Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Fall 2012 Issue | Page 20

A team of volunteers addresses
the needs of approximately 50 children
each week by providing a backpack
filled with four meals. However,
Calvary struggles to find space to store
perishable items in its heavily used,
1950s kitchen. By receiving a $5,000
Mustard Seed Grant, the church will
be able to create an efficient, safe and
sanitary environment. The renovation
will not only benefit Backpack Buddies
but also Tuesday’s Table, where a team
of volunteers feeds the hungry, and
parishioners using the kitchen for
coffee hours, funerals, and fundraisers.

“Backpack Buddies is the most
rewarding experience,” Nina Beran,
program leader, said. “Tons of food will
magically appear in the kitchen. There
are a lot of little angels that embrace
this program and have quietly said that
we should not have hungry children.”

St. George’s, Arlington sponsors
HOST – Helping Others, Setting
Tables – which welcomes homeless
into the parish hall on
Monday, Tuesday and
now Wednesday
nights thanks to
the help of a $1,430
Mustard Seed Grant.
Volunteers pass
out coffee, donated
pastries and portable,
donated meals.

The Helping Others, Setting Tables program at St. George’s, Arlington welcomes the
homeless into their parish hall for meals three nights a week.

The HOST program not only wanted
to provide an additional night to offer
the homeless a place to sit down but
also provide nutritional food.
With the grant money, fresh
fruit can become routine
in these meals along with
bo Y