Refugee Hope Partners/Brown Bag Ministry

Refugee Hope Partners

Refugee Hope Partners (RHP) Volunteer Orientation Training March 9

All new volunteers need to go through RHP’s Volunteer Orientation Training which will be hosted here at St. Philip on Sunday, March 9 between our two worship services from 10am-11am in the Music Room.

Our ministry partner, RHP, is in need of more volunteers to help in a variety of places, but the most pressing need at the moment is having more volunteers who are able to help with their Homework Help Program, specifically on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 4:30-6:00pm.
Volunteers are welcome to help when they are available and are not required to be there every single week.

If you are interested in learning more about RHP, or in potentially being a volunteer, please consider attending this free training. If you have any questions and/or would like to attend, please contact [email protected]

Refugee Hope Partners (RHP) is committed to walking alongside resettled refugees as neighbors and friends – from arriving to thriving. We stand as a beacon of compassion and faith, driven by our Christian values and a deep commitment to loving our refugee neighbors with the hope of the gospel. We believe in the transformative power of love, grace, and resilience, and we are dedicated to empowering refugees to thrive in their new communities. Through our holistic care, unwavering support, and collaborative partnerships, we strive to inspire hope, restore dignity, and ignite dreams for a brighter future in the lives of the refugee neighbors in our city.

A Message from Your Neighbors at Refugee Hope Partners—

In the past week, 1/27/25), two executive orders were issued that directly impact refugee resettlement in the United States. The first order halts all refugee resettlement for a minimum of 90 days, while the second suspends federal funding for refugees already resettled, halting critical support for food, housing, job assistance, and basic needs—resources essential for newly arrived families to thrive. For families already here, this sudden funding freeze places them at risk.

While this federal freeze does not directly impact Refugee Hope Partners’ funding, we do anticipate a sharp increase in the number of refugee neighbors looking to us for support and help.

In this moment of uncertainty, Refugee Hope Partners is uniquely positioned to step into the gap. As the only Christian, privately funded refugee organization in the Triangle, we have a history of responding in times of crisis. We are ready to rise to the challenge again, but we cannot do it alone.

This is an opportunity for the Church to shine. What if we, as the body of Christ, met the needs of our refugee neighbors with radical generosity, sharing the hope of the gospel as we offer practical support?

Let’s join together in prayer and action. Pray for separated families, vulnerable refugees, and our partners across the country. Pray for wisdom for our leaders and for God’s provision as we navigate these challenges. Pray that Jesus’ name will be proclaimed, drawing people to Himself through this work.

Refugee Hope Partners is committed to standing firm in our mission. With your partnership, we will continue to engage, equip and encourage our refugee neighbors so that all may thrive.

 

Brown Bag Ministry

St. Philip’s Brown Bag Ministry (BBM)  Needs Your Help
In our effort to help reduce rising food insecurity in our community, our BBM needs your help.

Due to some changing circumstances BBM is in desperate need of help to make sure we have enough food for the lunches that get packed twice a month.

Every 2nd and 4th Saturday, our BBM packs 430 meals that are then delivered to Refugee Families in our community. Each lunch that is packed includes a sandwich, fruit, a salty snack, and a sweet snack.

Beginning this coming Sunday (March 2) there will be donation collection bins available for you to drop off any of the following items for an ongoing basis. Each Saturday before a BBM Saturday, we will send an email asking for additional help if it looks like we will not have enough donations for that packing day.

Items we need help collecting:

* FRUIT: Apples; Oranges, and Bananas work best.  Bananas are the cheapest, but don’t last as long
(which is OK if people are donating them shortly before a BBM Sat.)

* SALTY SNACK: Chips; Cheese Crackers; Pretzels; Popcorn
(we try to avoid Peanut Butter Crackers since the sandwiches are often PB Sandwiches)

* SWEET SNACK: Granola bars; Cookies; etc.

We’re also working on creating an online shopping list so that you could order items and have them shipped directly to the church. Keep an eye out for that to go live in the near future.

If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering, please reach out to either Stacey Bell at [email protected] or to Kai Thurow at [email protected]

 

Brown Bag Ministry was formed to serve the homeless and hungry in the NC Triangle Area. You can find out more about the umbrella organization of BBM here.

The St. Philip site serves a nearby refugee community. We meet every second and fourth Saturday from 10am to about noon in Luther Hall to prepare 500 lunches. We then caravan to the nearby apartments to hand the lunches out.

BBM provides a fantastic opportunity for groups to build our community stronger.  From school or work groups to sports teams and scouts, we are excited for you to join us! Contact Stacey at [email protected]  for details.

Please sign up here

Ministry Needs
Pray for the ministry and those we serve.
Serve, come out to make and hand out lunches.
Support, donate snacks, fruit, or money.

 

Diaper Ministry / Needs

WIC and Food Stamp programs do not cover diapers.

Diapers can cost a family $100 month per child.

1 in 3 parents has had to choose between buying diapers and food.

Without diapers babies cannot attend daycare or participate in early childhood education.

Those of you who have built relationships with the folks we serve through Brown Bag Ministry and Abundance Ministry know that diapers are a big deal to the families we serve!  The good news is that we have partnered with The Diaper Bank of NC  to supply diapers on a monthly basis! Together we can do something tangible for families that are struggling at the moment!  Come be a part of solution!  We will hand out the diapers on the 4^th Saturdays of Brown Bag Ministry.  Questions? Contact Stacey at [email protected].