For years, our church has supported the Adult Day Center through an annual contribution from our General Mission budget. The Center helps the frail elderly or chronically disabled older adult, who is homebound or in need of supervision, to continue living independently or with family by providing socialization and supervision in a welcoming, structured and supportive environment. This gives a break to their family caregivers.
Non-perishable food and personal care donations may be left in the Narthex 1st and 3rd Sundays, for delivery to the food bank. Paper goods and personal care items are especially appreciated, as these are not covered by food stamps.
Several times each year BRPC provides a week of shelter, fellowship and meals to several homeless families through IHN.
Since 2000, the Oak Tree Quilters have shared fellowship while creating over 506 quilts to give to those who are in need of warmth and comfort.
The Paige Whitney Babies Center started as a mission to provide, free of charge, the basic necessities for babies up to 2 years old who came from disadvantaged homes, and to provide academic scholarships for parents in the program. Over the years, as other organizations became better able to provide the material needs, the mission of the Center changed focus exclusively to providing scholarships for parents under the new name, The Paige Whitney Scholarship Foundation. The goal is for each scholarship recipient to become financially self sufficient and to develop a sense of self worth and pride, with the hope that each will contribute to the prosperity of their family and New Jersey community.
In 1971, BRPC and five other local churches formed Ridge Oak Senior Housing, which currently provides 286 garden style apartments adjacent to Somerset County and Bernards Township parklands. Ridge Oak is a private non-profit organization established to provide rent subsidized rental apartments to age and income eligible senior citizens.
As a one-sixth owner of Ridge Oak, BRPC continues to support the community through an annual contribution from our General Mission budget to the Care Fund, which subsidizes meal, housekeeping, personal care and emergency response services for tenants. Because the philosophy has been to support independence, safety and dignity, the Care Fund helps pay for in-home services so tenants can “age in place.”
Our General Mission budget also supports Ridge Oak through providing transportation to and from weekly services at area churches.
Suburban Cultural Education Enrichment Program (SCEEP) provides after school tutoring for children bussed once a week from Newark to BRPC for one-on-one tutoring and mentoring from volunteer tutors. The program provides caring relationships that value scholastic discipline and accomplishment and, after graduating from the three-year program, students are eligible to receive financial aid for education. The SCEEP scholarship fund usually supports two to four college students.
SCE has the dual goals of providing regular chaplaincy services to residents in all eldercare facilities in Somerset County not being serviced by another agency, and supporting and enhancing the role of those who care for the elderly. The regular presence of a chaplain, one or more times a week, assures residents that they are not forgotten. Such continuity enables the chaplain to become someone the residents can depend on and turn to for support and comfort. The chaplain complements the efforts of local congregations by responding to unmet needs for worship, personal visits, counseling, and prayer.
If interested in learning more about Mission opportunities, please contact Dr. Maureen Paterson.