Bryan Newman
Risen Savior will celebrate its fifth Spring Food Drive April 2 to 29 and seeks Sun Lakes residents’ participation.
Rev. Ron Burcham, Sr. Pastor of Risen Savior Lutheran Church, announced that the congregation of Risen Savior invites all Sun Lakes residents to join in this year’s Spring Food Drive which will benefit the Chandler Food Bank. He said, “We especially look forward to helping the Food Bank in the late spring, because it enables them to store food for the summer months when donations are at their lowest.”
“We conduct all of our food drives to positively impact members of our community in need of food assistance,” said Pastor Burcham. “Knowing that there are some in the Chandler area who struggle to put food on the table while our cupboards are full is just unacceptable. We know that, as individuals, we can make a difference, but if we pool our resources and ask for God’s blessing, we can have a substantial impact,” he added.
Throughout the drive, the food will be displayed at the front of the sanctuary to enable everyone to see the results of working together to help others in the Chandler community. “Each year, I look forward to arriving on Sunday mornings during the drive to see the amount of food placed before God’s altar grow larger and larger. What a privilege to witness the generosity of God’s people and their desire to make a difference in someone else’s life,” Pastor Burcham commented.
Rev. Burcham added, “Our Spring Food Drives in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 collected more than 10 tons of food, which was enough to feed over 16,000 people. Also, we received checks from the church, our members and many friends in Sun Lakes. All of the proceeds were forwarded directly to the AZCEND, the parent of the Chandler Food Bank.”
What to Donate – Although donations of all unopened food items will be gratefully accepted, the Food Bank’s greatest needs are for cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter, canned fruit/vegetables/meat, canned and dry beans, rice, pasta, tomato sauce, mac and cheese, juice, boxed meals, cooking oil, salt, flour, sugar, canned soup and canned milk.
How to Donate – To drop off your food donation seven days a week, enter the Risen Savior parking lot from Alma School and drive (west) until you see the food collection boxes on the patio directly ahead. The collection boxes will be emptied daily. Those who wish to donate by check, may mail their checks to Risen Savior Lutheran Church, 23914 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, AZ 85248. Please make the check payable to “AZCEND,” the parent of the Chandler Food Bank. Also, please write “Attn: Spring Food Drive” on the envelope. One hundred percent of food and financial donations received will be given directly to the Chandler Food Bank for their emergency food boxes.
Note: Pastor Burcham’s column appears monthly in the Religion Section of the Splash. His weekly sermons can be viewed online at www.rslcs.org.