Hope in the Community
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GriefShare
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The next cycle of GriefShare will begin on Wednesday, September 3. GriefShare is a 13-week non-denominational, faith-based, lay-led grief support group. The lay leaders have experienced grief themselves and have gone through special training. Each 90-minute session consists of a 10-15 minute check-in time, a 30 minute video presentation by experts in the field of grief, and 25-30 minutes to discuss the video topics. If you, or someone you know, would like to register for this program, please call the church office at 715-532-7739 and leave your contact information. A GriefShare leader will call be in touch prior to September 3. You may also register online at https://www.griefshare.org/groups/269495.
Food Pantry
The Hope Lutheran Food Pantry serves those in need throughout Rusk County. The Pantry hours are: Mondays 1:00-3:00pm and Fridays 9:30-11:30am. Volunteers are needed on the first and third Mondays of each month to help unload the Feed My People delivery and to stock shelves. Donations of non-perishable food items can be brought to the church during office hours or on Sunday mornings. Monetary donations can be sent to the church office or placed in the offering plate (clearly marked "Food Pantry").
MANNA Meal
The MANNA Meal takes place here at Hope Lutheran Church (usually) on the last Thursday of each month with serving from 5:00-6:00 p.m. This is a free meal providing both food and fellowship to those in need. Each year the November MANNA Meal is a Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner with serving beginning at noon on Thanksgiving Day. St. John's Lutheran Church hosts a Christmas Dinner that takes the place of the December MANNA Meal.
Backpack Food Program
Children who are hungry do not learn well. Without good nutrition over a weekend, children return to school hungry and struggle to learn. The Backpack Food Program hopes to help children in our community. The purpose of this program is to provide two meals a day plus snacks for the weekend for children who might otherwise go hungry. Thanks to Feed My People Food Bank we are able to purchase food at a significant discount. Each meal costs approximately 50 cents with the cost for each student for the school year being $75-100.
The meals are packed as a service project by students at Ladysmith High School and are then delivered to LES and LMS to be placed in students' backpacks prior to the weekend. Whenever possible the food will be kid-friendly, easy to carry home, and easy to prepare.
Parents are asked to enroll their children with a simple application form, which can be obtained from the LES and LMS offices.
Like the Food Pantry, this program is only possible because of donations from individuals, churches, community organizations, and corporate donations. All donations are tax deductible. Checks can be made payable to "Hope & Friends Backpack Food Program".