What is Project 5000?
God calls us to feed the hungry, serve our neighbors, and to welcome strangers. Project 5000 is centered on the miracle where Jesus fed 5000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish. The story is reported in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples. The disciples handed them to the people. All ate and were satisfied.
Project 5000 allows us to give our own small contribution of food and see it multiplied into greater usefulness. The food is collected, taken to two local hunger relief organizations, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services (IFC) and Orange Congregations in Missions (OCIM) where they will be distributed.
Why participate?
Project 5000 is always an important part of our mission to our neighbors through the IFC and other food pantries. While many, if not all of us, are hurting, but our poorer neighbors are being hurt even more.
To paraphrase Jacki Jenks, the President & CEO of the IFC, “Now is the time to show up”. Federal cuts have resulted in reductions to farmer subsidies that benefit communities through school lunches and food pantries. The additional proposed cuts to the upcoming budget for housing and community development programs will be devastating. For more than 60 years, IFC has shown up every day to help meet the most fundamental needs of everyone in our community: food and housing. Now, with funding cuts and rising costs, the challenges of meeting these needs are mounting, and IFC needs your support. Now is the time to show up for our neighbors and friends.
Although it is sometimes surprising, there are many people in this area who are food insecure. In one 6-month period, the IFC Pantry distributed almost 10,000 bags of groceries to 2,500 households.
How do you participate?
There are two ways to participate – purchasing food and/or making a monetary donation. Both are welcome and needed. While the food and monetary donations are a definite help, the need continues and continues to grow.
Purchasing food
- A list of the most needed food items from IFC and OCIM is provided. You and your family purchase the items from our local stores.
- You may pick up boxes here at church when the church is open. The food list is stapled to the box. It is slightly different from year to year so please read carefully. You put the food items in boxes.
- Or pick up just the food list from one of the holders next to the boxes or get it HERE and return the food items in a paper grocery bag (double bagged for strength). IFC will reuse the bags for their shoppers at the Community Market (Food Pantry).
When you have filled your boxes or paper grocery bags (doubled so they do not rip) return them to the church. You may leave them in the hallway or put them in the sanctuary. The boxes and bags will be taken to the IFC and OCIM for distribution. Each year the empty boxes are picked up and reused the following year.
Monetary Donations
A donation of $50 is equal to filling a box. To donate money, visit IFC or OCIM to donate directly at their website or write them a check. Please put “University United Methodist” in the note section of their donation page or in the memo line on your check. We want to let them know we support their ministries.
IFC
You may also donate through the church. If donating online, select UUMC Project 5000 under “Fund”. Please make checks out to University United Methodist Church and be sure you specify Project 5000 in the memo field. There are no fees for checks or cash donations.
Origin and History of Project 5000
Project 5000 was started in Cincinnati over 30 years ago and has been successfully conducted each year since by a number of local faith groups and organizations. It was introduced to Chapel Hill in 2002 and grew to nine churches in 2004. During 2008/2009 with a relaunch Project 5000, thirteen Chapel Hill congregations participated, filling more than 1,500 boxes of food each sufficient to feed a family of four for two days. By far the majority of the filled boxes have gone to IFC but also to Orange Congregations in Missions (OCIM), the Freedom House of Chapel Hill and Robeson County Church & Community Center and Chatham County Outreach Alliance (CORA) have benefited. Our congregation has been so generous over the years.