---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: REAL Life Community Services <sunny-reallcs.org@shared1.ccsend.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2024 at 6:00 AM
Subject: REAL Life News and Updates
To: <philandkelly@gmail.com>

Exciting Events This Fall!

The Declaration House 5th Anniversary

Can you believe it has already been 5 years since the grand opening of the Declaration House? In honor of this celebration, we had restaurants in the area host a fundraiser each day this week!

A huge thanks to Courtyard Cafe on Main, Two Cousins Pizza Stevens, Cocalico Coffee Crafters, Castanedas Mexican Restaurant, and Tin Roof Cafe n' Sweets! We love partnering with our community to make it a better place and it was so humbling to see everyone who came out to support REAL Life! Thank you all so much!

Meet Joanne!

In June 2021, my husband with Parkinson's, Dave, fell, suffered kidney failure, and slipped greatly in his cognitive decline. It was a tough week, to say the least. After leaving the hospital 8 days later, home health care started, and Dave's neurologist told me that his cognitive decline was greater than expected. "He can no longer be left alone at all – needs someone with him 24/7." I can still remember his words. I knew what I needed to do – quit my full-time job as a preschool teacher to take care of him. It was all so very sudden and hard. Our main source of income would be gone with me quitting my job.

However, I had said 'For better or worse' when we married and meant it. My mom in Denver, PA told me to come and live with her for a while. So I quit my job, sold our small house, and moved to Denver from Warren, MI with my husband. After we moved, we went to a local food distribution event at a neighborhood church and found out about REAL Life. I contacted them, and we met with Chris, a fantastic social worker who prayed with us at the end of our session which certainly meant a lot. She gave us a wooden cross as a small gift which reminds me of Christ's provision for my sins and also provision for the here and now. Through Real Life, God seemed to say to me, 'I will take care of you'. And He has!

The REAL-Life gifts of food and toiletries, resources for health care financial help, and other blessings have encouraged us so very much! Often in the very hardest of times, God enables you to see His care in remarkable ways. REAL Life has helped do exactly that! We will be eternally grateful for the blessings of REAL Life at a very dark time in our lives. I truly believe God had them there for us! A very heartfelt THANK YOU to REAL Life and all supporters!

National Night Out!

National Night Out was a blast! It did get pushed back a week due to the rain we got, but so many people were blessed by the generosity of those who helped us with the backpacks. We would like to thank all our friends at UGI, TCC, Dormakaba, and our new friends at PureCycle for helping these backpacks all come together!

Stay in tune for next year as we look to expand our Back-to-School Backpack program by providing even MORE backpacks for students. If you would like to help make this possible, please click here to visit our website to see how you can help!

Join us in Prayer

We recognize that there are several ways for you all to partner with us, and that one of the most important ways is through prayer!

This month, we ask for you to keep the following in your prayers:

Pray for guidance and wisdom for the team as they help the community navigate life,
Pray for the upcoming Denver Fair REAL Icy Treats booth,
Pray for the ministry as we are investigating a new opportunity that God has shown our board and Rod,
Pray for wisdom and for open doors to show what His plans are so that we do not step out of His path.

Make a Difference and Win Big!

Join us in the Nourishing Neighbors Million Hour Volunteer Rally

We are thrilled to invite you to take part in an incredible opportunity! Our organization is joining the Nourishing Neighbors Million Hour Volunteer Rally- an initiative led by the Albertsons Companies Foundation to help end hunger in our community.

From September through October, Nourishing Neighbors is rallying to reach one million volunteer hours. REAL Life is proud to be part of this important mission, and we are inviting all our members to join us in making a difference. But here's the most important part: Don't forget to log your hours! When you log your volunteer hours, not only you are making an impact, but you will also be entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win some amazing prizes- including groceries for a year and a $10,000 donation to our organization!

Every hour you contribute brings us closer to these amazing rewards and strengthens our ability to serve the community! So please, don't miss out- log your hours today and make your time count!

To join the rally, simply log your hours through this link.

Remember, each volunteer must log their own hours to be eligible for the sweepstakes. When you log your hours, please look for us under the name "REAL Life Community Services".

Thank you for being the heart of our community. Let's rally together and make every hour count!

Volunteers Needed!

Currently, we need volunteers that are available to assist with Cocalico Food Pantry shopping in the afternoon. If you are interested in helping with this program and have some free time in the afternoon, please contact marybeth@reallcs.org.

Thanks again!

Upcoming Events

Don't miss out on REAL Milkshakes!

Denver Fair is coming up in the next two weeks! If you love serving ice cream and milkshakes, be sure to volunteer the week of September 10th-14th. We still need some volunteers- especially for Friday night, so if you have the time, please reach out to beny@reallcs.org.

If you still want to support REAL Life but don't want to volunteer- bring your family and friends to enjoy some REAL Milkshakes!

Click here to sign up to volunteer with REAL Life.

September 6th, 3-5 PM

First Friday Food Drive

Mondays, 8-9 PM

Alcoholics Anonymous

Lighthouse Community Center

All are welcome!!!

Tuesdays, 6-8 PM

Momentum

Lighthouse Community Center

Momentum guarantees a young person that there is someone who cares about them. A child needs to know that they are not alone in dealing with the day-to-day challenges of life.

Click here to learn more about this program.

Wednesdays, 9 - 11 AM

Young at Heart

All events are free and are for individuals that are 60 years and older. Coffee, chatting, games, speakers, and MORE! Come out and get to know others in your community!

1st & 3rd Wednesdays we meet at Adamstown Area Library!

2nd & 4th Wednesdays we meet at Trinity Lutheran Church in Denver!

Learn more here.