Outreach Projects

Heifer Project

CHURCH SCHOOL SUPPORTS THE HEIFER PROJECT - HOPE FOR THE NEW MOO-LLENIUM!

Raising money to support the Heifer Project is our Church School's Lenten service project. Heifer Project International helps hungry people worldwide produce food for themselves by providing animals and the training to manage them. Students from Kindergarten through High School are collecting money by doing extra chores or giving up a treat and bringing it to Church each Sunday during Lent. Epiphany's own, Miss Moo (Senior Warden, Leslie Evans) visits the classrooms to collect the money. Check out the bulletin board in the breezeway to see our progress. Watch our rainbow grow more colorful each week and watch the contributions add up. Hi Yo Heifer! To learn more about Heifer Project International, check out their website at www.heifer.org.

Food for the Poor, Inc.

Food For The Poor (FFP) ministers to spiritually renew impoverished people throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Their goals are to improve the health, economic, social and spiritual conditions of the men, women and children they serve. Food For The Poor raises funds and provides direct relief assistance to the poor.

East Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation League

Volunteers work with injured orphaned and displaced wildlife, including birds, ducks, rabbits, squirrels and reptiles. The goal is to rehabilitate each animal to health, then release it in a safe area where it can lead a natural life. With all that nature has provide for us, if we can return just one little "gift", we have met our goal.

Angel Tree

This project provides Christmas gifts to families of prisoners. The prisoners write and let us know what their child(ren) want for Christmas. Then the members of the parish are asked to get something as close as possible to what the child wants. The gifts are then delivered to the families.

Toy Drive for Chandler Headstart and Child Crises Nursery

A collection of new, unwrapped toys for children in the Chandler Head Start program and their brothers and sisters, (in a migrant farming community) and those residing at the Child Crises Nursery. The gifts brighten their Christmas.

Save the Family

This is a comprehensive assistance program that includes transitional housing, case management and life skills training for homeless families with children.

We coordinate people for work-days to prepare housing for the families, support children's programs with evening brown-bag meals, volunteer to baby-sit during adult classes or other projects of interest to parishioners.

Cereal Drive

Each Lent we collect boxes of breakfast cereal to stock the food pantries at Paz de Cristo and the Tempe Community Action Agency. Cereal is a "daily bread" for many. It is nutritious and requires no preparation and can be easily eaten at anytime of the day. That's why its always in demand at the food banks where it ends up in emergency food boxes given to those in need in the community having trouble making ends meets. This project is done each Spring. It is hoped that every year more boxes of cereal will be collected. Last year our goal was to collect 390 boxes and we exceeded it.

East Valley Habitat for Humanity

This is an ecumenical organization committed to assisting people in need of adequate, affordable shelter. In partnership with a family, East Valley Habitat for Humanity builds basic decent homes that are sold to the family under a no interest loan program. East Valley Habitat for Humanity seeks to assist its neighbors by addressing the need for decent housing and responsible home ownership.

Epiphany Caring Corps

An on-going project to provide care, comfort, aid and assistance to those in our parish community who are in need. If you are in need of assistance, please contact the rector through the church office.

We need volunteers to deliver meals, run errands, provide transportation, provide assistance to elderly or homebound, baby sit, etc.

Paz de Cristo

An on-going project to feed 150-200 East Valley hungry/homeless people on Monday nights, 40 weeks of the year. Paz de Cristo is located at 424 E. Broadway, Mesa, AZ. The meal preparation begins at 3:30 pm. The meal is served from 5:45 pm. to 6:45 pm.

We need ten to twelve volunteers each week to prepare, cook, and serve the evening meal and clean up.

Meals on Wheels

The Tempe Community Action Agency administers this vital program providing hot home delivered meals, daily, to elderly or disabled Tempe residents. The program is known as "Meals on Wheels". Anually, we fund at least a full year of meals for a single resident. Church of the Epiphany people deliver these meals every Friday of the year except holidays. When possible, we increase contribution to assist more than one person.

East Valley Caring Corps

An on-going project to supply aid and essential services unmet by government agencies to individuals in need, no matter what their church affiliation, in the East Valley.

East Valley Transitional Living and Training Center

This project provides temporary housing and counseling for homeless men throughout the year. Epiphany sponsors one week, providing dinner for seven nights for 50 men, and sack lunches for the next day. We need volunteers to provide food for the dinners and sack lunches; five or six individuals to serve the evening meal at the facility.

My Sister's Place - Chandler

This is a temporary residential abuse center for women and children who are in need of care for their physical and mental health.

MESA CAN

An on-going project to provide staple food-items, personal care products and clothing for those in need.

Blood Drive

A project supported by the church usually occurring at least three times a year. Donate a pint of blood; we reserve space in the parish hall for donor headquarters; we encourage parishioners to donate a pint of blood per drive.

Adopt-A-Family

Do you want to help others less fortunate in Tempe? Do you like shopping for Christmas presents, wrapping Christmas presents or delivering Christmas presents? Then this is the ministry for you. Each Advent we 'adopt' ten families that have been pre-screened by the Tempe Community Action Agency. Often times the gifts we assemble and give are the only gifts the family receives. We routinely provide a new toy and clothing item for each child, a stocking filled with goodies, a new item for each adult and the ingredients for a full Christmas dinner. We also provide wish list items such as soaps and paper goods, household items, furniture and help with utilities or rent! This project is great fun and we guarantee your Christmas will be enriched if you personally deliver the items to the joyful faces of the children in these families! If you'd like more information, please contract Linda Lyman at 480-820-4264.

Sock Ministry

This ministry is an institution at Epiphany. There's a great need, its easy to do and it makes others very happy. There is a critical need for clean socks in the homeless community. During Advent parishioners bring in new pairs of white tube socks in exchange for a Christmas ornament made by the children in the church school. The socks are distributed at Paz de Cristo for their clients. If you'd like more information, please contract Linda Lyman at 480-820-4264.

Teen Shop-A-Thon

This ministry gathers the youth of various Episcopal churches in the East Valley for an afternoon of service and fun! Funded by various churches and Episcopal Community Services (ECS) we gather the youth ages 10 - 17, divide into teams and then transport them to a local outlet mall to shop for a needy child. The children's names are provided by Tempe Community Action Agency. Each team purchases a new outfit, shoes, socks, backpack and school supplies. There is an overwhelming sense of community in this ministry the youth look forward to this activity. If you'd like more information, please contract Linda Lyman at 480-820-4264.

Back to School Adopt a Child

This ministry grew out of our Christmas Outreach efforts and has now expanded community-wide. In July and August, we once again 'adopt' the children we helped at Christmas by providing new school clothes, socks, shoes, backpacks and school supplies. Everyone loves new things for the start of school and you can help make it possible by supporting this ministry. If you'd like more information, please contract Linda Lyman at 480-820-4264.

Child Crisis Nursery

This is an emergency shelter program for children who need placement while their parents are seeking a solution to their crises. To date over 7000 little ones, birth through 11, have found security through living in this large, busy home.

Hospice of the Valley

This ministry provides in-home care to those terminally ill.

Southwest Cancer Foundation

To provide direct assistance to cancer patients and their families in the areas of greatest concern to them. The program offers financial assistance, counseling, physical therapy, medical supplies and education.

Card Shop

This project allows church members a great selection of greeting cards for everyday and holiday occasions. Cards are made on home computers and can be purchased on various Sundays after services. Cards can also be pre-ordered and personalized.

Tempe Community Action Agency

The Tempe Community Action Agency is a local, non-profit, social service provider serving elderly and low income community members. The Agency is located at 2150 E. Orange St., Tempe. For more information call 480-350-5880. A number of Epiphany's outreach programs interact with the agency.