Yo Ho, Matey! It’s Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Posted on September 19, 2018 by hopecenterhagerstown

Everyone loves a pirate and a lot of us would love to be one. But unless you work at Disney World, talking like a pirate on a regular basis might draw some funny looks. Fortunately for all the wannabe scallywags out there, there are two days out of the year where it’s absolutely ok to be a pirate – and one of those days is today! It’s Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

And the second pirate day, you ask? Well it’s our annual Rock the Run 5K: Pirates vs Princess! One Saturday a year Fairgrounds Park is overrun by pirates, princesses, knights, mermaids, and more running for fun and a great cause.

RTR Pirate Princess

On Saturday, April 27th, 2019, anyone and everyone can dress up, act, and run like a pirate! This is your chance to show your pirate side and raise money for a great cause – helping us combat homelessness and hunger in Hagerstown.

We’re currently in the beginning stages of renovating our kitchen, dining, and pantry areas at The Hope Center. Our kitchen feeds hundreds of men, women, and kids a year. Meals are served to anyone in the community who is hungry – no matter age or housing status. But because of how many people we serve, we need to improve and expand our food services area. With a brand new, up-to-date kitchen, larger dining room and more efficient pantry, we’ll be able to help make sure no one in Hagerstown and the surrounding area are ever without something to eat.

Our sponsors and every person who registers to participate in our Rock the Run 5K: Pirates vs Princess will be a part of helping to feed the hungry in our community.

And who says helping those in need can’t be fun? That’s why we encourage each participant to dress up and invite their family and friends to join them. We even have a 1 mile Kids Fun Run for the smaller buccaneers in your family! From our photo booth, to kids activities, themed music and more, Rock the Run 5K: Pirates vs Princess is a legitimate race for hope with a fun twist.

So go ahead and mark your calendars now! Saturday, April 27th, 2019, at Fairgrounds Park in Hagerstown. For more info about our 5K please visit http://www.rocktherunhagerstown.com.

So to all you scallywags out there surrounded by landlubbers, happy Talk Like a Pirate Day! And we’ll see you and your best Jack Sparrow inspired self at Rock the Run this April!

“We Just Wanted to Help”

Posted on August 13, 2018 by hopecenterhagerstown

Cuteness alert: The Turner kids may just be the sweetest thing in Hagerstown – which is good because they used that sweetness to bake some delicious foods for a bake sale that they recently hosted at their house.

Cassie, age 11, Mae, age 9, Bethany, age 7, and Joshua, age 5, are little entrepreneurs who sold all sorts of homemade mouth-watering treats like chocolate chip cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats, oatmeal cookies, and lemonade.

They invited church friends and neighbors to stop by and support their bake sale. They had 37 customers ranging in age 2 – 96 years old!

But the Turner kids didn’t have a bake sale for personal profit: their goal was to raise money to help others by supporting various agencies in the area, including The Hope Center. So after their bake sale the kids, escorted by their parents, Joe & Katie, stopped by to drop off a check for $22.

“We just wanted to help”, one of the kids said as their mom was saying that they drive by The Hope Center often and felt and just wanted to give to our mission.

We are so thankful for the kind and generous spirit of this family, and especially these four incredible kids. It’s so awesome to see kids getting involved and making a difference in their community by supporting The Hope Center and other organizations in the area. The donation from their bake sale will help to feed people who stop by for food bags or a daily meal, or will help to provide shelter for a homeless man who would be sleeping on the streets. God can take a simple bake sale and use it to save lives and change lives. And how exciting is it to think that when these kids reach Heaven they will see the full extent of how God used lemonade and cookies to further His kingdom and reach people for eternity!

Thank you so much Cassie, Mae, Bethany, and Joshua for your generous heart to help others for Christ! And the next time you have a bake sale we’ll be sure to stop by to taste how sweet helping others truly is!

If you’d like to learn how you can donate and help others just like the Turner kids then please call us at 301.739.1165 or email us at hagerstownrescue@verizon.net. And to get a full scope of the programs and services we provide free-of-charge for our community please visit http://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com.

It’s Finally Time for Some Spring Cleaning!

Posted on May 11, 2018 by hopecenterhagerstown

For a time it seemed like winter would never end! But those April showers helped to bring May flowers and some warmer weather. It’s always such a joy to watch the earth come back to life and to hear all the birds singing and enjoying the warmer temperatures.

And with the arrival of spring comes the annual tradition: spring cleaning. As you start to go through your house, room by room, getting rid of unnecessary items, please keep us in mind! With two Thrift Stores (Hagerstown & Chambersburg), we always welcome your gently used clothing, shoes, furniture, jewelry, housewares, and more. Sales generated in our Thrift Stores help to underwrite the cost of all of our programs and services so that we can continue to provide for our neighbors in need at no cost to them or the taxpayer.

If you are interested in donating various items to The Hope Center, here is some info you should know:

Furniture – accepted at the rear of the Thrift Store (central parking lot off of Church St) from 9AM – 4:30PM Monday – Saturday. Please do not leave items on the dock unattended, especially after business hours.

Furniture Items Accepted– beds (frames, headboards, footboards, mattresses* & box springs), couches, upholstered* chairs, dining tables and chairs, small tables (end tables & coffee tables), desks and chairs and dressers. We also accept rugs, bicycles, exercise equipment, wheelchairs and other handicap equipment.
*We cannot accept mattresses or upholstered furniture that is torn, stained or covered in pet hair.

Clothing & Miscellaneous – items accepted at the rear of the parking lot Monday – Saturday from approximately 8:30AM – 4:30PM (between 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM there is no assistance to unload vehicle. You may still drop off items but if you require assistance please come before or after.) Please do not leave items unattended on the dock after business hours.

Items NOT Accepted– wet/soiled clothing, computers, floor model televisions (we do take flat screen TV’s as long as they work), floor model stereos, office telephones (multiple line phones) refrigerators and freezers, washers and dryers, dishwashers, stoves, sinks and toilets, large wooden or metal desks (office), upright pianos, large organs, cribs & car seats (due to government regulations for resale), waterbed mattresses or frames and used ceiling/electric fixtures.

We accept corrugated cardboard at our Baling Facility Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 11:30AM and 12:30 PM-1:30PM and on Saturday from 8:30AM – 11:30AM.

If you have items to donate that are not listed or you have questions about certain items, please call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net. We do have a truck that can pick-up your items. Each day our truck covers a specific area of town. If you’d like to schedule a pick-up, please call 301.739.1165 to get more details. You can quickly learn more about donating your gently used items here: https://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com/in-kind-gifts

Also, you can get a receipt for tax purposes by making a list of items donated. Please remember to put your name & address on the list!! Your list can be turned in at the Thrift Store or you can get a form to fill out in the Thrift Store. You will receive your tax-deductible receipt by mail in two to three weeks.

Thank you so much for your generous donations to The Hope Center! These items will help families and individuals in your community in many different ways. Go to http://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com to learn more about all the various programs and services we provide to people in need in our area.

The Good Shepherd Ministries: Joining the Fight Against Hunger

Posted on December 2, 2015 by hopecenterhagerstown

We’d like to say a big “thank you” to the awesome people from The Good Shepherd Ministries in Hagerstown!

Recently, The Good Shepherd Ministries hosted a church-wide food drive to benefit The Hope Center.

Andrea Reaves, wife of Assistant Pastor Brad, and grand-daughter of The Hope Center founders Jim & Ellen Resh, organized the food drive for the church.

The church provided approximately 460 pounds of non-perishable food for our food ministry! We are so thankful for their generous donation to help feed the needy in Hagerstown.

Our food program is one of the most vital parts of our entire ministry for our guests. From food bags to multiple free meals throughout the day, our kitchen and pantry is always busy, and sometimes short on necessary items.

Food drives, like the one hosted by The Good Shepherd Ministries, are an important resource for our ministry. When you feed hundreds of people a week while also providing families with bags of groceries to supplement their own pantries, you can go through a lot of food. Food drives ensure that our pantry is always stocked and ready to meet the needs of our community.

Since everything we do at The Hope Center is free, and free from any tax money, we rely heavily on the generous support from churches, individuals, civic clubs, Scout programs and more to help keep our facility open, operational and free for anyone who is in need.

Thank you again to The Good Shepherd Ministries for partnering with us to help combat hunger in Hagerstown. If you’re currently looking for a church to attend, visit The Good Shepherd Ministries. For more info about this great body of Believers, go to http://www.mytgsm.com.

If you would like to host a food drive to benefit The Hope Center but just aren’t quite sure how to do so, contact us and we’ll gladly help you out. Call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

And don’t forget that in April our 2nd Annual Rock the Run: A Race for Hope is taking place at Fairgrounds Park. On Saturday April 23rd, join fellow runners, joggers & walkers as we hit the streets to raise support and awareness for homelessness and hunger in Hagerstown. It’s a simple and fun way to make a difference in the community and help neighbors in need. Go to http://www.rocktherunhagerstown.com to learn more.

It’s Time for Turkey!

Posted on November 27, 2013 by hopecenterhagerstown

It’s almost Thanksgiving!

The turkey’s been cooked, the stuffing is prepped, and the tables are set up. We’re ready for a wonderful day tomorrow of food, fellowship and fun.

Here are some pics of the various people who have helped us get ready for the big feast. We want to thank all our staff, residents & volunteers who have given so much time and energy making sure Thanksgiving is ready for all our guests.

If you, or someone you know, are still unsure of how you’re going to celebrate, then why not join our family? Thanksgiving festivities start at 11:30am at the Trinity Center* with kids’ activities beginning at 11am. Our buffet is free for anyone & everyone so invite your family, friends & neighbors.

*The Trinity Center is located next to our Thrift Store on Walnut Street in Hagerstown. There is plenty of parking in our central lot off of Church Street between Walnut & Prospect Streets.

Celebrate National Coffee Day!

Posted on September 27, 2013 by hopecenterhagerstown

Coffee is probably the most important part of everyone’s breakfast routine. We all need a good cup of joe to jolt the brain awake and prepare us for the stresses and happiness of each new day.

On September 29th, America is celebrating our most beloved hot beverage! Stores and businesses across the country are offering free cups of coffee or special coupons to celebrate the day.

A coffee lover comes in many different shapes & sizes. We hail from the Northeast to the Southwest and even places like Alaska & Hawaii. Coffee lovers come from all social backgrounds and are all ages. Pretty much, everyone is a coffee lover.

As you enjoy your morning brew or celebrate with an afternoon latte, remember that not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a hot cup of coffee each day. There are people who have fallen on hard times and don’t have the resources to drink a cup of coffee each day.

Join us in helping to restore hope to these people by starting with a cup of coffee. It may sound silly, but a cup of joe can help break down barriers and be the first step to building a relationship that could change a life forever!

At The Hope Center, we go through a lot of coffee. From our residents, to our transient guests, to our daily meal guests, to our weekly Koffee Klatch ladies group, there is a lot of coffee consumed. And all that coffee consumption can quickly add up.

Our pantry runs low on essentials, like coffee & sugar, quite often. So why not help celebrate National Coffee Day by grabbing a cup for yourself and a container of coffee for those in need?

This weekend as you go to your favorite grocery store, pick up an extra can or jug of coffee for The Hope Center. Something as small as a can of coffee can go along way. By supplying us with coffee, you allow us to use our resources for other programs & ministries to help reach people in need for Christ.

Money that would be spent purchasing coffee & sugar can go towards helping men break from their addictions that have destroyed their lives. This money can go towards providing comfortable beds and warm blankets for the homeless during the cold winter months. There are so many ways that your coffee donation can actually help make a difference in our city.

But the most important way that your coffee donation can make a difference is that someone who feels lost, desperate and alone knows that there are caring, loving people in this world and there is a great, loving and compassionate God who wants the best for them.

Restoring hope and changing lives is too big for humans. It’s a God-sized task. He just asks that we show His love so He can rescue lives.

And love can come in all forms, even a cup of coffee.

If you would like to donate coffee or get involved on a regular basis at The Hope Center, please call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

To drop off coffee & sugar donations, please stop by our Administrative Office, Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm. If you need to arrange another time, please call us at 301.739.1165.

If your church, Sunday School class, youth group, civic organization, Boy/Girl Scout troop, business or any other group would like to host a Coffee & Sugar Drive, please contact us for details. This is a wonderful way for the community to pull together to help make a difference.

Thank you for caring & sharing! Your support helps tremendously!

For more info on The Hope Center, please go to www.hagerstownrescue.org.

The Hope Center of Hagerstown

Confronting Homelessness, Addiction, and Hunger in the name of Christ

Tag Archives: needy families