Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of our goals has been to find the best way to respond that would help our community, and give our church family an outlet to serve during a season that still seems so uncertain. The Live Awake team was created to plan and execute projects designed to tangibly display love and inspire hope to those in our area that need it most.
So far, these projects have been largely behind the scene. But now we would like to share what we’ve been up to, not only to introduce some hope and positive news to today’s narrative, but also to encourage you to find your own ways to “live awake.”
Live Awake Project - Encouraging Healthcare Workers
Since the beginning of the pandemic, healthcare workers have been hit especially hard with new challenges, protocols and stresses, and their contribution to keeping us healthy and safe has never been more clear. For these reasons, and many more, the first project planned by the Live Awake team, completed at the end of April, was geared toward bringing hope and joy to the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff that have been working tirelessly to support our community. Using contributions from our church family, we were able to deliver 240 lunches to over 10 different locations including the ER floors at both St. Lukes and St. Alphonsus, COVID testing tents and COVID clinics. In addition to the meal, members of the Awaken Church community wrote notes of encouragement in addition to small gift cards to bless the healthcare workers, and serve as demonstrable appreciation for all that they are sacrificing in this season.
Our team was able to pick up, assemble and deliver the meals, and the project garnered support from local businesses. The local Dutch Bros franchise donated gift cards to include, and Chick-fil-A matched our efforts and donated half of the meals that we distributed. We’ve always known that Awaken Church is a generous house, full of people who love well. That generosity has become even more incredible over the past year. Awaken Church, you are sowing seeds of hope in a time where hopelessness and fear seem like the easier option. Thank you for partnering with us in creating culture.
Over the next few weeks, look out for information on other Live Awake projects that have been completed so far this year.