Families visiting the pantry at the Norridge, Ill., Corps, led by Captains Peter and Catherine Mount, were in for a treat this spring.
Over the past two years, the corps has seen an exponential increase in the number of people coming for assistance, according to Pamela Church-Pryor, community ministries director. The pantry now serves up to 150 households each month as the community continues to experience job loss, end of unemployment benefits and other hardships.
With the goal of bringing hope and encouragement to those struggling to make ends meet, corps member Dawn Teresi coordinated an effort to collect supplies for “birthday cake” or “celebration” kits to be distributed to families with upcoming special events who turned to the corps for assistance.
“I loved the idea straight away,” said Pamela. “It didn’t surprise me that Dawn was willing to coordinate and that our corps was generous with their donations and support. This is how the family of God works! We are blessed to bless others.”
Time was set aside after a fundraiser luncheon held by the youth band and chorus one Sunday afternoon for volunteers from the congregation to assemble the kits. Families and individuals of all ages—from junior soldiers to older adults—joined in the effort.
Donations included a variety of cake and frosting flavors to satisfy any taste, from lighter options like strawberry cake paired with vanilla icing to richer selections like dark chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.
Each kit was packaged in a disposable foil cake pan and included supplies for a simple birthday or celebration treat: a box cake mix, a can of Sprite (to substitute for eggs and oil), a can of frosting and a package of candles. To add a personal touch, handwritten cards with wellwishes for a happy event from corps members were placed in each box. In all, the corps pantry was supplied with 50 celebration kits to add to the shelves.
“The best part is seeing the wonder and surprise on our guests’ faces and their smiles, knowing that we care enough to celebrate them,” concluded Pamela.
