Stories of Change

Youth participants at the United Church of Christ Great Lakes and Western Regional Youth Event

Youth Make a Difference in Combating Period Poverty

In July, the United Church of Christ (UCC) Great Lakes and Western Regional Youth Event, held at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, showcased the power of youth activism and community service. In collaboration with Church World Service, over 200 youth from the West Regional Conference and the Great Lakes Conference came together for a special project aimed at combating period poverty and supporting local unhoused youth.

“We are so excited that the youth could gather this year to learn about sharing with others. Our theme is ‘Love is greater than fear’ and our hope is the youth will leave being inspired to make the world a better place,” said Samantha Barrett, one of the organizers of the UCC Regional Youth Gathering.

The highlight of the event was the assembly of 500 CWS Period Packs. This initiative was a part of a broader focus to end period poverty and ensure that menstrual hygiene products are accessible to those in need. These efforts were a testament to the commitment of UCC youth to making a tangible difference in their communities and beyond.

Rachel Kessel, CWS’ Community Engagement Specialist, was amazed by the energy of the youth and their dedication to social justice. “I was inspired by their dedication and giving spirits of the committed youth. They had so much fun with this project, and they really knew that they were making a difference with the local and global communities.”

In addition to the period packs, another group of dedicated youth assembled Unhoused Kits for The Project, a local agency dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth in the Quad City area. Many of these youth experience homelessness and a lack of mental health and other essential services. The UCC youth successfully donated 250 CWS Period Packs, 60 CWS Blankets and 250 Unhoused Kits to The Project, providing much-needed support for these vulnerable individuals.

The remaining 250 CWS Period Packs will be distributed by CWS to other agencies and in emergency situations, ensuring that the benefits of this initiative extend even further.

Jon Skogen, CWS’ Community Engagement Manager, understands the importance of teaching young people about caring for their community. “I was encouraged that the youth were willing to help with whatever was needed—including assembling of the Kits, moving of the boxes and loading of the cars. I was so impressed with how they were being serious and having fun at the same time. They love helping other people!”

This collaborative effort between CWS and the UCC youth not only addressed critical issues but also demonstrated the power of young people to effect positive change. Their dedication and hard work are an inspiration to all, highlighting the importance of community and service.

“This project was only possible because of our partnership with the United Church of Christ and other generous denominations and donors. These amazing partners make an impact around the world. CWS loves working with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds and it is so important to our mission. I hope we inspired these youth to continue to support community service projects for many more years to come,” said David Costellow, CWS’ Community Engagement Manager.

CWS is grateful to the generous donors who make this important work possible. Your support is crucial in enabling us to partner with other groups for these impactful projects and to bring hope to those in need.

To learn more and get involved in the CWS Kits program, visit our website.

Finding Hope After Disaster Strikes


July 22, 2024

On July 7, 2024, Hurricane Beryl struck the Texas coast as a Category 1 hurricane, bringing heavy rains, high winds and widespread power outages that left over two million people in the dark. Flood warnings were posted along the coast, and high winds and water caused widespread damage and debris for millions. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, CWS …

Stories of Change

Top: NC FIELD staff Middle and Bottom: CWS Blanket and Welcome Backpack distribution

Caring for Those Who Take Care of Us

If you open your fridge and find any type of vegetation, there is a good chance it was produced by a migrant farmworker. These hard-working men and women make up about 73% of the nation’s agriculture workforce and quietly ensure that anyone living in the U.S. has fresh food to put on the table. While they take care of all of us, however, oftentimes there is no one taking care of them.

This is where our partnership with organizations like NC FIELD comes into play. NC FIELD’s mission is simple: to ensure that marginalized communities have equitable access to resources and that the communities they live in are inclusive. “In this area, the people who are in most need of services are migrant farmworkers because they have the lowest access to health and social services,” explained Amy Elkins, program coordinator for NC FIELD.

Amy, who has been around this community since she was a child, explained the harsh reality that these individuals live in. “They usually leave for work around 4:00 AM and then are back home around midnight to 1:00 AM. They sleep for a couple of hours, take a shower, eat and then they’re up again at 4:00 AM. It’s very long hours and very hard work.”

These work conditions are even harder when temperatures drop in North Carolina and families don’t have enough blankets to stay warm when they are home. To combat this, NC FIELD reached out to CWS to request some CWS Blankets. As soon as the farm workers arrived from a long day of work, NC FIELD staff was there to hand out CWS warm wool blankets. “They had just arrived and were freezing. They literally didn’t even have coats. They were so grateful and so happy,” Amy recounted. “Just look at their big smiles in the photos!”

In addition to the blankets, CWS also gave NC Field CWS School Kits to the children in these families. When you are working so many long hours and just trying to stay afloat, the last thing on your mind is a quick run to the store for school supplies. “They’re in survival mode,” Amy stated. “We also have a lot of single mothers so these supplies were a huge help.” She added, “It’s so heartwarming to be able to help because there is so much scarcity. When these kids are able to have these school bags and supplies and not have to struggle, it makes them happier.”

At the end of the day, without organizations like NC FIELD and the volunteers who help create and organize our Kits and Blankets, the needs of some of our hardest-working neighbors would not be met. As Amy said, “They are putting food on our tables, but they don’t have access to basic human rights.” We are proud to work with organizations like NC FIELD to meet the needs of the most vulnerable communities and ensure they have warmth and care.

Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in our Kits and Blankets program.

 

Stories of Change

Beth with her daughter and granddaughter in Bosnia

Beth’s Impact from Danville to Abroad

If you take a trip to Burundi or Bosnia, there’s a chance you may spot a couple of CWS CROP Hunger Walk t-shirts floating around. This is thanks to Beth Bauman, one of our CROP Walk volunteers and world travelers who has brought these t-shirts to hand out to people in need while on her trips. Beth’s kindness and generosity are visible in these shirts and in the many years she has dedicated to CWS. 

Beth has served as CROP Walk Chair at Mt. Vernon UMC in Danville, Virginia for the past 13 years. Her first experience with CWS, however, dates all the way back to the 80’s when she participated in her first CROP Walk in Knoxville, Tennesse. “In my memory, the walk was 26 miles,” Beth shared with laughter. “Now I know that that’s hard to believe, but you would get pledges per mile walked and we walked all over Knoxville uphills and downhills. For months afterward, I could hardly walk up the steps to my office.” 

Beth’s commitment to CWS’ mission is largely inspired by her daughter and son-in-law who are both humanitarian workers. Most of Beth’s trips around the world have been to visit her daughter, and she is especially passionate about the work CWS Africa does since her son-in-law and granddaughter are Burundian. Beth also shared that her daughter, who works for UNICEF, has often partnered with CWS and added, “I’m really passionate about CWS and development work around the world.” 

On her most recent trip to visit her daughter in Bosnia, Beth reached out to CWS to see if there were any t-shirts she could bring. One of the refugee shelters where her daughter works was experiencing a lice breakout and desperately needed clean clothes. Through the support of CWS staff, Beth was able to bring 60 brand-new t-shirts to the shelter. She noted that most refugees there were on their way to other countries and said with a smile, “I’m just picturing our t-shirts just trickling throughout Europe.” 

In Danville, Beth is most excited by the way CROP Walks brings people from all walks of life together. She explained that diversity is very important to her and over the past years, her planning team has been intentional about welcoming their doors to churches and communities that they may otherwise never get the chance to meet. “That has been a real joy,” Beth said. 

Whether she’s in Danville, Virginia or somewhere across the world, Beth is spreading joy and making a real impact. CWS is thankful for volunteers like Beth who share our mission and help us spread our impact every day. 

To learn more about how you can get involved in CWS’ volunteer opportunities, click here. 

Stories of Change

Top: Josh Posten and volunteer distribute blankets. Middle: CWS blanket recipient. Bottom: CWS Kits and Blankets. Photos by Nathan Agin

Warming the City and Saving Lives

On Christmas Day, it’s Bethlehem on Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio. At this event, First Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ, also known as First Church, puts their faith into action. First Church invites their neighbors who may be experiencing homelessness, poverty, or food insecurity to join. Participants receive gifts which include a warm meal, clothing, CWS Hygiene Kits and CWS Blankets.

As temperatures drop to freezing, participants of this event look forward to receiving CWS wool and fleece blankets. Jim Lowe, who coordinates the event each year with his wife, recalls the event participants eagerly asking about the blankets as soon as they entered the building.

Each year following the event, First Church reaches out to local organizations to continue sharing the gifts from Christmas day. One of the organizations that received gifts this year was the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless.

The Columbus Coalition for the Homeless was created to advocate for people experiencing homelessness in the city. In the wake of the pandemic, as businesses closed, finding a safe space to warm up became increasingly difficult. “There was nowhere to go,” explains Josh Posten, a Program Coordinator at the Coalition. In response to this new challenge, the Coalition created six warming centers in the city.  At these centers, the Coalition provides a warm space for people to shower, receive donations and get connected to resources. The centers have now become a space “where people feel part of a community and where they’re safe,” Josh explains.

The Coalition has brought the kits and blankets to their warming centers and plans to “hand them out personally to anybody who needs one,” Josh says. A warm blanket provides warmth and safety to our homeless neighbors and allows them to rest a little better during these restless times. A hygiene kit gives them a chance to clean up and feel refreshed. “We could not do this without the support of the churches in Columbus, in Ohio and throughout the nation. Our guests are absolutely thankful, and to be honest, you are saving lives,” Josh tells us.

CWS is thankful for our partners and donors who make stories like this one possible. Your support allows us to expand our reach to marginalized communities and help warm both our cities and our hearts.