Mercy Touch is an orphanage in Ndola, Zambia, serving a critical need for 38 children. Founded in 2001 by Rev. Bernard Mukwavi (with assistance by Rev. Dr. John Clarke, our former pastor), it provides shelter, food, clothing, education (both Christian and secular) and a loving environment to children who are orphaned or have family unable to care for them. The orphanage is located in three homes:
• Garment of Praise  • Oil of Joy  • New Girl's Home
Each house provides for about 12 children, a house mother and a manager. Mercy Touch also maintains

• A feeding program for other malnourished children in the area

• A Christian sponsorship program for area children providing for school needs and bible study

• A farming project for growing vegetables to supply the homes

• A Business Enterprises project to train older children for careers

The 19th Annual Food Drive was held on Sunday, March 14, 2024. In addition to our own parishioners, donors to this food drive who utilize our facility included the Assurance Christian Ministries, FCC Preschool, and Taiwanese Christian Church. A total of 2117 lbs. of non-perishable food was collected, weighed and sorted, before being delivered to the Meriden Soup Kitchen the following morning.

World Central Kitchen is a not-for-profit non-governmental non-religious organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, wars and conflicts. Founded in 2010, the organization prepared food in Haiti following its devastating earthquake. Its method of operations is to be a first responder and then to collaborate and galvanize solutions with local chefs to solve the problem of hunger, immediately following a disaster.

Food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope. Your support in 2023 helped us serve 100+ million meals to people in need on the frontlines of conflict and the climate crisis.

Connecticut law requires certain health insurance policies to cover a baseline mammogram for a woman age 35 to 39 and one every year for a woman age 40 or older. Starting in 2023, the Christian Outreach Committee began sponsoring the Mammography bus provided by Hartford HealthCare. Three dates have been scheduled in 2024. Mammography is free to all women, regardless of insurance.

Mammography is the process of using low-energy X-rays to examine the human breast for diagnosis and screening. The goal of mammography is the early detection of breast cancer, typically through detection of characteristic masses.

First Congregational Church of Meriden is hosting several blood drives each year, held in our church recreation hall. A flyer regarding each upcoming drive is posted on our church website homepage at http://www.fccmeriden.org 

During the month of October, we collect donations of new socks which are then transferred to the Meriden Dept. of Health and Human Services for distribution to those in need.

The Mitten Tree Ministry was started in Dec. 2015, and has since become an annual outreach event. An undecorated tree is erected near the entrance to the sanctuary by the end of November, and parishioners are requested to attach new mittens, hats, scarves and gloves to be donated . At the end of the Christmas season, the tree is loaded with gifts and these are then delivered to the Meriden Dept. of Health and Human Services.  
 

In conjunction with the Meriden Health Dept. and the Community Task Force, we are helping our homeless neighbors by collecting the items below.

       Toothbrushes, Toothpaste
Deodorant, thin Maxipads
Hand or Body Sanitizers
Socks (white athletic weight or any color thermal)
Hand, foot and toe warmers
Gloves, Hats, Scarves for men and women
Small Fleece Blankets
Bottled Water
Snacks