Outreach at Trinity Church
The Outreach Committee's portfolio has been expanded to include not only social outreach to the poor and hungry and needy but also to the students at Swarthmore College. The committee's new name reflect this change - "Outreach and College Work Committee" M. Beck is this year's chair.
The parish has engaged in many hands-on social outreach experiences over the years - from mission trips by our young people to Eastern Kentucky and Honduras, to hours of volunteering at St. Mary's Food Cupboard in Chester, PA, to helping to build Habitat for Humanity houses in Delaware County.
We also offer financial and in-kind support to numerous local, national, and international charities. In 2006 the following received assistance from Trinity Church:
| ABC House | Trinity provides housing for this Alternate High School Educational opportunity for inner city youth at Strath Haven High |
|---|---|
| African Team Ministries | Aid to poor Africans in east Africa |
| Aid for Friends | Meals on wheels for homebound persons |
| CAADC | Aid to local homeless shelters and families |
| Chester Children's Chorus | Community youth chorus |
| Children of Chernoby | Aid to children of families affected by Chernobyl |
| City Team Ministries | Urban social outreach |
| Counseling Center in Springfield | General support |
| CROP Walk | Raising funds to feed the hungry |
| Episcopal Community Serv. | Foster Care, education and elder projects |
| Episcopal Relief & Development | World-wide disaster/medical and Darfur relief |
| Good Samaritan Orphanage | |
| Mercy Hospice | Shelter for women and children |
| Partners in Ministry | Campus ministry |
| St. Mary's Food Cupboard | Food cupboard in Chester |
| Seamen's Church Institute | Mission to foreign seamen who dock in ports along Delaware River |
| Urban Bridges | After School tutoring |
| Unity Center | Job training |
ABC - A BETTER CHANCE
A Better Chance, Inc. (ABC) Strath
Haven is a local chapter of the A Better Chance Program, the
preeminent program for identifying recruiting and developing
leaders among young people of color-African-American, Latino,
Asian-American and Native American in the United States. ABC
places academically talented students in selected schools where
they receive access to expanded collegepreparatory education
and leadership opportunities. While the national organization
is responsible for recruitment, the local program is
responsible to provide the fund raising and community support
to make each student's education meaningful and successful.
The ABC Strath Haven chapter maintains a Boys House (founded in 1975) and a Girls House (founded in 1988) in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and supports up to 16 students who attend Strath Haven High School. The success of the program is evident in our graduates: Recent ABC Strath Haven alumni have gone on to such exemplary institutions as Bryn Mawr, Bucknell, Cornell, St. Lawrence, Trinity, Villanova and Wesleyan.
ABC Strath Haven's students and Board wish to acknowledge with thanks the contributions of Trinity Church Swarthmore and Swarthmore Presbyterian Church, which provide the residences for the Girls and Boys Houses, respectively. Without this support, we could not carry on the program.
A letter from A Better Chance Strath Haven
October 16, 2005
Rev. Lou Temme
Trinity Episcopal Church
College Ave. and Chester Rd.
Swarthmore, PA 19081
Dear Reverend Temme,ABC Strath Haven is in its 30th year of opening the door to opportunity for motivated minority students with great leadership and academic potential. Everyone involved with the ABC program - staff, board members, alumni and current students, wants to thank you and the Trinity Episcopal Church members for all of the help they provided this past summer to ensure the home the students share was in great condition to start this very special anniversary year.
It is so nice to have the yard care duties for the Girls' House taken care of. Thank you so much for the generous donation of your sexton's time and energy. The house looks so much better than it did just a year ago. The ABC program shows us all how much work it is to raise 16 children - it takes a village, and a church.
Sincerely,
Sharon Ford
For the Board of Directors