Community Outreach Team
Our next Community Outreach Team meeting is February 12 at 2 PM.
The Community Outreach Team meets about 3 times a year to coordinate fundraisers and collections to address the immediate needs in our community and world. The work is shared with members of the team picking 1-2 activities close to their hearts to focus on.
We invite everyone to come to our meetings and/or watch the weekly news for details about the current collections and related activities.
The team promotes ongoing collections for St. Stephen's Food Pantry, The Road Home and Circles of Support which the team delivers to on a regular basis. See collection lists in a tab below.
There are collections that occur at designated times of the year such as for Mountain of Food, Backpacks and Christmas collections.
Members of the team also are involved in various ongoing activities such as making prayer shawls, the dignity project and various meal ministries.
A highlight of the team is hosting the annual Fall Craft & Bake Sale with proceeds donated to local charities.
The team also supports SAM and the Family Ministry team in their collections and occasionally lets the community know about requests from the ELCA for nationwide disasters.
Monetary Lenten Collection - Foil Pans for Goodman Thanksgiving Baskets
Lent is a time of giving to the poor (alms) and following Christ’s teachings more faithfully. In following these teachings, we moved the monetary collection for Thanksgiving baskets to the season of Lent.
The Goodman Center has sponsored Thanksgiving Baskets for many years, last year giving away over 4,000 meals! A complete meal, including a turkey and all the trimmings, is provided to those in need who have registered. Goodman historically had to buy foil roasting pans as donations were low. It was decided to step in to purchase as many as we could. Our goal for 2024 and 2025 was to provide ALL 4,000 pans and Messiah met that goal and more!
Please consider donating to this cause during Lent so we can reach our goal and be ready to purchase the pans at the best price we can find (roughly $5500). If using a check, please put “Thanksgiving basket” in the memo line so it is put in the correct account. Online, please use the Thanksgiving basket button. This collection will end at Easter. Your donations are greatly appreciated!
Hippity, Hoppity, Easter’s On Its Way! Easter Collection February 14 - March 1st.
And we want to make sure it is a happy one for children and adults in our community who may be experiencing economic challenges and/or loneliness.
YOW, Sunday School and the Community Outreach Ministry are teaming up to create 250 Easter Baskets (50 more than in previous years) for children and 95 Easter Bunny Bags for adults for St. Stephen’s Food Pantry, DAIS, Road Home, the Salvation Army Family Shelter, the Extended Hands Food Pantry, Triangle Community Ministry, and to those who receive visits from the Messiah Visitation Team.
We are asking the Messiah community to donate chocolate eggs, jellybeans, individually wrapped nut-free candies, fruit snacks, lollipops, crayons, gum, pens, small notebooks, deodorant and lotion, decks of cards, adult word searches and coloring books.
In order to ensure we have what we need, please visit the easel outside the office and choose the items you will purchase. You can also reach Elizabeth at volunteer@messiahchurch.com or call the office to get added to the list, or make a donation by bringing cash or bringing/mailing a check to the office and writing “Easter Baskets” on the envelope and/or in the memo line.
Please bring all cash/checks to the office and donations to the Easter-themed box in the gathering space by March 1st. We will be packing and delivering that week.
Thank you for supporting our Lenten Outreach project.
On December 22, 2025, deliveries were made to Circles of Support and The Road Home.
Clothes for Kennedy
Message from Bridget
the social worker
We are in desperate need of clothing for kiddos, both to stock our health office as well as to have clothing to send home to families in need. Items we are most in need of:
Underwear--Youth size XS-XL
Socks--Youth size XS-XL
Sweatpants--Youth size XS-XL
Leggings--Youth size XS-XL
T-Shirts--Youth size XS-XL
Sweatshirts--Youth size XS-XL
We will also take adult and little kid clothing as well as we have families reaching out for those sizes as well.
Adopt a School Program - Kennedy Elementary School
Messiah and Kennedy Elementary School have an Adopt a School Partnership through the Madison Public Schools Foundation.
Snack Request
Kennedy has requested individual servings of goldfish crackers, pretzels and cracker packs like cheese-its.
Making the snacks consistent and easy to serve means that they can be passed out quickly and that learning can continue without a lot of interruption. Let’s fill the yellow Kennedy cart in the collection area!
Teacher Appreciation
Each year, we show our appreciation to the staff of Kennedy by providing treats on a professional development day in either April or May.
Give Kids a Lift
For the past 4 years, Messiah has been the grant host and the fundraising source for the transportation of students from the Family Shelter to Kennedy for school.
Now, Kennedy is researching a longer-term solution to the transportation challenges: PURCHASING THEIR OWN VAN!
This van would transport:
- Children living at the family shelter
- Other children on the edge of the walking zone
- Families who currently cannot get to family events or who need help accessing resources in the neighborhood.
The staff at Kennedy is now researching the cost of the vehicle, insurance, gas and maintenance. We look forward to hearing more about it in April when Bridget the school social worker visits us!
Adopt a School team
Bridget (social-worker) pictured back row, left side
Messiah members are invited to become volunteers in the school by serving in the lunchroom or on the playground, or reading with students. Get started at https://www.madison.k12.wi.us/partnerships/volunteering.
You can be a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County and spend one hour each week during lunch or after school with a student. Click here for more details. Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Learn How To Support Our Other Neighborhood School
In addition to Kennedy, our neighborhood is also home to Elvehjem Elementary School, just on the other side of Cottage Grove Road. They are one of the schools we support each year with backpacks, school supplies, and clothing, and this December, they were the designated charity at the Monona Senior Chorus Christmas concert.
Recently, we met with the Elvehjem principal, social worker, and family liaison and learned that resources are being stretched thin. This year Elvehjem gained over 70 students when they opened their doors to the 4K children from Schenk and Kennedy, whose buildings do not have space. On top of that, many families are living in challenging economic circumstances and would benefit from some assistance to ensure their children have the food and clothes they need to be their best at school.
This weekend you will hear about these needs from some Elvehjem staff - who are also members of Messiah! One of whom you can read about here, and how they are addressing Elvehjem's transportation barriers to get all kids to school safely via the
Elvehjem Walking School Bus.
Literacy Volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering at our adopt a school partner Kennedy Elementary, or other schools in Madison, click the link below to learn about the opportunity to receive some training on how to work one on one to help kids become better readers.
Kennedy Winter Clothes Collection
Help keep kids warm and dry at our Adopt a School partner Kennedy Elementary School.
You can order and have snow pants, mittens and hats delivered directly to the school following the link below to a curated list from the school’s community resource coordinator. You can also sign up to help distribute the items at community events.
1. Winter Gear Donation List-here is the list of items we’re collecting for individuals and families in need this winter.
2. Volunteer Sign-Up Sheets-If you would like to volunteer at the events, we would love to have you.
Community Meals
Messiah members provide meals for Healing House and The Triangle Community Ministry.
Healing House is the first shelter of its kind in our community to provide a safe place when someone needs to prepare for or recover from a medical procedure, childbirth, hospitalization or something similar. More than just a shelter, Healing House offers care by medically trained staff and volunteers for up to 28 days. The eight-bed facility provides clients with three meals a day, child care assistance and case management.
Messiah members prepare a meal for 12 people including a main course, side dishes and dessert and bring it to Messiah. Scott DeBroux delivers the meals.
Our next dates for preparing meals for Healing House are:
March 1-7, 2026
Please sign up on the Kiosk in the Gathering Space.
Triangle Community Ministry serves over 300 residents living in the Triangle Neighborhood of Madison, WI, most of whom are challenged by chronic mental, emotional, physical, and/or developmental disabilities. TCM is dedicated to the development of personal dignity, self-empowerment, and community building among its residents.
Please contact Elizabeth to be added to the groups in REALM to receive updates and to sign you up if you cannot make it in to sign up on the Kiosk in the Gathering Space.
Our next dates for preparing/serving meals for Triangle Community Ministry are:
April 6, 2026
July 6, 2026
October 5, 2026
Please sign up on the Kiosk in the Gathering Space.
Dignity Project
The Dignity Project Group
will meet Saturday, January 10th at 9:30 am
We will meet in the last education room on the right. Anyone is welcome to come to see how easy it is to help. You do not need to own a sewing machine or be able to use one to help with the project. Enter on the lower level of church at door C and follow the sign upon entering the building.
We have been able to send 17,529 pads - 3,638 panties
to Little Dresses For Africa since the group started. These pads and panties are distributed to help girls remain in school to finish their education. Thank you for your part in providing these girls with dignity.
Anyone seeking information on the project contact June.
What does the Dignity Project Group Do?
The Dignity Project group makes sani-panties (washable menstrual pads) for Little Dresses for Africa so that young girls can still go to school.
The group holds a workshop once a month to get together and sew, but some people sew at home and those who do not sew can help by cutting material or donating items.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet
Monday, January 26th at 1:00 pm
in the Meeting Room
The Prayer Shawl Ministry group meets once a month to make prayer shawls.
Shawls are provided to the Messiah community for the newly baptized, high school seniors, and for the visitation ministry to bring to homebound and hospitalized members.
The ministry extends its reach outside Messiah to those experiencing challenging situations to know that our community cares and prays for them. Recent recipients include Elizabeth House, Triangle Community Ministry, Breast Cancer Recovery Retreats and Agrace Hospice.
Habitat for Humanity Volunteers
We recently were contacted by Habitat for Humanity with these opportunities:
Donation Processing
Help out at our ReStores, which are critical to raising funds that allow Habitat to build affordable housing. This work includes unloading the donation truck, sorting through donated items, assembling/repairing small items, and merchandising the store floor.
- Location: 4207 Monona Dr
- Time: Opportunities are available Tues-Sat, with either an AM shift (9am-1pm) or a PM shift (1-5pm).
- Age 16 and up
- If folks are interested in scheduling as a group, group sizes (up to): 8 at ReStore East, 12 at ReStore West
Construction:
Help to build habitat houses that our homeowners will live in! This can include any number of tasks, including interior work, and can vary depending on duplex progress and other conditions. Prior building/construction experience is not required, so it’s a great way to learn new skills while helping out.
- Location: 1149 Kamperschroer Wy, Sun Prairie
- Time: Construction opportunities are available Thurs-Sat, and go from 8:15am-3:30pm.
- Age 18 and up
If you are interested in either opportunity, please contact
Shai Ben-Dror (He/Him)
Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
Habitat for Humanity of Dane County
sben-dror@habitatdane.org
(608) 618-9399
Messiah/Gunderson Funeral Home Annual Blood Drive - Two Drives this year
February 20, 2026 - Noon - 5:00pm at Messiah
Messiah Lutheran Church and Gunderson Funeral Home blood drive was a success and we exceeded our collection goal.
CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment.
As a thanks for your donation, you will receive a $20 e-gift card to your choice of merchant.
May 6, 2025 (notice the date change)
Each year Messiah and Gunderson Funeral Home sponsor a Red Cross blood drive at Messiah Lutheran Church. Members volunteer to greet and visit with people as they donate, as well as host the snack area.
The 2026 Blood Drive will be held on Wednesday, May 6th from 1:00 - 6:00 pm.
2025 Craft & Bake Sale Totaled $5,606.75
The date for the 2026 Craft & Bake Sale will be Saturday, November 7.
Community Outreach Groups and Leaders
Adopt a School "Kennedy Elementary School" - Paula Darr
Blood Drive - Elizabeth Crummy
Community Meals - Scott DeBroux and Elizabeth Crummy
Craft & Bake Sale
Craft Sale - Dawn Olson
Bake Sale - Louise Fosdick
Gift Baskets - Karen Verhagen
Dignity Project - June Nyhus
Habitat for Humanity - Jim Stolzenburg
Prayer Shawl Ministry - Maren Anderson and
Paula Stadtmueller
St. Stephen's Food Pantry - Dee Schwoegler and
Bonnie Eastman
Community Outreach Team Collections
January
February/March - Goodman Thanksgiving Baskets (foil pans) & Easter Baskets
April - Give Kids a Lift Special Collection 2026
May - Mountain of Food
June
July - Backpacks for Schools
August
September
October/November - Virtual Pies for "Share Your Holidays"
(Second Harvest Food Bank)
November - Craft/Bake Sale
November/December - Christmas Collections for: The Road Home, YWCA, Triangle Ministry, East Side Community/Truax, Madison Area Jail Ministry
The Community Outreach Team organizes collections for local organizations during the year.
Some collections are ongoing and some are held during specific months of the year.
Listed above are our monthly collections. For more information about these and our ongoing collections please click on the button below.
