Local Focus Project: Serving Beaverton School families experiencing homelessness

Our congregation identified that it wanted to increasingly “serve people living on the margins of society.” We surveyed our community and asked what the greatest need facing our community was and they responded homelessness.  We prayed and sought counsel about what a church could do and were led to begin a partnership with Family Promise of Beaverton (FPB).  FPB works to unite our community in helping stabilize and transform children and their families experiencing homelessness.  The FPB Day Center and offices are on campus at Sunset.  We are also part of a network of church and community partners who provide overnight hospitality and hosting throughout the year.

Volunteers serve bringing meals, spending time with families, doing laundry, set up & tear down and overnight hosting at Sunset five weeks a year.

Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me…” (excerpt from Matthew 25:35-40)

Our local outreach programs feed, clothe and welcome the stranger through our Helping Hands ministry.
 
Pack the Pack

Sunset’s Backpacks of Food Program, serves three schools with 170 backpacks of food bi-weekly.
Volunteers serve in a variety of ways: order & inventory, receiving & stocking, packing, delivery and pickup of empty backpacks.
 
Food Pantry

Open twice a week, 50 weeks a year, provides healthy food to Sunset families and our neighbors. The Pantry is open to all those in need regardless of race, color, church affiliation, address, or  age.  35% of the folks served are below the age of 18 and  13% are over the age of 55 years.    11% report medical problems requiring special diets.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020:

New hours are: Wednesday 9:30–11:30 am and 4:00–6:00 pm
Volunteers serve ordering & inventory, receiving and stocking

We are closed December 23 and December 30.

A client commented “ I’ve visited lots of pantries in lots of churches, but I never got to come in the front door.  This is real nice.”
 
Clothing Closet

Due to the current health/safety restrictions the Clothing Closet is

closed, and not accepting donations until further notice.

Open twice a week, provides clothing donated by our congregation.  There are other Free Clothing Closet in our area for students, but the Sunset Clothing closet is unique in Washington county, providing clothing for all ages

Volunteers serve receiving and sorting donations, merchandising and assisting shoppers
 
Community Garden

Located in the south parking lot, provides garden beds at an affordable rate to our neighbors.

More updated info to come re: the 2020 growing season as

current health/safety restrictions are lifted.

During the 2019 growing season 9 beds provided fruit & vegetables for our Food Pantry and 34 were “rented” by our community.

Volunteers serve maintaining the garden, watering and growing produce for the Food Pantry.