May 5-10 drop off your Kits at the following locations:

Maine
Woodfords Congregational Church – 202 Woodford St – Portland Contact:  Sharon Stephenson   207 774-8243 ext 8 Collection days:  May 7 – 8 – 9 Hours:  9:30 – 2:30 in Seeley Hall
Massachusetts
Plymouth Church – 87 Edgell Road – Framingham Contact:  Len Dalton 508 481-5770 Church: 508 875-1364 Collection days:  May 9 & 10 Hours: 10:00 to 12:00
Mittineague Congregational Church – 1840 Westfield St -West Springfield Contact:  Tracy Sawicki 413 736-7174 Church: 413-734-1290 Collection date:  Saturday – May 10    Hours: 9 am to 12 noon
NEW!► Tewksbury Congregational Church 10 East Street Contact: Jean Carr cell phone: 978 337-2589 Church: 978 851-9411 Collection days: Saturday – May 10 from 10 am to 2 pm Please call for an appointment to leave your Kits on other days!
Depot Change! Replaces Mattapoisett Christ Congregational Church UCC – 1350 Pleasant St, Brockton, MA Church: 508 586-3022 Collection days: May 5 – 9 Hours: 10 – 1 pm Tuesday eve – May 6 Hours: 6:30 to 8 pm
New Hampshire
Bow Mills Methodist Church – 505 South St – Bow Contact:  Deborah Bonell 603 432-7698 Church: 603 224-0884 Collection days:   May  8 & 9  Hours:  9:00 to 2:00
Vermont
First Baptist Church – 601 Main St – Bennington Contact:  NancyJean Steffen 802 442-4795 Church: 802 442-2105 Collection date:  Wednesday – May  7   Hours:  10:00 to 3:00
North Congregational Church – 1325 Main St - St Johnsbury Contact:  Church Office:   802 748-2603 Collection days: May 9  Hours 8 am - 3 pm and May 10  Hours 10 am - 12 pm Willing to accept boxes by appointment, please call!
Waterbury Congregational Church – 8 North Main St – Waterbury Contact:   Church Office   802 244-6606 Please call the church for hours and times and to confirm the delivery instructions

Many thanks to:

Two locations that have continued to serve as sub-depots. Over the years they have provided a great service by collecting the Kits from nearby churches and individuals and transporting the boxes of Kits to the Depot in their area during regular collection times.

Thank you to:

Second Congregational Church – Greenfield, MA
and to Joan Coughlin for making the trip for many years to the Depot in West Springfield, MA

Bristol, VT sub-depot – First Baptist Church – 10 Park St
Nancy Skidmore @ 802 453-5276 (home)
Nancy’s cell phone @ 802 377-8181 (during depot hours)
Saturday – May 3 from 9 am – 2 pm

We would like to offer our services to those near the regional office.

Please bring your Kits to:

CWS Office – 733 Chapin St #102, Ludlow, MA
Contact: Office Staff 413 583-8355 or toll free 888 297-2767
Open for Collection: Hours: 9:00 to 3:00

Please call to let us know you are coming!

We are open to receive the Kits from now on until May 9th. We will bring your Kits to the Mittineague Congregational Church in West Springfield, MA on Saturday morning, May 10th.

Thank you to Mattapoisett Congregational Church for serving as the Depot last year. Unfortunately the dates of this years Depot did not work out well for them.

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Have you ever wondered, after lovingly assembling a CWS Kit, where it goes to be processed and sent on its journey somewhere around the world?

Would you like to be a part of this process?  Would you like to visit the warehouse and actually ready the Kits for shipment?  Would you like to learn more about CWS programs?

Our trip to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor will be May 12 thru 15, 2008..   Fill out the form to register  we would love to have you join us!

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By Elizabeth Johnson

Elizabeth Johnson

On a wintry night in the early 1960’s, Mother and I heard a stirring talk by Reverend Reginald Helfferich on the reconstruction work in Europe following World War II. He told of large potato boxes, contributed by Church World Service, used as beds for the children roaming across the cities in Europe. His emphasis on the call to service had a great impression upon Mother and me. Thus, the beginning of my romance with Church World Service!

Church World Service used-clothing drives for men, women and children living in warm and cool climates was the big thrust during the 50’s and 60’s. Our garage in Dalton, Massachusetts became the depot where some 20 to 30 churches brought their donations. One year the collection was three tons. Our family anticipated the spring visit of the huge 18-wheeler CWS truck from the center in New Windsor, Maryland. We always treated the driver to a meal, usually breakfast. Our children helped carry boxes to the truck and were disappointed if it came when they were in school.

Our family has a long-standing CWS joke! One year while checking closets in my brother’s family home, Mother donated a somewhat worn 3-piece wool suit to CWS. When the next funeral came, the minister (my brother) was desperate! His funeral suit had disappeared!

During these years as Church World Service state chair for Church Women United, fliers with directions and current needs were mailed to county churches. In addition, I coordinated the truck route of spring clothing collection with the New Windsor Center, as well as organizing and accompanying three bus trips to New Windsor. Our groups packed clothing for a day with other volunteers. I can testify this was hard work!  Read more >>

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• Visit the CWS Kits page for instructions on assembling and shipping your kits.
  
  
• Order materials online or phone our national service center, 1-800-297-1516

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