On this page, you will find a summary of outreach ministries at First Lutheran Richmond Beach. Our outreach ministries include projects close to home and around the world.
Local community partners include: Hope Link Food Bank, Mary’s Place, Compass Center, Community Lunch Program on Capitol Hill and many more.
Hopelink Can Madness Food Drive for March
This is a March-Madness-style food and fund drive where local businesses and community groups—including First Lutheran of Richmond Beach—compete to stock the shelves of Hopelink’s five no-cost food markets during a season when donations typically drop. Each week, participating teams face off in one-on-one brackets, with winners advancing until a champion is crowned. We can continue to compete each week for a second chance shoot out. This is a great event and an amazing way to help our community.
We are now collecting food! (Bring some this Sunday). The first weigh-in is on March 6. To make a cash donation, click here to follow the link so that our team gets credit.
Food list: Serving Sized Items (no bulk food items): • Canned meat (tuna, chicken, etc.) • Soup and broths • Ready-to-eat meals (canned or in a pouch i.e. Bumble Bee Rice Bowls/Snack On The Run Kits, etc.) • Healthy cereal and boxed oats • Fruits & vegetables (canned or dried) • Grains (pasta, rice, quinoa, barley, etc.) • Shelf stable non-dairy milk (oat, almond, soy) • Cooking oils (no larger than 32 fl oz) • Spices (paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, Italian herb seasoning, Sazón) • Salt, flour (no bulk please)
Additional non-food items: • Hygiene items (feminine products, toothpaste, toothbrushes) • Pull Ups and wipes • Paper products (toilet paper and paper towels) • Adult Disposable Incontinence Briefs
Christmas Outreach—Thank you!
Lack of access to fresh water is still one of the biggest challenges to overcoming poverty in developing countries. It’s also one of the most powerful opportunities to create change. With a simple well, as many as 500 families can gain access to clean, safe water.
This year the December Outreach focus was on the congregation providing wells through ELCA’s Good Gifts program. Thanks to your great generosity we exceeded our goal this year and were able to fund four wells through the ELCA good gifts program. Your donations will help provide water in areas of vast need and will make this a brighter year for those who benefit.
Outreach: Blessing Bags -Thank you!
In December, the Outreach “Elves” were very busy packing up over 300 Blessing Bags (for Camp United We Stand, The Oaks, Ronald Commons, Shoreline Veteran’s Center, and Immanuel Community Services), 30 Blessing Boxes, goodies for 3 nearby adult family homes, and a big box of hats, handwarmers, socks, and bottled water for Operation Nightwatch. This was all possible because of the generosity of the FLRB members and friends.
Many, many thanks to all of you who donated items or funds, who packed, baked, knit, or delivered these tangible evidence of Christ’s love. Thank you to all who took a Blessing Bag to hand out to someone in need on the streets. Thank you to the Sunday School kids and FLRB Youth Group for collecting items and packing bags.
Backpacks for Kids
Again this year, FLRB has been partnering with Syre Elementary school, providing extra food support for children who receive free or reduced breakfast and lunches. Each week a team from FLRB packs and delivers bags of food which fit in the children’s backpacks. This food, which is sent home for the children’s weekend meals, is greatly appreciated by their families.
Two ways to participate:
1. Purchase food from the list below and put it is the donation bin by the church office.
| Chocolate Milk (8 oz shelf stable) | Chewy Granola Bars |
| Belvita Breafast Biscuits | Creamy Peanut Butter (16 oz) |
| Fruit cups (4 oz.) | Mac and Cheese boxes or cups |
| Fruit Snack pkg | Small Juice Box or Pouch |
| Pasta or Rice Box | Tuna Fish |
| Instant Oatmeal packets | Applesauce Cups (4 oz) |
| Cracker Sleeves | Cheese and Cracker pkg |
| Hot Chocolate Packets | Chicken Ramen pkg |
| Healthy Choice Soup (15 oz) | Peanut Butter and Cracker pkg |
2. Click here to order items from Amazon to be shipped directly to FLRB.
Ronald Commons Cafe Volunteering
First Lutheran, in partnership with Richmond Beach Congregational Church, Ronald Methodist and the YMCA, has continued to provide 120 hot meals to the food insecure every Thursday for the last eight years at Ronald Methodist Church on Aurora in Shoreline.
First Lutheran is responsible for providing volunteers for planning, setup, cooking, serving, dishwashing and cleanup on the third and fifth Thursdays of each month.
An on-line signup is available. Please contact the church office (office@flrb.org) to get connected.
Refugee Starter Kits
Thank you for your generous support this past summer for our outreach project of collecting household items for refugee families. First Lutheran sent 10 household starter kits to Lutheran Community Services Northwest. Not only is LCSNW very grateful for our support, but told us that the timing was perfect. They were going to be resettling 6 new refugee families, who had been granted Visas to enter the US.