Our mission is to be a liaison between Unity North Church and our local community, helping in ways that align with Unity principles.

Here are the services in which we are involved. Some are ongoing and others are seasonal. Our ongoing services are:

• Family Table Meal – This is a meal we put on once a month that is free to the community. We are part of a network of churches that provide dinners for people in our community.
  
• Unity’s Food Shelf – We collect specific food off a list from our community. This food fills two boxes that will feed a family of four for one week. We also provide a $25 gas card and Cub card for extra fresh food items, such as milk and bread, to supplement the food boxes.
  
• Fare for All – This is a community food bank for fresh foods. We buy shares with our community volunteer hours to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables. These shares contain fresh meat, fruit and vegetables that we distribute to community members as requested.
  
• Teddy Bears – We collect Teddy Bears for our Family Sunday Bear Blessing Service. After the service we deliver the bears to Unity Hospital geriatric unit and an Anoka County agency that gives a bear to a child in crisis.
  

Here are some of the seasonal projects that we do:

• Head Start Book Drive – (May-June) Head Start is a preschool child development program. Head Start focuses on the child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development, while providing advocacy assistance to parents. We collect money to buy a book for Head Start graduates ready to start Kindergarten.
  
• Back to School Supply Drive – (August) We collect school supplies for CEAP (Community Emergency Assistance Program). This is a popular program for those of us who miss buying those backpacks, pencils and rulers. There are other opportunities to volunteer for this program such as collecting supplies at Northtown Mall and stuffing backpacks. For more information see www.ceap.org.
  
• Adopt-A-Family Christmas – (November-December) We “adopt” a number of families through Everyday Miracles and buy the whole family Christmas gifts. This is a very popular church-wide event. www.everyday-miracles.org
  

FAMILY PROMISE:

Family Promise of Anoka County provides temporary shelter for families who are experiencing homelessness. For one week per quarter, Unity North Church provides that shelter. We provide an evening meal, fellowship, a place to sleep, and a simple breakfast in the morning.

Families arrive on Sunday evening. They settle in and have some dinner. The kids do homework or watch a movie. Everyone has a safe, warm place to sleep. Families are kept together. In the morning, after breakfast, Family Promise sends a van to pick up the families. Some go to work, some go to school, some search for employment or work on barriers to permanent housing. In the evening, they come back to the church and do it all over again.

Four times per year, we offer this critical service to our friends and neighbors in Anoka County. Unity North Church feels blessed to be of service.

Please see Rhonda Steele for more information.

We are always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please see Carol Knistern or any of the committee members.

Our current committee members are: Becky Haaf (chair), Sue and Rick Bona, Kathleen Bailey, Mary Sorenson, Rhonda Steele, Donna Snyder and Barb Green.