The Blessing Bag project by the United Women of Faith

This is the fourth year the UWF has used some of the proceeds of the Rummage Sale to purchase household goods like laundry detergent, fabric softener, dish soap, kitchen towel & sponge, toothbrushes and toothpaste, a treat for the children, foil, tape and other small items to give to families that come to the Wesley Food Distribution. Donations of toothbrushes, dental floss and toothpaste were given courtesy of Sage Dental facilitated by Dr Brittany Chou and Dr Grant Shimizu, Barbara Hiura, Judie Kanemoto,  and Barbara Mulford donated toothbrushes also. Mary Horio donated a goodie bag, Terri Koike made and donated tissue holders, Bev Acuna donated sponges. In our first year the UWF made 20 bags, last year we made 40, this year we assembled 60. Lillian Flores connects us to 45-48 low-income families with children who attend Grant Elementary School and each will receive one. We have other families who live in the neighborhood and have children aged 17 and younger, who will receive a bag until we run out. The smiles and joy of the people who look in their bag are heartwarming.
We pray this gives them a little help and hope on their journey.

Workers who helped assemble the Blessing Bags were from left:  Bev Acuna, Cynthia Fukuda, Barbara Mulford, Terri Koike, Joanne Kumano, Mary Chafey, Shizuko Adachi, Mary Horio and photographer/helper, Barbara Hiura.