Happy Birthday Interfaith of The Woodlands — Strength in Service
We are very excited to celebrate Interfaith’s Birthday on October 5, with a Day of Caring Community-Wide Food Drive in the parking lot of Interfaith of The Woodlands. Donations of non-perishable food items can be donated at Interfaith Central at 4242 Interfaith Way from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
As Interfaith’s 45th anniversary of serving the community nears, The Woodlander asked Missy Herndon, President and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands and the Interfaith Community Clinic, to share her thoughts on this milestone celebration.
As we approach Interfaith of The Woodlands’ 45thAnniversary, we thought long and hard on how to celebrate such a momentous occasion in not only Interfaith’s history but for The Woodlands as well. We are very excited to celebrate Interfaith’s Birthday on October 5, with a Day of Caring Community-Wide Food Drive in the parking lot of Interfaith of The Woodlands. Our goal is simple: to do what Interfaith of The Woodlands does best – bring together neighbors representing the spiritual, corporate, school, civic, families and individuals of our community in the name of service, to help our neighbors in need and celebrate the past, present and future of our beloved Interfaith.
I often remark how beautiful and unique The Woodlands Community is when I have the great opportunity to share about Interfaith of The Woodlands to non-residents. From the trees to the manicured landscapes, the perfectly appointed signage and common areas, we are blessed to live in a gorgeous setting. But, beauty is more than cosmetic; the true beauty of our community lies within the goodness of the people that live within our great community. Generosity is woven into the very fabric of our community, and it appears it has been that way since our town’s very inception.
How amazing is it that a man had a vision to create an organization, in his brand new community, whose sole purpose was to build community? That is exactly what The Woodlands Founder, George P. Mitchell, created in The Woodlands Religious Communities, Inc., known as Interfaith of The Woodlands, in 1973. We are quite thankful for the miracle that is Interfaith of The Woodlands and truly believe its creation, with a focus on serving others, has made our community one of the most giving and philanthropic areas in the state—I would venture to say the country.
I have a unique perspective. I have the great privilege of witnessing acts of kindness and giving every single day through my work at Interfaith of The Woodlands and the Interfaith Community Clinic. I see children giving their birthday presents, donating their piggy banks, enjoy thousands of volunteers who give their time and talents, watch scouts build projects, CEO’s give contributions and have fixed income Seniors send a check for $5 each month, all beautiful acts of caring that make a difference to our neighbors in need. We at Interfaith see the beauty in the people, but we also see the tremendous need that lives behind the trees. Families who are unable to make rent, children who are hungry, Seniors who can’t afford to buy groceries or have the resources to live independently and many individuals who are a step from homelessness. Interfaith has the great opportunity to bring people together and meet them where they are: whether they wish to serve or need service; this is one of Interfaith’s greatest gifts and strengths. It is what makes us your hometown non-profit.
For our 45thAnniversary our goal is the create a big birthday party, one where our neighbors do what they’ve always done, which is gather to help each other. The upcoming celebration will feature local businesses, community leaders, volunteers and staff, all working together to collect a goal of 45,000 pounds of food for the Interfaith Food Pantry. Every year, the Food Pantry serves nearly 20,000 residents. Families and Seniors come in and crisis and leave with financial assistance and multiple bags of perishable and non-perishable items including meal kits, snacks, vegetables from Interfaith’ s Veggie Village and perishable items such as milk, cheese and meat. Every family receives enough non-perishable food to make 6-8 meals to help supplement their grocery bill. Seniors are able to receive food at the Food Pantry, or through our Grocery Delivery Program which serves 180 Seniors a month.
Additional programs out of the Food Pantry meet specific needs such as our Backpack Program provides snacks and meals for CISD students over the weekend, as well as our On The Go Food Market which takes the Food Pantry to high-need areas of Montgomery County. Interfaith offers special bags during the holiday season giving families in crisis to have the items they need to prepare a special holiday meal in November and December. Our goal is to ensure every family that leaves Interfaith has the tools and resources they need to be self-sufficient. Keeping our struggling families and Seniors fed is a huge part of our mission. As an organization, we are only able to fulfill this mission thanks to the generosity of our community. Thank you for helping us build a more loving and caring community through service.
Food drive donations of non-perishable food items can be donated at Interfaith Central, at 4242 Interfaith Way, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and we hope you will join us to show you care on Friday October 5! For more information, visit woodlandsinterfaith.org/dayofcaring.