During the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic our news feeds are filled with virus projections and stories of heartbreak. This can make life feel heavy and maybe even hopeless. However, Jesus has given us the power to bring His light into the darkness and to spread hope in times of despair.
Over the past few months, we've been able to partner with our members, other local churches, and small businesses in our community to show God's love and provision to Boulder County.
Here are some stories of what we've been up to.
HELP FOR NYC CHURCH
We recently partnered with Vinelife Church to send a financial gift to Christ Crucified Fellowship in Manhattan, NY. This church was significantly impacted by COVID-19, and we are honored to be a part of encouraging the church near and far during this season! Thanks for your generosity which makes things like this possible!
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
One of Tim and Amy Reece's neighbors is a paraplegic gentleman and is at higher risk for COVID-19. He has been unable to walk his service dog during quarantine so Tim, Amy and their son Clay have been walking his dog 3-4 times a week. Neighboring at its finest!
LETTERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
For several months Christie Gilbert has been ministering to asylum seekers at a detention center in Aurora. She has recently organized a letter and prayer campaign to bring encouragement to detainees whose hearings have been delayed due to COVID-19.
FREE MASKS!
Andrea Himmelberger has made and donated 200 masks for local assisted living centers and Angevine Middle School families. What a great way to use her skills to bless others during this season!
UGANDA FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Coronavirus restrictions in Uganda have continued to increase, which has made earning a daily wage and accessing food increasingly difficult. Currently there are 300 families in need of daily food in Pastor David’s community. A few Cornerstone families have given generously to partner with David and support these families.
HAPPY MAIL
The Mesward family wanted a way their kids could give back to their community. They started sending HAPPY MAIL each day to friends that are nurses, teachers, school friends, neighbors, grandparents... just a little way to say thank you, I love you, I miss you.
FREE ART LESSONS
VOLUNTEER NOTES AND EMAILS
Drive Thru Food and Supply Drive
Our food and supply drive was a huge success! With your help we were able to bless three non-profits with much needed resources. Here are the stats:
- EFAA: 4,774 lbs in donations
- Harvest of Hope: 2,365 lbs in donations
- Boulder Homeless Shelter: 53 sleeping bags, 23 tents, 18 tarps, 18 sleeping mats, 4 camping pillows
It was amazing to partner with other local churches in this way. Thanks to Calvary Bible for hosting! For ways to continue to bless these (and other) local organizations, visit our WAYS TO HELP page.
SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS
Robin McCullough recently organized a group of volunteers to pick up lunch from Organic Sandwich Company and deliver to local health care workers at Salud Health Care Center free of charge. This local sandwich shop got some much needed business and our frontline healthcare workers enjoyed delicious, free food! Thank Robin and team!
BUILDING RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
When schools began home learning in March, parents were thrown into the new role of teacher almost overnight. Brian and Katie Thomas (educators and parents) used their skills to develop a website filled with additional resources for parents to help with home learning and family fun. Check it out HERE.
INSPIRATION FROM OUR KIDS
Our kids are amazing. The 3rd-5th grade girls have started a Bible study over ZOOM. They do all the planning and organizing to make it happen. Their time together is so sweet and it is completely peer-led. This is the best and so inspiring!
BLESSING OUR TEACHERS
Our teachers work so hard during the year to support our kids and now they are working even harder to support them from a distance. To show their appreciation, some of our members are sending flowers to their local schools and kids are writing thank you notes to show support. Check out Lucie (3rd Grade) sending some love to her teacher.
BUILDING SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY
Alex Gelbert owns a healthcare and pharmaceutical marketing firm. Recently he and his team used their skills to create a mental health/wellness PSA Campaign called Closer Social Distancing. It's a free platform full of educational videos, interviews with health experts, podcasts and a regular "Isolation Inspiration" newsletter all focused around helping people through elevated levels of fear, anxiety, isolation and loneliness related to the pandemic. Check it out HERE.
COLORADO VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION
CVNA is an organization that provides in-home care to people across the Denver metro area, Boulder, and surrounding cities allowing their patients to maximize their independence and to heal and age in the comfort of their own home. Many of their patients are veterans and in the vulnerable population for COVID-19. This organization was in desperate need of masks.
Xtreme Pro Apparel in Broomfield altered their production of wrestling gear to meet the needs of their community. Cornerstone was able to buy $2,000 in masks from Xtreme Pro Apparel to donate to CVNA. We were able to help a local small business and donate to a worthy cause.
LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Our local restaurants have been hit hard these past several weeks. Many have laid off workers as demand has dropped significantly. In March Cornerstone partnered with several local churches to donate funds so that these restaurants could offer financial assistance to their employees. Old Santa Fe Mexican Grille in Louisville and Jefe's in Longmont each received $4,000 from Cornerstone as a way to help these workers who cannot file for unemployment.
MASKS FOR FLATIRON TERRACE
Flatirons Terrace is a local senior living center who reached out to us in need of some masks. The Robinson family (Jody, Doug and Sean) answered the call and made a few dozen homemade masks that we were able to donate. It was a small act of kindness that blessed this community.
