During 2013, Singing Oaks served 10,330 members of the Denton community. We distributed $30,513 in food as well as provided assistance with utilities and rent. We were open a total of 105 days and were visited by almost 3,000 individual family units. In addition to financial and food assistance we gave away 107 bicycles. We gave out Bibles, prayed with people about their struggles, and offered them a church home and a place to worship.

We spent $92,250 on all benevolence expenses during 2013. This includes utility, rent, prescriptions, emergency assistance, gas and administrative expenses. This is a considerable sum and every attempt is made to keep the information confidential out of respect for the families we have helped.

We currently have 51 members volunteering in our food pantry, clothing room, and computer data entry areas. This is a great cross section of our membership who has the opportunity to get a sense of what is happening in the benevolence ministry. This greatly contributes to the successful way the Lord is blessing our efforts in doing what Jesus wants us to do for the needy in our community. Due to the scope of our work, no one person can achieve the results we continue to enjoy. So my thanks go out to all of you who make coming together on Tuesdays and Thursdays an enjoyable experience.

We received donation of food from various sources. There were food drives at various schools that donated to our pantry. We participated in the Pantry Dash sponsored by Trinity Methodist and received cash and groceries. We had numerous pink envelope donations from you designating “for benevolence ministry use”. This money was used to supplement our budget and was used for food, utilities, rent, and prescription drugs. The majority, however, went toward the purchase of food. If you give specifically to this Benevolence Ministry, we know you want us to use it for that purpose so these funds are watched carefully.

I don’t know how to adequately thank all of you and our community friends for all of the help we receive throughout the year. You are to be commended for your support and we pray you are blessed knowing that this work helps so many people.