What is the Good Samaritan Ministry?
So, what do you know about The Good Samaritan Ministry (GSM)? If you are like me, not enough. How about a little history to bring us up to date.
The Good Samaritan Ministry History
In 2006, the Moorestown Ministerium was looking for a way to help the continual stream of people who were requesting financial help from each of the congregations. Thus the birth of the Good Samaritan Ministry! it was given this name because most of the people were strangers to the congregations, some local residents, some passing through and some from neighboring towns. By joining their funds and people together, the Ministerium felt they could respond in a more meaningful way to people experiencing a financial crisis.
Guidelines and procedures were developed which continue to be tweaked to meet the changing needs of the mission. The Good Samaritan Ministry also networks with other local charities and encourages the people to use all of the available state and charitable resources. GSM sees itself as providing help during a financial crisis, but not an ongoing resource to the same people.
The Moorestown Ministerium Food Pantry, also part of the Good Samaritan Ministry, has worked out of SMLC since 2011, serving people on the first and third Mondays of the month. The number of people served continues to grow. The average number of families served that first year was 258; in 2012, 913; and in 2013, 1338. Volunteeers from SMLC, as well as other churches in town, provide a large bank of helpers.
Cathy Roberts, Denise Boal, Cara & Brian Lowy coordinate this large effort. This is a great opportunity to care for others by providing food or monetary donations, as well as volunteering your time. Please contact these leaders for any additional information.
There are other similar ministeriums to serve their local towns. GSM focuses their efforts on the towns of Moorestown, Maple Shade and Mt. Laurel.
How You Can Help the Good Samaritan Ministry
So, if you would like to be a “Good Samaritan” in a small way, mark your donation on your envelope with GSM in the notation (checks can be made payable to Saint Matthew Lutheran Church). These donations will allow GSM to serve our local communities in a bigger way!