Backpacks of Love
Contact: Marty McPherson
Homelessness and poverty have become much more visible and prevalent problems in suburban areas like northern Metro Atlanta. Backpacks of Love serves homeless and food-insecure children at 21 schools (elementary, middle, and high) in Forsyth and North Fulton counties. In the 2022-2023 school year, Backpacks of Love delivered a total of 4035 backpacks of food. The average bi-weekly backpack delivery was 212 backpacks – delivered 19 times throughout the school year.
First of all - many thanks for your steadfast support of the Backpacks of Love program! We couldn't make it work without you. As many of you know, Backpacks of Love has received an overwhelming need for food to support food-insecure children this fall (2023). We have consistently reached our limit of 225 bags per delivery and continue to have schools request to add backpacks or join the program. Sadly, at this point we must say “no”. We are finding it difficult to sustain this volume of bags per delivery. In addition to the food donations we receive, we spend approximately $1200 per delivery on purchasing additional food.
Backpacks of Love operates entirely through the stewardship of its sponsors and volunteer labor. We have no paid staff. St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church is joined by 4 sister churches (Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta Methodist Church, and Zion Missionary Baptist Church) who make food and monetary donations to the program. Additionally, many businesses and school organizations contribute to Backpacks of Love through team building events or charity drives. In the past school year, 32 volunteers provided the “hands and feet on the ground” to make this program run. Backpacks of Love was conceived at St. Aidan’s in 2011.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Contact: Laura Van Riper
We meet every Tuesday at 11 am as well as the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 6 pm, but always check with Laura for schedule changes. The prayer shawl ministry is open to all levels whether you are a master knitter or a complete beginner. Patterns are available for those who wish to work on their shawl at home.
Click below to request prayer shawls; be sure to include who it’s for, and ideally why you would like the person to have it (at least as much information as you are comfortable sharing) — so that we may add an appropriate prayer to the shawl itself.
We always have prayer shawls on hand for immediate needs. We will also make shawls for specific people with upcoming needs (having a baby, upcoming surgery or treatments, etc) upon request. Donations of leftover yarn or donations to buy yarn are gladly accepted as well.
Community of Hope (Pastoral Care Givers)
Contact: Kathy Bump
The Community of Hope trains people to become Lay Chaplains and to form a Benedictine Community which gives pastoral care in the parish and throughout the community.
Blood Drive
Contact: David & Becky Freeman
St. Aidan’s sponsors two LifeSouth blood drives each year. LifeSouth is a community blood center, meaning the blood supply collected from our donors directly serves the needs of patients in over 30 local hospitals and Children’s Healthcare facilities. To give blood, you must be in good health, 17 years-old or older or 16 years-old with parental permission and weigh at least 110 pounds. A valid photo I.D. is required. Our next scheduled blood drive is Sunday, October 6th. LifeSouth provides each donor with an emailed cholesterol screening results. And each donor also gets a commemorative tee shirt in appreciation of their donation. For more information regarding our Blood Drives, please contact one of our two Co-Chairpersons.
The Drake House
Contact: Susan Basile & Katie Thielens
The Drake House provides short-term crisis housing, education and empowerment programs for homeless, single mothers and their children in North Metro Atlanta, designed to provide stability for the children and assist the family in working toward self-sufficiency.
We help maintain the property by volunteering to help clean empty apartments and tackling any landscaping tasks needed.
Episcopal Relief & Development
Contact: Mary Kathryn Nix
Episopal Relief and Development facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives in communities struggling with poverty, hunger, disasters and disease. In addition, they offer resources and training to help communities prepare for disaster and provide emergency support so that they can make a full and sustained recovery.
Mesothelioma Hope
Contact: Kaitlyn Carlock
Mesothelioma Hope is a mental health support organization for terminally ill cancer patients and their loved ones. https://www.mesotheliomahope.com/resources/emotional-support/
Joseph of Arimathea
Contact: Suzanne Mansell
This guild coordinates and communicates what needs to be done for the grieving family with various groups in the church. They also do the receptions in Burtenshaw with the help of volunteers and caterers.
Memorial Garden
Contact: Barry Mansell
The committee of parishioners is responsible for the overall administration and maintenance of the Memorial Garden for the church.