Journey Lutheran, Church of the Ascension (Catholic), and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran co-sponsor Food for Kidz, bringing together hundreds of volunteers from across the community to pack over 80,000 fortified meals each year. This is the eighth year that volunteers in Fountain Hills have participated in the project with a total of 400,000 meals packed in the past seven years.
Meals are distributed by various groups that feed the hungry, including the Extended Hands Food Bank in Fountain Hills; the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Ariz.; Grace in the City outreach in Phoenix; and AZ Brainfood. In addition, the international relief organization sends meals to West Africa.
Native American Urban Ministry (NAUM)
New Journey Lutheran supports NAUM by worshiping together, engaging in youth activities, and providing clothing and furniture for individuals transitioning from homelessness into housing. In addition, meals packed during the annual Food for Kidz event are distributed by NAUM.
Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM)
New Journey supports NELM at Rock Point, Arizona, by donating funds for school supplies and for families. New Journey is a sponsor of the NELM basketball team, donating money for the purchase of uniforms and shoes for the team. NELM receives meals assembled by the Food For Kidz food pack.
Make A Difference Day
New Journey Lutheran participates in the Fountain Hills Make a Difference Day, serving neighbors in need. Volunteers from the faith community and other organizations assist residents by weeding and raking yards, cleaning and organizing garages, and building wheelchair ramps for home-bound residents.
Heat Respite – Grace Lutheran Church, Phoenix
During the hot summer months, New Journey members and friends make, deliver, and serve sack lunches for homeless individuals who come for heat respite at Grace Lutheran Church in central Phoenix.
Native American Connections (NAC)
New Journey provides quilts and toiletries to Native American Connections. NAC’s mission is improving the lives of individuals and families through Native American culturally appropriate behavioral health, affordable housing, and community development services. NAC owns and operates 18 sites throughout Central Phoenix offering a continuum of affordable housing and behavioral health services which touch the lives of over 6,000 individuals and families each year.
ELCA Good Gifts
Throughout the year, New Journey donates to ELCA Good Gifts. This last Christmas, we provided money to buy goats to support the sustainable development ministries of ELCA World Hunger and mosquito nets to protect families in Africa from malaria.
Turkey Donations
New Journey Lutheran collected money to purchase 97 turkeys to accompany the Thanksgiving meals given out by Mount of Olives Lutheran, Phoenix. There was $4,500 donated from the Grand Canyon Synod Northeast Conference. Six of the nine ELCA congregations in the Northeast Valley conference of the Grand Canyon Synod donated money for turkeys.