United Churches Elizabethtown Area

TO STRIVE FOR WIDER FELLOWSHIP, COOPERATION, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AMONG THE CHURCHES IN THE ELIZABETHTOWN AREA AND TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS TO MEET THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ELIZABETHTOWN AREA COMMUNITY.

FOOD MINISTRY THE BIGGEST PART OF FOOD MINISTRY PROGRAM IS THE COMMUNITY CUPBOARD OF ELIZABETHTOWN. FOOD IS DISTRIBUTED TWICE A WEEK TO THOSE IN NEED WITHIN THE ELIZABETHTOWN AREA. DURING 2020, APPROXIMATELY 155 VOLUNTEERS, RANGING IN AGE FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO RETIRED PERSONS, GAVE OVER 2,100 HOURS OF THEIR TIME. OVER 1,800 HOUSEHOLDS (OVER 2,600 INDIVIDUALS) WERE SERVED. THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS NEEDING ASSISTANCE HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. FOOD IS DONATED BY INDIVIDUALS, CHURCHES AND GROCERY STORES; CASH IS RECEIVED FROM INDIVIDUALS, CHURCHES AND BUSINESSES. CENTRAL PA FOOD BANK GIVES FOOD, GRANTS AND SPECIAL PRICING TO THE COMMUNITY CUPBOARD OF ELIZABETHTOWN. MEALS ON WHEELS IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE FOOD MINISTRY. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LANCASTER COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING MEALS ARE DISTRIBUTED ALMOST EVRY WEEKDAY TO THOSE APPROVED. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 10 VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE OVER 15 HOURS A WEEK.

CPOW (COMMUNITY PLACE ON WASHINGTON) THIS PROGRAM IS THE PHYSICAL PROPERTY OF UCEA LOCATED AT 53-61 & 105 EAST WASHINGTON STREET IN ELIZABETHTOWN, PA. IT CONSISTS OF THREE BUILDINGS AND A POLE BARN. CPOW PROVIDES SPACE THROUGH LICENSING AGREEMENTS TO OTHER 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE NECESSARY SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED AT GREATLY REDUCED RATES. UCEA ALSO PROVIDES BUILDING OVERSITE, VOLUNTEER RECEPTIONISTS, INTERNET, UTILITIES, CLEANING, REPAIRS AND OTHER OVERHEAD COSTS. IN ADDITION, UCEA ALSO PROVIDES SPACE AT LITTLE OR NO CHARGE FOR SERVICES SUCH AS GED CLASSES, COMPUTER LAB, BEAR BAGS, TOAST MASTERS, AND VITA TAX PREPARATION.

CHARITY MINISTRY THE BIGGEST PART OF THE CHARITY MINISTRY IS THE CLOTHING BARN. DONATED CLOTHING IS SORTED AND STORED BY VOLUNTEERS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THOSE IN NEED VIA "VOUCHERS." INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES RECEIVE VOUCHERS FROM AREA CHURCHES OR ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN CPOW. VOLUNTEERS THEN HELP TO FILL THE NEEDS WITH CLOTHING ALREADY DONATED OR BY SPECIAL PURCHASE. "CLOTHING DRIVES" FOR SPECIAL ITEMS SUCH AS WINTER COATS ARE SOMETIMES HELD WITH HELP FROM AREA CHURCHES. THE CLOTHING BARN ALSO RESPONDS TO SPECIAL NEEDS, FOR EXAMPLE A HOUSE FIRE. OTHER LOCAL NEEDS - THE CHARITY MINISTRY ALSO WORKS WITH OTHER CHARITIES, SUCH AS THE MINISTERIUM OUTREACH, WITHIN THE ELIZABETHTOWN AREA BY RESPONDING TO SPECIAL NEEDS/REQUESTS. HELP MAY ALSO BE GIVEN TO COMMUNITY EVENTS. THESE REQUESTS ARE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.

FUNDRAISING FOR UCEA IS ACCOMPLISHED VIA COMMUNITY AWARENESS WHICH INCLUDES NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, PARTICIPATION AT THE ELIZABETHTOWN FAIR, CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS, AND COMMUNITY INVITATIONS TO EVENTS AT CPOW. FUNDRAISING IS ALSO DONE THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCHES IN TWO WAYS - WRITTEN ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THEIR CHURCH BULLETINS AND/OR CHURCH NEWSLETTERS/SPECIAL APPEALS. THE DELEGATES OF UCEA ARE ALSO CHURCH MEMBERS REPRESENTING EACH OF THE CHURCHES. AS SUCH, THEY ARE PERSONALLY REPONSIBLE FOR UCEA INFORMATION TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO CHURCH MEMBERS.