(Photo: Krystyna Biassou, KUSA)
A little blessing has a new home outside of the Berkeley Community Church on West 50th Avenue. On Friday February 24, Regis University and the United Church of Christ unveiled a blessing box outside the church building.
What makes the box so special? Community members are encouraged to contribute by filling it with non-perishable food items, clothing, and toiletries for other members of the community who need them. Built by Physical Plant and painted yellow and blue, the box’s purpose is to serve as a helpful resource to the surrounding community. If the blessing box proves a success, then additional boxes will be constructed for other areas in the community as well.
Wendi Hansen of Regis’ Marketing Department says that “the inspiration from this box came from the Little Free Library” but instead of books the goal is to provide nonperishable items to people who need them.
Members of the Berkley Community Church, David Claypool and Connie Feist, expressed how the church and Regis have long wanted team up and say the blessing box is the perfect project. Claypool noted that the box “fits with the vision of the United Church of Christ” and reflects, “we are called to be God’s hand … and love our neighbors without judgement.”
The unveiling event ended with RUSGA members placing the first items of non-perishable food and clothing into the box, fulfilling the excerpt printed on the door “Take What You Need Leave What You Can”.
The box is located outside the entrance to the Berkley Community Church that faces Meade Street. So the next time you find yourself at the store, go ahead and purchase on extra food item or toiletry and place it the blessing box: it will make someone’s day.
Allison Upchurch Staff Reporter