Each year at our Annual Meeting, Messiah adopts twelve different organizations to raise money for during the year. Donations towards the Benevolence of the Month can be given online or via check marked “Benevolence of the Month” or by using the name of the organization. If you have an organization you’d like us to support in the future, please contact the church office to let us know.
2026 Benevolences of the Month
January: Lutheran Disaster Response
Lutheran Disaster Response shares God’s hope, healing, and renewal with people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need
February: St. Paul’s Community Development Center
Founded in 1990, St. Paul’s Community Development Corporation (SPCDC) is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit organization that provides human and social services to an estimated three thousand five-hundred (3,500) program recipients annually. At the heart of this mission is the principle of offering a “hand-up” and not a “handout” to those in need. They do this through the following programs:
- Emergency Men’s Shelter
- Next Step Workforce Development program
- AmeriCorps program
- Full Service Community Schools Initiative (FSCS)
- Housing and Neighborhood Development
March: ELCA World Hunger
ELCA World Hunger works with and through congregations, global companion churches, the Lutheran World Federation, and other partners like Bread for the World, Church World Service, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, and Lutheran World Relief. They work to provide immediate relief to those who are hungry, as well as work to meet basic needs and recognize the universal human right to food. They seek to connect people with the resources they need to produce food and gain access to clean water, education, health care, and sources of income, to create long-term sustainable change.
April: His Helping Hands, Inc.
His Helping Hands serves weekly hot food and clothing to people experiencing homelessness and those who are less fortunate in Paterson, NJ. Their motto is “Bringing God’s hope and love to [God’s] children one meal at a time in Paterson, NJ.”
May: Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center
Cross Roads is a welcoming, ecumenical retreat center and camp of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark and the New Jersey Synod of the ELCA. We are accredited by the American Camp Association. Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center is a welcoming and inclusive community providing life-changing and sacred adventures for renewal, growth, and joy. Cross Roads strives to facilitate renewal, healing, inspiration, and transformation for the body, mind, and spirit while helping individuals deepen their connection to themselves, others, the world we live in, and God. Children encounter God in nature, in worship, and in relationships during youth camp. Faith formation is strengthened through camp activities, songs, and worship while creating opportunities for lasting friendships and connections.
June: The Trevor Project
Through legislation, litigation, and public education, The Trevor Project advocates for policies that help prevent suicide among LGBTQ+ young people. This includes advancing policy reforms at the federal, state, and local level to address factors that place them at a significantly higher risk of suicide.
July: Strengthen Our Sisters
Strengthen Our Sisters is a shelter and supportive service program for women and their dependent children who are experiencing homelessness due to domestic violence. They are the largest shelter organization dedicated to serving the most under-served and vulnerable population in northern New Jersey. Strengthen Our Sisters services include a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, individual and group counseling, legal, housing, and social service advocacy, bilingual services, childcare, transportation, employment training and advocacy, parenting classes, support groups, stress management groups, community education, and information & referrals.
August: ELCA Global Mission
The core work of ELCA Global Mission is to walk with the more than 80 companion churches in other countries to participate in God’s reconciling mission through proclamation and service. We share our gifts and talents while receiving and learning from the witness of our global siblings in Christ. ELCA Global Mission includes the programs of ELCA Missionaries, ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission, and International Leaders.
Messiah directly supports the work of missionary Pastor Kristin Engstrom (serving in Madagascar)
September: Putting Prayers to Action
Putting Prayers to Action is a 501c3 non-profit organization focused on sharing God’s love in the Appalachian Mountains by meeting the physical and spiritual needs of children and their families. They are committed to changing the world, one life at a time, with mercy, love, and grace through Christ Jesus, Our Lord. They serve over 3,200 children and their families throughout the Appalachian regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. God allows them to provide the essentials of shoes, personal care items (shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, etc.), coats, and fuel for transportation while sharing the gospel and our faith. Many of the families served by Putting Prayers to Action have no running water or electricity and many children are sick due to poor nutrition and water conditions.
For more information on making hat and scarf sets visit the Knitting Ministry Page!
October: Pony Power Therapies
Pony Power connects people with disabilities or life challenges to the wonders of horses, farming and nature. The Blessing of the Animals will be in conjunction with this BOM.
November: Covenant House
For over 30 years, Covenant House New Jersey has been serving youth facing homelessness ages 18-21 and victims of human trafficking of all ages. They operate in 5 cities across New Jersey.
December: Global Refuge (formerly: Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, LIRS)
Global Refuge, formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), is a nonprofit serving newcomers seeking safety, support, and a share in the American dream. For 85 years, they have welcomed those seeking refuge, upholding a legacy of compassion and grace for people in crisis.
They walk alongside individuals, families, and children as they begin their new lives in the United States through our work in refugee resettlement, welcome and respite services for asylum seekers, economic empowerment and employment, and family unification for unaccompanied children. To date, they have served over 750,000 people from around the globe.
January 2027: Lutheran Disaster Response
Lutheran Disaster Response shares God’s hope, healing, and renewal with people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need
February 2027: Center for Food Action
The mission of the Center for Food Action is to “prevent hunger and homelessness and improve the lives of individuals and families living in poverty.”
The Center for Food Action (CFA), founded in 1976, is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides emergency services to northern New Jersey’s poorest and most vulnerable residents. CFA provides food, housing, utility, and heating assistance and offers counseling and advocacy services to low-income individuals and families. CFA is headquartered in Englewood and has sites in Hackensack, Mahwah, Ringwood, and Saddle Brook.
CFA improves the lives of low-income families and individuals from over 100 towns in northern NJ. CFA provides a wide range of services including but not limited to:
- Community garden program
- Emergency and case management services
- Information, referrals, counseling, assistance in accessing public programs
- Emergency food programs
- Homelessness prevention programs
- Weekend snack pack program
- Smile pack program