Giving Back is a project of the Community Services Department of the St. Thomas Seventh-day Adventist Church and ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), the worldwide humanitarian arm of the SDA church.
What is Giving Back?
Giving Back is a place where those in most need of something to do can come and give back to the community. It is also a gathering place for anyone seeking a friendly, accepting, positive, non-judgmental place to rest awhile. There are three areas of service: baking, children’s quilt making and handyman services.
Who is Giving Back For?
Really, Giving Back is for anyone with time on their hands who would like to do something for others. It was started with the goal of involving the street community but it has also become a ministry to those very ones. Loneliness, addiction, mental health issues, poverty can isolate people from each other and the community. We at GB seek to create community for these often forgotten ones by inviting them in for something to eat or drink, some soup and friendly conversation, encouragement and/or prayer.
Our Inspiration
The idea for the Giving Back project came from a person recovering from drug addiction who was attending one of our community service dinners. She asked if there was somewhere where she could do some baking to “give back”. Her request was what inspired Giving Back St. Thomas.
History
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a long history of working in the community by providing clothes, food and other necessities to those in need. The humanitarian arm of the church ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) is active worldwide in providing assistance to those affected by war, natural disasters, disease and poverty.
Baking: In our certified kitchen we bake various items that we give to places like Inn Out of the Cold and The Nameless. We also keep a generous supply on hand for our drop-in guests.
Quilting: We make children’s and babies’ comfort quilts which we give them to children who are going into CAS.
Handyman Services: We have a team who go into the community and provide handyman services to low income home owners, the elderly and single parents.