Mission

Days for Girls

A few of us have been working with Days for Girls (DFG) now for over two years. We are a small group but we are also committed to this cause. As most of you know. DFG is a nonprofit organization that started up 10 years ago. The founder went to Africa on a mission trip and had a thought while there “What do the girls do at that time of the month.” The answer was not pleasant. She went home and together with a lot of friends and time she came up with the program as it is now. It is all volunteer people with over 1000 teams and chapters worldwide. Reaching over one million girls and women.

In August I was asked to share the program with 100 girls from the age of 11 to 18. I talked about what the program to groups of 10 girls at a time. I then had each group trace and cut shields for sewing. The leaders of the group were from the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints. They came from Vernon and surrounding towns. They were camping at Camp Mattatuck in Plymouth. To get the material each church was asked to donate at least one yard of stain hiding 100% cotton fabric per girl attending. They collected 196 yards in donations. These are the numbers of each component that we have sent to a chapter in Orange Ct. They are a nonprofit called Kenya Healthcare Initiatives. They are partnered with DFG but also build schools, clinics, enterprises that can make the kits over there, and birthing huts so the women don’t have to give birth on a dirt floor.

Since we began in late spring of 2017 we have sent 2364 liners, 1118 shields, 264 tote bags, and 317 transfer bags. Those are special bags for the girls to carry their soiled liners in until they get home. We have sent 75 hotel bars of soap and 24 pairs of underwear. I would say 90-95% of the supplies are purchased by me. Thank God for his many blessings that allows me to do this. It is not cheap by any means.

Please consider helping in any way you can. Matti has gift cards for Joann Fabric. It’s not all sewing. I have a friend that I used to work with cutting pockets, Jill Wilson is our shield cutter, and Carla Heister cuts ribbon when we need her to. Liz Baker is our liner maker, Sue Powers, Lynn Limeburner, Beth Provost and I sew any other components that need to be done. Each person chooses what they like to do. I am very passionate about this cause because without these supplies the girls would not be able to go to school five days a month. That adds up to a whole year of school missed in 4 years. They fall so far behind they end up quitting and become child brides. Let’s make the world a little better one kit at a time. It takes a village.

~Carol Rivard Co team leader

Done-in-a-Day gives those with limited availability opportunities to participate in one-time service projects. Prospect United Methodist’s Faith in Action Committee is asking you to share your time in one of the following done in a day projects.

Food Share

Foodshare is a regional food bank that works toward that vision by getting food donations from the food industry and distributing them to 300 food pantries, community kitchens, homeless shelters, and other partner programs.

One of their goals is to involve the entire community in our work to solve hunger — that means us! One of the opportunities they offer is to help with food sorting which means we would work a 3 hour shift either in the morning or afternoon inspecting and sorting frozen meats, bread, produce, and other food items.

Fight Against Hunger

PUMC collects the following items to put in snack bags for kids in our community.

  • Single serving meals
  • Single serving cereals
  • Single serving applesauce or fruit cups
  • Juice Boxes
  • Snacks

Family Promise of Central  Connecticut

Family Promise, an organization that uses places of worship to host homeless children and their families.

Host congregations serve as the foundation for Family Promise of Central Connecticut by becoming temporary homes to meet basic human needs for safe shelter, nourishment, and positive relationships with other people.  First Congregational of Bristol is a host congregation.

Prospect United Methodist is a support congregation for First Congregational. Volunteer support at each host congregation ranges from, but is not limited to, preparing a hot meal for dinner, interacting with guests during the evening, and/or sleeping at the church over night with the families.  Saturday activities include set up and break down of beds, and laundering linens after their host week.

The host congregation (First Congregational) would also be in need of donated breakfast foods such as cereal and individual snacks that the guests can take with them during the day.