Eternal Hope Fellowship Hall

Goal: $10,000.00

Specific Need

NAME OF ORGANIZATION: Eternal Hope Fellowship Hall

The organization is operated by the Eternal Hope Worship Center at 410 East Iowa.

We were able to complete Eternal Hope Fellowship Hall sound boards, added gravel to the parking lot, and updated sewer lines. This year we would appreciate additional funds to complete concrete for parking lot, and additional funds for an electronic sign to put out by the street to inform the public of community events.

The completion of the concrete parking lot will accommodate the food distribution for the Mobile Food Pantry from Second Harvest and the TEFAP commodities for the low income residents of North Brown County, as well as the larger funeral dinners we are hosting. Volunteers from the Hiawatha community and surrounding communities come together to distribute the food. The church has been handling this program since 2017, and we feel that these activities greatly benefit those in need in our local area. The electronic sign would be beneficial because of changing dates for TEFAP and other non-designated dates of activities.

The Mobile Food Pantry is distributed the third Thursday of each month and is open to anyone who needs food. Generally there are around 225 families representing about 675 people receiving food each month.

TEFAP commodities are distributed every other month, in the even months: February, April, June, August, October, and December. Due to the fluctuation of delivery dates by Second Harvest, an electronic sign would better enable us to notify our families of the upcoming distribution dates. TEFAP commodities are available to income qualifying individuals who are now required to be entered into the SIMC computer system. Generally there are over 100 families receiving the TEFAP food commodities each distribution.

The Eternal Hope Worship Center also offers their facility (Eternal Hope Fellowship Hall) to cook and serve funeral dinners to those families having no place to meet with their family and friends after a funeral. We have served 6 Family Funeral Gatherings/Dinners with an approximate of 475 people. Free will offerings may be given to cover costs, but are not required. Other activities include drop off location for the Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes for the area, and various other meetings and family gatherings.