Gather's "Eat Free" Cafe

03/20/2024

Friends,

For the last couple years, I have tended to shy away from using Facebook to post anything but joyful personal stories.

Today, I am choosing to post something that is difficult but with aspects of joy.

As many of you know, Gather Church, where I am the Lead Pastor, operates a syringe exchange program (SSP). SSPs are evidence based interventions that, while being counterintuitive, lessen syringe litter by 86% and lower the transmission of blood-borne disease by 50%. People who access SSPs are 3.5x more likely to stop using IV drugs and 5x more likely to seek treatment services.

In addition to exchanging syringes, we also hand out life saving Naloxone (Narcan) on our SSP. We distributed 1100 doses in 2023 that we can confirm saved more than 300 lives.

One of the primary places we meet individuals who access our Medication Assisted Treatment services is our SSP. We can confirm that this was the access point for more than 30 of our clients last year alone (the number is likely higher because some people mark the referral source as "friend" rather than SSP because that is how they think of the staff they meet there).

Below are TWO things I would really love for you to see. One is the testimony of a child of God named Chad Nickols. The other is an article covering a proposed ordinance that will limit our ability to do this work in Lewis County.

Please keep this vital service that protects the health and well-being of everyone in our community in your thoughts and prayers.

Also, if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns, please reach out to me. I am happy to share resources and have personal conversations with anyone.

https://chronline.com/stories/ordinance-to-restrict-lewis-countys-sole-needle-exchange-program-tabled-for-one-week-following,336788

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZWvojpmFBk

Today I cried in a public meeting. Here's why.

01/06/2022

Unfortunately, we have had to call in our delivery drivers and cancel remaining food box deliveries for this week. If you did not receive your food box this week, we will be working on getting food boxes out again next week weather permitting.

01/06/2022

If you live south of Winlock and are expecting food boxes today, your boxes will be delivered tomorrow.

01/05/2022

How to Apply Funeral Assistance Policy Who is Eligible? Additional Resources Find Funeral Assistance information in your language:

11/19/2021

If you are in need of a turkey for Thanksgiving, we have been blessed with more than we will need. Please stop by the Cafe and ask at the window. We have 20 turkeys available, first come, first serve. We are unable to hold or deliver so you will need to stop by and pick them up.

03/16/2020

Food Box Delivery order site is live!

Gather Church is dedicated to serving all in our community and providing for those who may have difficulty obtaining food and hygiene products. Due to the concern and safety procedures regarding COVID 19, Gather Church will be implementing an ordering service where needed items can be delivered dire...

08/22/2017

Gather Church is helping the homeless in Centralia by working on treating the person, not the symptom, of why they are homeless.

09/15/2016

Steve Brown and Dan Stanfield playing here at the Atrium today