The Social Ministry program at St. Paul’s offers many opportunities to help those less fortunate, both far away and close to home – the need is great and the opportunities are many. We feel that we have the opportunity and the obligation to share our many blessings.

At St. Paul’s our ministry program is divided three ways: to minister to the needs of our own congregation, to minister to the needs of the wider community (in our case Williamsville, Buffalo, and the Western New York surrounding area), and to minister to the larger global community.

Ministering to Our Own Congregation

1. Friends In Deed Program
This group of volunteers provides meals throughout the year to members in need due to illness or perhaps a new baby.

A funeral reception committee is available to provide a brunch, lunch, or dessert reception following funerals or memorial services.

2. Monthly Cards to Shut-ins
Monthly correspondence to our shut-ins includes birthday, holiday, and “thinking of you” cards so our shut-ins know they are not forgotten.

3. Caroling to Shut-ins
Each December, close to Christmas, our volunteer carolers visit our shut-ins at private residences or nursing homes with carols, gift-baskets, smiles, and hugs.

Ministering to the Needs of the Wider Community

Angel Tree for Needy Children
Every December, St. Paul's helps to provide gifts of clothes and toys to children at School 36 in Buffalo. In addition, generous contributions from members in conjunction with Thrivent for Lutherans, we purchase books to accompany the childrens' packages. Last year in December 2002, we provided for the entire school – 297 needy children.

Birthday Party at the St. Francis Home
Every March, St. Paul's provides volunteers as well as ice cream, cupcakes, flowers, and a birthday gift for residents celebrating a birthday in March. This nursing home located on Reist St. in Williamsville welcomes us to come in for an afternoon of singing and refreshments. A fun day for all!!

Buffalo Lutheran Employment Service Clothing Drive
St. Paul’s collects clothes once a year in the month of May for BLES on Filmore Ave. in Buffalo. Clothes need to be in good condition and fashionable. They are given to those going on job interviews.

Cornerstone Manor Underwear Drive
We spend the month of March collecting underwear, diapers, and pull-ups for Cornerstone Manor in Buffalo. This shelter for women and children is thankful for all our donations.

Council of Churches Food Pantry
St. Paul's has an ongoing collection of non-perishable foods that we deliver regularly to the Council of Churches Food Pantry on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.

Crop Walk
Each fall, St. Paul's participates in the area CROP WALK. (CROP is the name given to community wide hunger education and fund raising events sponsored by the Church World Service a ministry of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.) Organized locally the goal of the Crop Walk is to raise funds through pledges to help stop hunger in our community and around the world through self help development initiatives. A portion of the funds raised go to local food pantries, the rest is distributed overseas.

Friends of Night People
This is a soup kitchen located on Hudson St. in Buffalo. St. Paul's volunteers serve the evening meal on the fourth Monday of every month year-round. We also assist in preparing meals on-site. In November, our volunteers are called upon to cook turkeys for the Thanksgiving Day dinner. We collect canned goods, clothing, and toiletry items for this organization as well.

Habitat for Humanity
St. Paul's is a partnership church for Habitat for Humanity. In this capacity, our volunteers work at building sites and we participate in a yearly fund-raising effort for this Christian ministry. We help to provide decent affordable housing to those who would otherwise be unable to afford a home.

Interfaith Hospitality Network
St. Paul's joins with Trinity Old Lutheran on Sheridan Drive to provide caring help for homeless families. Once every ten weeks our volunteers help with meals and offer a friendly smile to those in the network.

Needy Families Holiday Collection
Every December, St. Paul's usually finds more than one family to help. Donations of food, clothing, and Christmas Gifts help to make the season brighter for those in need.

Twin Falls Cluster of Churches
St. Paul's joins with other area ELCA congregations in gathering items needed by various churches or organizations as needs arise. We have gathered games and puzzles for Viva La Casa in downtown Buffalo as well as diapers and pull-ups for a womens' shelter. We are collecting baby items for Harvest House in the city as well. The needs are always great and this group of churches is always ready to lend a helping hand.

Ministering to the Larger Community

1. Ladies Aid
We have a group of senior women who meet once a week faithfully to make quilts. These are distributed globally whenever and wherever the need arises by Lutheran World Relief. In addition, these women sponsor a collection of hats, gloves, and scarves donated to the Salvation Army in Buffalo.

2. Crop Walk
Part of the funds raised by St. Paul's and others are distributed globally to help curtail world hunger.

3. World Hunger
Usually in May, St. Paul's runs a campaign to collect funds for World Hunger. We have "emptied our pockets of change" for several years and our collection is then sent to the ELCA synod convention where monies are sent to Church World Service for distribution.