Now that Autumn is just around the corner, there are many activities taking place at the Hope Center. Now is the time to mark your calendars and join us in reaching our community.

Foundations Graduation

This week we will be celebrating another graduation from our Foundations program. It’s always great to see men complete the 13-month program and begin to transition back into their lives stronger and with a new outlook and purpose in life. These men work hard to get to this point in their life renewal so it’s always a priviledge to share this event with them. If you would like to be a part of the celebration and see how God is working at the Hope Center, please join us this Friday at 2pm in the Chapel at the Hope Center. There will be a reception following the service. Congrats to our graduates!

Wildside Is Back!!

The arrival of Fall also means Wildside Kids activities are back in full swing! Wildside’s B2S (Back to School) Party will be the first action-packed event hosted by Wildside this year. Join us in the Trinity Center (Walnut St next to the Thrift Store) from 4:30-6:30pm. We’re gonna have some good food, play some games, hand out some prizes, and have tons of fun! Come dressed in blue or pink for a chance to win a prize.  Also, look for the five hidden tickets when you arrive.  If you find one, you will win a prize! This event is FREE for any kid ages 5-11.

If you would like to sign your kid up or know someone that would love to be a part of this then be sure to call Wildside at 301.739.1165. If you would like to volunteer at this or other Wildside events, please call Fran at 301.739.1165 for more info.

And remember, you can always check out all the Wildside fun at www.wildsidekids.com or at their facebook page.

Thanksgiving Day Festivities

I know, it seems like just yesterday you were swimming, eating hot dogs and enjoying fireworks on the 4th of July but I hate to tell you that the holiday season will be here before you know it! That means that we have already begun taking applications for people interested in helping with our ‘Great Hagerstown Thanksgiving Feast’. If you, your family & friends, civic group, co-workers or church would like to find out how you can get involved that day, please call us at 301.739.1165.

We are looking for people to help serve food, interact with our guests, set up and clean up. If you are unavailable on Thanksgiving, we do always need prep help the day before. There are many ways that you can be involved so pick up the phone or shoot us an email and we’ll take it from there. Remember, space is limited so if you really feel the desire to serve, contact us immediately.

The ‘Great Hagerstown Thanksgiving Feast’ begins at 11:30am on Thanksgiving Day in the Trinity Center. Children’s activities, sponsored by Wildside, begin at 11am.

Food Drives

A food drive is one of the most important ways to get involved with helping your neighbors. Our pantry relies heavily on individuals and groups collecting and donating food. We serve a large number of people in our community every day of the year and we also provide food bags for families in need.

With rising costs all over the place, food donations are a simple way to help keep our costs down so we can continue to help others. If you have a school, church, office or civic group that would be interested in taking part in a food drive, please contact Becky Shank at 301.739.1165 for more info on how to begin the process. And if you don’t have any way of actually doing a food drive but you’d love to donate food items, please don’t hesitate to grab a couple extra things at your next trip to the supermarket. Just drop your donations off at our Administrative Office between 8:15am and 5pm Monday through Friday. Below is a list of pantry items needed:

• 14-16 oz jars of peanut butter
• Spaghetti noodles
• Spaghetti sauce
• Ketchup
• Any tomato products (diced, whole, stewed, sauce, etc.)
• Oatmeal
• Boxes of cereal
• Sugar
• Non-dairy coffee creamer

These are just a couple of the ways that you can get involved this Fall at the Hope Center. Tell your friends, family or really anyone about how they can play a part in bringing hope to their community! If you have any questions, please call us at 301.739.1165 or email us at hagerstownrescue@verizon.net. We hope to see you around the Hope Center this Fall!