Giving back to our community is something that the both of us have always wanted to take part in. Thanks to MCWT for this year's competition theme, empowering the homeless during St. Margaret’s McRest and McWarm programs has never been easier! McRest and McWarm are two very powerful programs our local church holds so that the homeless have shelter and food during the cold winter months. We feel that by helping empower these programs we are not only giving back to the homeless, but to our church as well!

“MCREST provides year round safe emergency shelter for homeless individuals and families for up to 90 days in congregations across Macomb County.” Throughout this year, they are afforded a place to sleep, showers, laundry, and transportation. The McRest program is set up so each week a different church will provide them with all of those abilities. Our church happens to sponsor McRest the week of Christmas so through our parishioners generosity, we are also able to provide them with Christmas gifts, a New Year’s Eve party as well as daily snacks, desserts, dinners, and bagged lunches.

McWarm is a similar program, also located at our church, that helps provide for the less fortunate in our area. It began once our deacon heard a story about a man who froze to death in a dumpster. He then came up with the idea of opening up St. Margaret’s gym three days a week as a warming center. “The church building is open November through March, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and offers breakfast, a bag lunch and a place to socialize, as well as other services.”

Our church does so much to help the homeless in our community so now we are so excited to be contributing to these programs through our own powers. It means so much to us to be able to help and give back to the ones who need it the most.