Church branches out for charity

Joy Wetherington has seen firsthand how a Christmas tree can change a life.

At her former church in Homestead, Fla., a sale of trees raised enough money for a family to adopt a second child from Ethiopia.

Now, she’s helping bring that same program, called Buy a Tree, Change a Life, to the 102-year-old RiverLife Church, in East County, with the goal of impacting children.

“I think generally people want to help kids and it’s a way to give back, not only globally because there’s such a need across the world, but it allows local churches to help locally,” said Wetherington, RiverLife’s social media director and site director for the Buy a Tree, Change a Life program.

All money collected is invested in two programs — one global and one local.

Globally, proceeds benefit People for Caring and Learning, a nonprofit that supports children’s homes, education, sustainable farming and other issues.

Locally, Wetherington and RiverLife pastor Jerry Jeter have selected Feeding Empty Little Tummies as a beneficiary. The program sends needy children home with backpacks full of food each weekend.

“I think it’s a great place to help our community connect to something that makes a difference in the lives of kids,” Jeter said. “That’s what we hope people see. This is not a fundraiser for the church. It’s about raising funds to help in our community and the world.”

The Buy a Tree, Change a Life program started at Life Pointe Church, in Homestead, in 2012.

“There was a family in our church who had adopted a little girl from Ethiopia and they wanted to adopt her older sister because their mother was very very ill,” said Wetherington, who served as that church’s children’s pastor for five years.

A Bible study group came up with the idea of selling Christmas trees to help the couple raise money for the adoption. That first year, the church sold 450 trees and raised $25,000.

Because of the sale’s success, Life Pointe’s then-pastor, Travis Johnson, began talking about the program to other pastors he knew. The result: the formation of a nonprofit called Buy a Tree, Change a Life. His wife, Kelly Johnson, now serves as its director.

Last year, there were about 20 sites nationwide. This year, there are more than 40, including the one at RiverLife. At its first-year event, it will sell 350 Frasier firs from its campus, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting Nov. 25 until all the trees are gone.

Jeter said he expects the church will continue the program each year going forward, if it is successful.

“It’s going to be a great way for us to make a difference,” he said.

OTHER WAYS
TO HELP

RiverLife Church also will be a Feeding Empty Little Tummies drop-off location. Individuals can donate single-serving items for backpacks. No glass or breakable items.

Recommendations for donations include: oatmeal/cereal packets, pasta/macaroni and cheese cups, beans with franks, fruit cups, raisins, tuna, Ramen noodles, soup cups, crackers and pudding cups.