Community members are invited to donate gently-used clothing and household items at the Senior Pilgrim Fellowship’s first annual FUNDrive, to be held Saturday, April 7 from 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of First United Church of Christ at 46 West Main St in Milford.
The drive’s goal is to raise $2,000 in funds to support the First UCC Youth Group’s upcoming mission trip to help Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Acceptable donations include clothing, shoes, accessories, linens and soft household items (no furniture). Thirty-three-gallon garbage bags work well for packing items.
People will also be able to grab breakfast while dropping off their donations. Breakfast sandwiches will be available for $2 and $3.
Youth Advisor Pete DeLucia, who has served on six youth mission trips, said of last summer’s service trip, “The youth amazed me once again: with their exuberance, their fellowship, their humor, and their work. Everyone did really good work in helping a family get closer to coming back home.”
The need in Houston after Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in late August remains daunting. The youth group wants to help. It is taking a lot of preparation, but those like Pete who have gone before say that it is worth it for volunteers and for those who will return home. Events like FUNDrives help raise needed funds so every youth group member can participate in the experience.
All goods collected through the FUNDrive are sold to Savers, the parent company of thrift stores like Value Village, Unique, and Savers. They pay the church by the pound for every qualifying donation received. In turn, these items help keep their floors freshly stocked.