Colesville Council of Community Services

Contact Linda LeBaron, C-4, Coordinator

C-4 is an interfaith affiliation of congregations in the Colesville area which maintains a clothes closet and baby closet of used items where needy residents can shop for clothing and household items. LGUMC is assigned a clothes sorting day twice a year when volunteers are needed. We also contribute new toys at Christmas and donate money toward the purchase of backpacks for students in the Fall.

Background

The 1960s were an era in which advocates were not only active, but were successful. It was in that era that C-4, (Colesville Council of Community Congregations) was founded to bring the community together in service.

Since that time, C-4 has reached out and touched thousands and thousands of individuals and families, providing to some just emergency assistance, and to others, making a long-term difference in their lives. C-4 has shown that even small communities can have an impact on surrounding social concerns.

The impact can be as small as persuading local government to provide a bike path in the community. Or, it can be as significant as helping to establish a food bank from which shelters, soup kitchens and needy families can draw assistance.

Over the years, C-4 has, in fact either established or joined in the advocacy for the following programs:

C-4 Food Bank
Clothes Closet
Baby Closet
Annual Holiday Toy Closet
Shepherd’s Table, a soup kitchen in Silver Spring
Martin Luther King swim/park
Local bike path
EMEAN (Eastern Montgomery Emergency Assistance Network)
Annual Interdenominational Thanksgiving worship service
Great Hope Homes (low and moderate income housing)

Core is Community

The core of C-4 community involvement is its Colesville Clothes Closet, located in the old Colesville Elementary School at 14015 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring Maryland 20904.

The Clothes Closet served 1002 Montgomery County families in 2007, providing them with clothing and household goods. In the 100 days that the clothes closet was open there were 3866 family visits.

Volunteers spend approximately 200 hours a month sorting clothes and helping clients. The Clothes Closet is open to shoppers on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Strong community involvement in donating clothes and household goods always has been a key to success of the operation

Accomplishments

The Baby Closet provides clothing, furniture and other essentials to expectant and needy mothers. 361 families were served in 2007.

Beginning last year packets of School Supplies were offered to children of clients (from kindergarten through 12th grade) corresponding to the grades they currently attended.

Toy Distribution during the Holiday season is a joy-filled project of C-4. Throughout the year, churches and synagogues collect toys and cash for this endeavor.

Just prior to the climax of the Holiday Season, needy families residing in Montgomery County are provided with new toys for each of their children ages 1 year to 12 years.

Montgomery County provides the rooms where the Clothes Closet and Baby Closet and the Toy Inventory are housed. These rooms are located at 14015 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, Maryland 20904.

C-4 primarily is supported by the involved religious organizations. C-4 accomplishments epitomize the generous character of community volunteers. With no anticipation of recognition or praise, these local citizens leave the comfort of their homes and seek out areas of concern where they make a difference.