November 10, 2022

There’s hunger in our schools and need in our community. We know it. It grieves us as it grieves the God we worship. That’s why for eleven years, Galilee has worked to fill this need through the Backpack Buddies program, which provides weekend meals for over 500 students enrolled at nine Loudoun County schools.

This program runs on the strength of our volunteers and on donations from Galileans like you. To date, Galilee’s 2022-23 Backpack Buddies sponsorship drive has raised an amazing $20,784. That’s about $2,000 more than last year, but with soaring inflation our needs are more than last year, too. We anticipate we need to raise $25,000 in total to meet our commitment to all our schools and kids.

You can help!

Linda and Hailey Thompson made this wonderful heart poster to thank our BPB sponsors

But first, you should know that the food that goes out each week is only part of what makes Backpack Buddies a vital mission at our church. For all the benefit that BPB provides to students, it gives just as much to us as a congregation. We are blessed to be able to contribute in a meaningful way to the community around us.

We are blessed by God, so it is a joy to pass on our blessings.

It’s a joy, too, that our facilities make it easy to invite all sorts of groups in to pack for Backpack Buddies. We’ve got members of the Galilee and Chapel congregations helping throughout the week, but our pantry is also regularly open to Scouts, for instance, who are performing service for others. Additionally, we welcome LCPS special education students who are learning new skills as they transition to life after high school.

Friends from Dominion High School help us pack every week

Backpack Buddies is a ministry made possible by the generosity of donors. It is also a ministry that gives back so much to the church! How our faith can grow when we open our hearts, and our wallets, to those in the community who suffer need. What fellowship we have when we spend time together doing work of small but real significance!

If you would like to help us reach our goal of $25,000 in sponsorships for Backpack Buddies this year, you need look no further than the Christmas tree standing in Galilee’s lobby. This early in the year, it’s so far the only Christmas tree around! It’s the Galilee Mission Tree and on it you will find ornaments marked “Backpack Buddies” in denominations of $250 or $125, which are the recommended sponsorship levels for this ministry for one year. But anything that you can give, we appreciate. Give online (choose Backpack Buddies from the “Fund” pulldown) or by check in the office.

The BPB hearts poster is hanging in the narthex

Thank you for helping Galilee in its extraordinary purpose of making Christ known to those in need. Thank you for your heart for ending hunger.