The Brockport Helping Network (BHN), a group revived from 2011-2012, is a community-wide umbrella dedicated to lightening the burdens of people in our community. Its mission is simple: To come together as a community to connect people who are in need in the greater Brockport area with services to fulfill those needs.
There are many in the community who need help in one way or another. And, there are many wonderful, charitable churches and organizations that offer assistance in a variety of ways. The difficulty is, these programs and ministries are “scattered” and the left hand may not know what the right hand is doing, so to speak. This may result in duplication of efforts and the very possibility that people in need might miss out on an opportunity due to lack of knowledge. The group’s aim is to raise awareness of everything that is available in the greater Brockport area for anyone with a need.
For example, did you know that there is now a free meal offered on three Sundays of each month in the Village of Brockport? St. Luke’s-Brockport Church offers Luke’s Harvest Kitchen on the second Sunday of each month from 2 to 3:30 p.m.; Brockport First Baptist Church offers The Gathering Table on the third Sunday of each month from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; and Brockport First Presbyterian Church offers the Presbyterian Loaf & Ladle on the fourth Sunday of each month from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Concordia Lutheran Church offers a community hygiene bank, Christ Community Church offers an emergency food program and an emergency gasoline provision, Brockport Free Methodist Church offers several support groups such as autism respite, divorce care, grief share, and so forth. This is a sampling of what is being offered to members of the community.
The BHN began meeting in September 2017. It has representatives from several area churches and all area churches and organizations are encouraged to join. Your participation is important. To date, the following has been accomplished:
•Use of the online tool, JustServe, to share information about what services are offered in our area. This tool also provides volunteer opportunities. A few churches have entered their ministries onto the site and it is hoped that others will follow. Check it out at: https://www.justserve.org.
•In the process of gathering details about resources offered in the community in order to create a listing for community-wide distribution and to share on a coming Website.
•The Brockport Helping Network Facebook page was created.
•Discussions on how to be sure the community is meeting the needs of its people, how to improve communication in the community, and even the possibility of new programs for the future.
BHN meetings have become an inspiring and significant setting to share ideas, concerns and ways in which others can be helped. Meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. and rotate locations. There will be no meetings in July and August and, because of the Labor Day holiday, the next meeting will be Monday, September 10, 7 p.m. at the Brockport Free Methodist Church.
If you would like additional information about the BHN, leave a message at the Brockport First Baptist Church at 637-9770.
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