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Chilliwack church, public perform good deeds to those in need as part of ‘For This City’

‘It truly is a community effort,’ said Southside Church pastor
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Chris Woods hoses down a vehicle at Southside Church during its For This City event on Saturday, May 29, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Members of a Chilliwack church and other people were performing good deeds to folks in need on Saturday.

Southside Church invited the general public to take part in their city-wide event called For This City on May 29, where people could donate goods, wash cars and tidy up seniors’ yard.

“It truly is a community effort,” said Sarah McCracken, community development pastor at Southside Church.

For This City is part of a nation-wide initiative where four churches in four different Canadian cities made an impact on their community. In Chilliwack, more than 200 people took part, including many youth leaders and teens who are part of Southside Church’s youth program.

Jed McCracken, 14, vacuums the floor mats of a vehicle at Southside Church during its ‘For This City’ event on Saturday, May 29, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
Jed McCracken, 14, vacuums the floor mats of a vehicle at Southside Church during its ‘For This City’ event on Saturday, May 29, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

The event featured many ways for people to donate goods or provide services including: cleaning up city roadways and yards of seniors, handing out gas cards for single parents, purchasing items for food hampers, buying hygiene items for women at risk, donating diaper bags filled with baby supplies for new moms, and buying gift cards to financially support kids and families in their fight against critical illnesses.

On May 29, people helped by dropping off items at the church that they had purchased, delivering items to hospitals and other places, and doing physical work like gardening, car cleaning and trash pickup.

“When you provide practical help, that is a need that you actually have” like having to put gas in one’s car, McCracken said. “It’s a small thing that brings huge hope and we see the ripple effect of it.”

The church connected with several of their local partners which provide services to seniors, single parents and others struggling with finances, in order to deliver the donated goods and services to those in need.

This isn’t the first time the church has done some good for the people of Chilliwack during the pandemic. At Christmas, they opened up their parking lot for a drive-thru lights display, and on Easter weekend they had two city-wide egg hunts – one for young kids called Prizes in the Park, and for older kids and adults there was Join the Hunt.

READ MORE: Church brings free drive-thru Christmas display to Chilliwack

READ MORE: People hop to outdoor Easter events in Chilliwack


 

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Email: jenna.hauck@theprogress.com
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Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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