Outreach

Backpack Drive

The response to the 2025 backpack drive for students in underserved communities has been outstanding. As a few days remain as of the time of this writing, a final count is not yet available, but will be reported in the next edition of The Piper. The backpacks will be distributed by The Bridge Academy charity in Coatesville. Thank you to all who have contributed to this very important cause!

Coventry Food Bank

PLEASE HELP!! This is an appeal on behalf of the Coventry Food Pantry. Many thanks to the parishioners who have contributed to the Food Pantry this summer. They are servicing over 100 families within the OJR school district. And their shelves are BARE (except for soup and canned veggies).

If you are looking for suggestions on what they need, why not donate:

• Pasta and sauce (or even canned pasta)

• Side dishes

• Baked beans

• Canned fruit

• Canned meats

• Cereal

• Personal hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, paper products, feminine products, baby products, etc.)

They are also collecting SCHOOL SUPPLIES for approximately 75 OJR kids (not backpacks, but all other supplies). If you are doing back-to-school shopping, maybe take advantage of those sales and toss in some crayons, glue sticks, notebook paper, notebooks, markers, post-it notes… whatever is on your kids’ lists is what these kids will also need. However, school supplies are needed by the second week in August so the bags can be sorted and delivered to the kids in advance of school. On a final note, if you have extra of those reusable bags, they would love to take some off of your hands to help with packing up items for pick-up. Donations can be dropped off at the church or at the West Vincent Township building to the right of the window in their  lobby.

Good Works Day

Good Works is a Christian organization, based in Coatesville, that repairs homes for needy residents. Local churches often sponsor a Saturday work day, where a team donates their time and skills (from small to large) to effect repairs. At this point, we are trying to gauge whether or not there is sufficient interest in assembling a St. Andrew’s work party for a Fall Saturday. If you are interested in participating, please contact myself at dougpratt@verizon.net, or John Eblacker at johne56@aol.com.