Local Food Drives

In recent months we have had some wonderful food drives. Vestavia Hills High School students were in competition with Hoover High School students to see who could collect the most canned goods. Vestavia won and we were one of the recipients of this really large collection of food.

Another very large food drive was the annual Jr. League of Birmingham's "Wall of Food". We were also one of the recipients of this project.

Others who did food drives for us include:

• Covenant Presbyterian Church School
• Trinity United Methodist Church
• Mountain Brook Community Church
• Mountain Brook Baptist Church

We are so grateful for these generous contributions and the effort involved in doing these food drives.

CSM Partners

CSM Sends Much Needed Help to the Gulf Coast

As you know Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left many individuals on the Gulf Coast with very little, if anything. We immediately went into our disaster mode and began providing assistance to those in our community who were in the local shelters, hotels as well as those who were living with family members. The mission also partnered with several ministries in Biloxi Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana during this devastating time. After many phone calls and emails we set out to the Gulf. We offered our assistance to this area immediately after the catastrophe, and remained there until the end of the year.

The mission set up a refrigerated trailer in Biloxi and replenished it as needed with meats and groceries. We sent over 127,000 pounds of meat to the Gulf Coast that was prepared onsite and fed to the refugees and volunteers of the relief effort. What we accomplished on the Gulf Coast was only possible because of the corporate sponsors and vendors that donate to us on a regular basis as well as the many individuals who felt led to be a part of a movement to help their "fellow man".

We know that God is good all the time but we become especially aware of that fact during these times of crisis. We are forever grateful to those who took a step of faith in allowing CSM to be God's hands and feet and to "Do unto others as we would have them do unto us". To God be the glory for the things HE has done! Amen.