During our February Mission Emphasis Month, First Presbyterian Church of Homewood, Illinois, learned of a special need at Jones Memorial Community Center in Chicago Heights, a suburb of Chicago. Established in 1917, Jones Center provides food, financial assistance, education, clothing, computer training, and much more for children, youth, and adults in need in our community.

This year, due to the economy and cutbacks in grants, the Jones Center had to cut out its Breakfast for Champions ministry, which served a hot, balanced breakfast to seventy-five at-risk children before school each day. The cost was about seventy-five cents per meal. Because breakfast is so important for school children to be successful in learning, this need struck a chord within our congregation. In hopes of reinstating this important ministry, our church, along with ten other Presbyterian churches in our area, are working to raise $15,000 to give specifically to the Breakfast for Champions. This year our Pentecost Offering will be used for this purpose.

First Presbyterian Church
Homewood, Illinois
Nancy Jo Dederer
(708) 798-0490
email