Community Lunch | Food Pantry | Maternal Health Initiative | Stewardship

Advent's vibrant neighborhood in New York is home to millionaires and paupers, homeowners and homeless, people thriving and people barely surviving. On the 4th Saturday of every month from 12-1pm, we invite anyone in need of a good home-cooked meal to be our guest at a sit-down lunch. We typically serve 100 guests at each of our meals.

Some of our diners are homeless, but most are not. Basic living expenses in New York City are high, and money is especially tight at the end of the month for those whose main income is from Social Security or other fixed income sources.

The meal includes a freshly-prepared hot entree of chicken or beef, a starch (rice, potatoes, pasta), a hot vegetable, salad, dessert and coffee or juice. As our guests leave, they are given a bag of fruit to take with them. We are licensed by the Board of Health and receive money from the United Way and other sources.

Unlike many other programs, the meal is not buffet or take-out, but full service: the meal, drinks, and dessert are served restaurant-style. Diners sit together for fellowship and conversation. We hope our guests are nourished in body and spirit.

The Saturday coordination team is Carlos Lopez and Lauren Johnson. You can serve as often as the Spirit moves you, serving once a month, once a year, or any number of times in between. If you would like to volunteer, please send your email or phone contact information to Carlos Lopez at CL517@columbia.edu. Our volunteers run the gamut - singles, couples, families, youth, older adults, and even groups interested in community service opportunities. Come join us! Advent's Food Pantry is a once-per-month program that distributes a bag of groceries (rice, pasta, canned vegetables, tuna, and a couple of "heat and eat" meals) to anyone who shows up, no questions asked. Although the program is funded by state and federal sources, our staff is made up of volunteers who order, bag and distribute the food on the first Saturday of every month. We also survey our guests to find out more about their households so that we can accurately track who is receiving the food and, ideally, grow the program to better meet the neighborhood's needs in the future.

Groceries are distributed the first Saturday of every month, beginning at 10:30 AM. Enter at the red double doors on the corner of 93rd and Broadway. We serve until all bags have been handed out, usually around 11:30 AM. There is a limit of one bag per person.

Volunteer hours are from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM on the day of the Pantry. Bagging takes place from 9:30 to 10:30, and distribution begins at 10:30 AM. We are generally finished with clean up and record keeping by 12 noon. You can help as often as the Spirit moves you, serving once a month, once a year, or any number of times in between. If you would like to be on the volunteer list, please send your email and phone contact information to Jessica Franklin at Frankieandtee@gmail.com.

To educate faith-based communities in the United States and internationally about maternal health issues and to raise funds for obstetric fistula repair surgeries Obstetric fistula is a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged labor without necessary intervention. The woman is left with chronic incontinence and, in most cases a stillborn baby. In addition, the social stigma associated with her incontinence leaves her marginalized within the community. Obstetric fistula disproportionately affects poor women in developing countries, more than 2 million suffer from it, with 100,000 new cases each year. A simple surgery costing as little as $300 can repair a fistula and empower a woman to reclaim her life. The persistence of fistula is a signal that health systems are failing to meet the needs of women, especially those who are poor. We, the members of Advent Maternal Health Initiative (AMHI), see maternal health as a gender issue, a justice issue and as a matter of faith. Most maternal health issues are entirely preventable or curable and treatment generally relatively affordable. Knowing that, we feel compelled to act for justice and to inspire others to join the movement.

1. Education: Raise awareness of maternal health issues by hosting a screening of A Walk to Beautiful, a documentary about obstetric fistula, and a panel on Maternal Health
2. Actions: Collect, assemble and send Healthy Birth Kits and supplies to maternal health clinics in developing countries
3. Fundraising: Raise $20,000 for obstetric fistula repair surgeries

Collecting Healthy Birth Kit supplies
The Advent Maternal Health Initiative is close to meeting our goal of making 200 Healthy Birth Kits, but we need your help! Donate supplies during Common Ground Services in March. You can also donate supplies at our upcoming events. Here's what we need most:
hotel-size soap (sealed),
box of gallon-size plastic ziplock freezer bags,
box of kitchen size garbage bags.
Sample Birth Kit -


April 18, 2010: A Walk to Beautiful screening followed by a Q&A with producer; 1-3pm
Visit the "Walk to Beautiful" Film Screening event on Facebook!

April 25, 2010: Educational Panel with speakers representing media, medical, legal and faith perspectives on maternal health issues; 1-3pm

May 16, 2010: Health Birth Kit Assembly Day; 1-3pm

June 12 2010: 5K Run Walk Fundraiser
Registration materials will be available soon!

September 2010:Benefit Dinner with Silent Auction and guest speaker

October 2010: 5K Run Walk Fundraiser

The mission of Advent Lutheran Church is sustained by its members. Our volunteers help lead education and worship, staff the office, care for the building, arrange flowers, design liturgical art, shovel snow during the winter... the list is limited only by the initiative and inspiration of our members. Click here for our Stewardship Form for more information about how you can use your gifts at Advent Lutheran Church.