Bread+Belonging Dinner Update
On Thursday the first public health order that called for all 18-22 year olds in Boulder County to stay at home expired. In its place is a new order that currently allows for social gatherings of up to two people. With only six weeks left before the end of the fall semester at Thanksgiving, it looks like we are not going to be able to gather in person for dinner again this semester.
This means we likely need to pull off another six weeks of dinner delivery for students. Your help has been incredible. With your dinners and donations we have fed around 50 students each Tuesday night for three weeks. With your continued help we’ll make it through this very strange semester.
You should know how much these meals matter to students. Along with a small group of volunteers, Megan and I deliver the dinners on Tuesdays. When we drop them off there’s time for a small and distanced interaction. Through these conversations I can tell you that this tangible sign of support is a significant reminder of the support of the wider church and community.
Some in our town have expressed a great deal of anger at students for the reckless behavior that led to these severe public health orders. It’s true that a significant number of students have made poor choices with serious repercussions. It is also important to remember that 18-22 year old have underdeveloped frontal lobes; the part of the brain responsible for critical thinking and risk taking. The vast majority of students are doing their best in the situation in which they find themselves (young, alone, and isolated) to make the best choices they can. Know that your support is making a difference in the lives of young people at a critical time.
If you’d like to help with dinner this week or in the weeks to come, contact Megan Sawyer (our program coordinator) to get connected. Again, you can cook for 1-6 people, you could order takeout for students, or you could make a donation to support dinner delivery at www.lutheranbuffs.org.
Student Care Packages
We are also putting together care packages for students while they are staying at home. If you’d like to donate items to go in the packages, we’re looking for something:
- Soft/Fuzzy (fun socks, hat, gloves)
- Smells Good (soap/candle)
- Warm – (hot chocolate, tea, coffee)
- Sweet (baked goods, candy, no nuts)
- Creative (notebook, puzzle, coloring book)
- Silly
- Also, it’d be great to have a supportive personal note from one of our alumni or friends.
Contact Pastor Zach or Megan if you’d like to help out.
In hope,
Pastor Zach
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