Project 5000

With the onset of the Lenten Season, our church began its 26th year of a program named Project 5000, the purpose of which is to feed needy families in this area.

Project 5000 is named for Jesus' miracle feeding of 5,000 from a boy’s five small barley loaves and two small fish as told in the Gospels of Matthew and John.

The goal is to fill boxes with a pre-determined assortment of food products estimated to feed a family of four for two days. The filled boxes will be taken to local food pantries for distribution the week before Easter.

We participate every year, but this year the boys could understand and help. We put in in terms that a 3 year old could understand -- we were going to help people who were hungry and sad by giving them food. They got it, and we were off to Krogers!
They all helped pick out the food from the list to go in the box.


Then, we figured out how to pack the box so that all the food could fit inside.


The boys really enjoyed this project, and we are looking forward to more opportunities to share more acts of kindness and service experiences with the boys.
Not because we get a free day at Disney for doing it ... but because it helps our boys gain an understanding about others and a sense of human compassion. I want to teach our boys to help others and be compassionate without looking for a reward or praise.

I never want my boys to feel that community service is an obligation. Serving our neighbors is an opportunity that leads to the dawning realization of to the greater understanding our humanity, our fragility, and a greater appreciation of the great lives that so many of us lead and deem to be “normal”.