To the Editor:

As a member of a local Protestant church, I’d like to lift up a neighboring congregation that Woodstock residents should be aware of. Once a month, I volunteer at a PADS site in Woodstock at Redeemer Lutheran on Dean Street. I work with the Tebo brothers and Elly, a working mom, to make breakfast for between 25 to 40 people. For many years, Redeemer Lutheran has served lunch for the homeless, but this year the congregation has taken on the additional responsibility of providing beds for the homeless once a week.

Many people volunteer their time. Other churches, Woodstock High School Key Club/Student Council and youth groups provide meals and toiletry items for the homeless. Some of the faces of our guests are familiar from past years, while others use the site only once. Some grab a lunch before breakfast and leave for work. Some bring families with small children; some are single women. All need a safe, warm place for the night.