Covenant has a long tradition of supporting the families at the SAMMinistries’ Transitional Living & Learning Center through our annual holiday grocery shopping event. The center provides housing for 40 families as they work to overcome homelessness.  While these families are in transition, TLLC supports their first steps towards independence and self-reliance. The program includes life skills, job training, financial management, computer skills, parenting classes and more.

This year, our support is especially critical. Our country is in a hunger crisis that has only been worsened by COVID and San Antonio has felt the strain of food insecurity the likes of which many of us have never seen or experienced. Through December 13^th our congregation will be collecting donations to the James Payne Fund to purchase groceries. Then on Saturday morning, December 19th, we will personally shop at HEB for each family. We’ll need donations to fund the shopping and lots of volunteers to help with the shopping and delivery of all the groceries to the 40 families at the Living Center.

Here’s how you can help us feed these 40 families:

1. Donate money to the “James Payne Fund”.  Our Missions team has designated this fund specifically for purchasing groceries for the SAMM TLLC families.  In past years, we have raised up to $6,000 which purchases a good amount of groceries for each family.  You may send a check to Covenant and note in the memo line “James Payne Fund,” or if you prefer to give electronically via Zelle, indicate it is for the “James Payne Fund.” Please ensure donations are sent by December 13^th so we can budget accordingly.
2. Volunteer to be a “Shopper”.  Our shoppers will go to the HEB located on West Ave. and Jackson Keller at 8am on Saturday, December 19^th.  Each shopper is assigned to a family and will be given a set budget allotted for that family.  We will also provide information about that family such as how many children, their ages, gender, etc.  This gives the shopper an idea of what kind of groceries to purchase to best suit that family’s needs.

In light of the virus, we have a COVID-modified shopping plan:

• Instead of gathering in the church parlor before the shopping, each shopper should come by the church no later than 8:30 am to pick up their list and a pre-packed bag that contains a Christmas card, info about our Christmas services, and The Christmas Story of Christ’s birth.
• HEB will open up 4 lanes to help quicken the checkout process and minimize as much close contact as possible.  Once you’ve completed your shopping, you will go through one of the Covenant designated lanes and we will then pay the cashier directly for your purchase.
• HEB has asked that we do not congregate around the checkout counter – again to minimize contact.  Instead, once you have placed your items on the checkout conveyer, you will leave the store and move your car to the Curbside pickup area and an HEB employee will come out to deliver your bagged groceries into your car.

If you would like to volunteer to shop for a family, email Vicki Moreno at  vvmtx4691@sbcglobal.net, or call the church office at 210.342.5253.

Thank you, Missions Ministry