Outreach Opportunities

St. John in the Wilderness participates in a variety of services to the community and the world throughout the year. A new committee in 2017, St. John’s Civil & Humans Rights/Social Justice Committee (SJL), will serve to create and implement several special events to promote and address important issues in our community and beyond.

Roe-Jan Food Pantry
Donations of food are gathered at St. John’s and taken each week to the Roe-Jan Food Pantry in Hillsdale, New York, a community food pantry.

Events Promoting National Causes
5K event in Sept. 2016 raised funds for the Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley and the American Childhood Cancer Organization in honor of the national Childhood Cancer Awareness month.

United Thank Offering
Monetary donations to United Thank Offering, the Episcopal ministry which funds charities worldwide.

Episcopal Relief and Development
Members of St. John’s give generously to this premiere relief and development organization, an international ministry of the Episcopal Church.

Women, Infants & Children Organization (WIC)
St. John’s helps out twice a year by providing homemade soup during WIC days at the neighboring Our Lady of Hope church.  WIC is a federally funded health and nutrition program for women, infants and children.

Taconic Hills Back Pack Program
Fund-raisers throughout the year at St. John’s provide funds to the Back Pack program which supplies food for needy children in the Taconic Hills and Webutuck schools for weekend meals for families in need. The money raised is sent to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, food is then  trucked to the schools for distribution on Friday to help out with weekend meals.

Host to Community Organizations
The church provides space to host Alcoholics Anonymous, (twice a week).   Meetings and lectures throughout the year are held at the church including Friends of Taconic State Park.  The church grounds provide space for community organizations to hold events such as Copake Falls Day activities.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets 
Churches in the community donate funds to create holiday food baskets for families in need.

Christmas Friends
This yearly effort provides Christmas gifts for local children in need.

Churches Assisting Neighbors (C.A.N.)
St. John’s participates in Churches Assisting Neighbors, a local ecumenical group, which provides emergency funds for those in the immediate community.