TOUCH Backpack Ministry

A year ago, while on a mission trip to South Africa, the Lord opened up a ministry for me to serve the homeless in our community. It started out by asking the church I attend, if anyone would be interested in helping the homeless. The response was huge. Hundreds in the church body wanted to do something for the homeless but had no direction on how. Last September, the bible study my husband and I belonged to, decided on doing a community service project. We were all bouncing ideas around when I mentioned a service I’d been doing for some time for the homeless. I would take backpacks and fill them up with food, clothes, hygiene items, blankets, and a bible. WHenever I would see a homeless person asking for help, I would hand them the backpack and tell them God loved them and their very special. The group loved the idea and asked if I would share it with the congregation at our church, Community Baptist located in ALta Loma California. The following weekend Assistant Pastor Art Girard mentioned to the congregation about our service project, and more information would be in next bulletin. Art’s secretary Carolyn Pruitt made up a flyer explaining the ministry. SHe also made a list of all the items you could donate and bring to the church. We put out boxes marked Backpacks and waited.
While in South Africa hundreds of soaps, shampoos, deodorants, food, clothes, bibles, and backpacks came in. What a blessing for the homeless.

That’s when I realized that God was opening a ministry. God guided me to form a board to help facilitate this ministry.
Touched Ones United Creating Hope assists the homeless and needy; serving those in need of “A Hand Up” and not just “A Hand Out”. TOUCH aims to provide needed services for the homeless and working poor. There is a need to provide rehabilitative services to many residents and those without a home. THis population includes seniors, homeless, at-risk youth, recently released inmates, substance abusers, and the working poor. TOUCH’s focus is on short-term intervention that will lead to long -term solutions. Those involved can expect spiritual guidance, a hot meal, referrals for job placement, and substance abuse education.
TOUCH is currently filling backpacks for the homeless, the first Saturday of each month. Last month we filled 90 backpacks and we’re able to distribute them all out within days. We’re all looking forward to seeing what God has planned for TOUCH.