2010 Marie Sandvik Drive

April, 2010 Clothing Drive for

the Marie Sandvik Center

ZION'S APRIL CLOTHING DRIVE:
If your closet is stuffed with things you can’t or don’t wear, Zion can help! Bring those unwanted and seldom worn clothes to church in April and we’ll donate them to the Marie Sandvik Center. Your closets will be tidier, the clothes will get a fresh lease on life, and someone else will get clothing they need and can use. It’s a good thing! We will have boxes available to collect the clothes and then at the end of April we will haul them down to the Center. Financial donations are also welcome.

The Marie Sandvik Center is a Christian based 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization providing for the material and spiritual needs of the poor living in the inner city. The mission is supported solely by churches and private donations, not the government. This way sharing God's message of love can be our primary focus. It is located on Franklin Avenue in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis.

There is something going on at the center every day: evening church services, women's meetings, after school Bible clubs for children, Saturday Kids Club and special events like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Through these programs we distribute clothing, quilts, baby layettes, food, diapers and financial help to thousands of people each year. This opens up a wonderful door to share the Gospel message and God's love with each person that we help.

History

In 1940 Marie Sandvik, a determined Norwegian immigrant, rented a bankrupted bar on Washington Avenue, cleaned it up, put up a sign saying "Minneapolis Revival Mission", and standing by the bar on opening night announced, "I have come to offer you a new life".

The mission was moved to historic Nicollet Island and continued to minister to the then "skid row" population. Doris Nye from Trinity Lutheran Church of Minnehaha Falls joined her in 1944 and served as the director of the mission until her death in April 2005.

As the years passed the ministry continued to grow so a permanent home was needed. The mission moved to their present location at 1112 East Franklin Avenue where the ministry changed to include more families and children. Here Sandvik and Nye created programs to help the needy of the neighborhood telling the children and adults that they are valuable because God values them.

Marie Sandvik died in 1992 and her work was carried on by Doris Nye until her death April 2005, and the work now continues under the leadership of Director, Kristen Hink, Assistant Director, Laurie Whitmore and a dedicated staff of paid workers and volunteers.

Weekly Activities
-Three evening church services and suppers for street people
-Baby layettes (over 400 each year)
-Thousands of donated clothing items distributed
-New shoes for children (over 600 pairs each year)
-Summer Lunch Club for children serves about 1500 children a week
-Thursday Women's meeting with food, quilts and clothes
-Vacation Bible School
-Women's shelter for the homeless (under renovation)

-Adult Bible Studies

-Prison Ministries
-Thanksgiving and Easter dinner (serving 300 plus)
-Children's Christmas party (over 400 receive gifts)
-Christmas Eve Program (over 1,000 guests hear the Gospel and receive gifts)
-Boys and Girls Clubs and Saturday Club offer after school activities, meals and lots of fun

Everything that is distributed at the Marie Sandvik Center is given free of charge to anyone that comes to the mission. We welcome all to come and visit us. With deep appreciation we thank everyone who gives and shares with those who are less fortunate.

God bless you. To quote Marie Sandvik "Tusen, tusen takk!"

The Marie Sandvik Center needs YOU!

Luke 6:38, Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." NIV

The Marie Sandvik Center Needs include:

MOST NEEDED YEAR-ROUND:
Linens: double-bed quilts, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, bath towels, dish towels, and old white tablecloths.
Baby layette articles: New and used baby shirts, diapers, plastic pants, bottles, sleepers, outer garments, quilts, toilet articles, receiving blankets, booties, and sweaters.
House wares: pots’n’pans, silverware, dishes, glasses, cups, can openers, and cooking utensils.
Food: (We serve meals six days a week plus distribute large food bags for the needy.) canned goods – soups, fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, meat, sugar, coffee, flour, cake mixes, cookies, eggs, dish soap, powered laundry detergent, toilet paper, soap, and Similac baby formula.

NEEDED ACCORDING TO SEASONS:
Children’s clothes, shoes, coats, jackets, and boots
Larger-sized women’s clothes and coats
Men’s and women’s clothes, shoes, boots, and coats.