The Philippines Task Force (PTF), following God's lead, supports projects that serve to develop relationships, promote self-sufficiency, and meet the needs of the Dumaguete area community.

Clothes Collection - Opportunity to Help!

The Philippines Task Force is currently gathering summer clothes and shoes for adults and children to replace those lost in the typhoon and floods that hit the southern Philippines just before Christmas.  Your donations to help families who lost so much can be dropped off in the collection boxes at the Welcome Center.  These donations will be shipped out in early February.  Thank you!

Soup and Salad Dinner - Feb. 11th - Save the Date!

Saturday, February 11, 2012, 5-7 p.m.
Soup and Salad Dinner, Social Hall
Cost:  $12 per person or $30 a family

Our Soup and Salad Dinner has become a wonderful tradition!  It is a time to enjoy a meal with members of our community and church, learn about Habitat, the Dumaguete community in the Philippines and witness the growth and development of a First Pres mission project started over a decade ago.  Please join us!
Sponsored by the Philippines Task Force

Next Trip: January 18 - February 1, 2013

With a connection first established with the 1999 Carter Habitat for Humanity blitz, PTF members have returned approximately every two or three years to the city of Dumaguete, building Habitat community homes, a dental clinic, and community center.  Perhaps more important than the buildings is our engagement with the Habitat communities through providing high school and college scholarships, medical supplies, and start-up funds (for raising chickens, for example) or resources (such as gently used shoes and fabrics) for livelihood projects.

Outside the Habitat communities but within the Dumaguete area, our mission efforts include providing meals for indigent children; nutrition projects and building a shelter at the local mental hospital; and collecting used books and school supplies here at home which are sent to  the local elementary schools and adding to the children's lending library at Silliman University.  In addition, we continue to build relationships with the Silliman University church and work with them to help the Habitat communities.

Raising funds through staffing a UM football concession stand, managing an annual rummage sale, hosting a Filipino dinner and a soup and salad supper for the Ann Arbor community provide the PTF special opportunities for camaraderie and service.

New members are welcome.  We meet the second Sunday each month at 12:15 pm in the French room.  Persons are also welcome to help out with any or all of our fund raising efforts.   Our annual report, financial budget, and future goals are available.

For more information, contact Joe Schmidt at jschmid3@peoplepc.com