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Revised: 07/18/08 17:29:00 -0400.

 FISH- For Immediate Sympathetic Help, Mission Highlight

FISH is a Food Bank of non-perishable goods that is located at 62A Lee Street in Warrenton, Virginia. Clients in need in Fauquier County may call for an appointment (540-347-3474) and arrange to come to the food bank once a month to receive nutritious and well balanced meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. They can also receive personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies. During emergency situations, such as a fire, clients may come to the food bank more often. Financial assistance is provided once a year to help with utility bills, and with rent in specific cases.

Throughout the year FISH has several special projects. These include holiday food baskets, Christmas and Easter, which contain a turkey or ham, side dishes, rolls and dessert and have some personal items and candy. Another project is backpacks for the children that are filled with school supplies and a toiletry bag containing shampoo and a toothbrush. Students also receive a $20.00 Wal-Mart gift certificate to purchase school shoes or clothing.

Clients are referred to FISH by social services, local churches, community organizations and by friends and family. Most of the non-perishable food received is from local churches, the boy scouts and from food drives at schools. FISH supplements this with food that they purchase, especially perishables like milk, meat, cheese and eggs.

Financial assistance for FISH comes from churches and generous individuals in the community. Volunteers are invaluable and are depended upon for answering phones (one day a month from 9:30 am to noon), shopping, stocking, and giving out food at the food bank. They try to promote the value of community service to children and encourage their hands-on experience at the food bank. In addition to providing food and financial assistance they need church groups/vacation bible schools and other community groups to adopt the backpack project to provide school supplies and hygiene items for the children. At present, they have almost 400 children that need to be provided with these items.

Greenwich Presbyterian Church has FISH as a mission partner and provides financial assistance to them. Non-perishable food, personal items and cleaning supplies are collected, usually the second Sunday of the month, in January, April, July and October. A notice appears in the church bulletin the first Sunday of the month listing any specific items that are needed, but all items are welcome. Look for the collection basket in front of the church or you may take your donation to the kitchen in the fellowship hall.

Trish Halley is the church liaison with FISH and she will deliver the donations for them soon after the collection. You may call Trish at 540-349-9159 with any questions or if you wish to volunteer. There are brochures about FISH on the Missions bulletin board in the fellowship hall.

The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of   these brothers of mine, you did for me”