Reach out to the homeless, the hungry, and the abused children in our community.                                  PATH         People Assisting the Homeless People Assisting the Homeless is a Los Angeles residential and outreach program that provides meals, clothing, job referrals, and counseling to help homeless people help themselves. Founded in 1984, PATH has an 80% success rate in helping people to get back on their feet. In 2002 PATH opened its newest venture, a regional homeless center in Hollywood, which provides a host of services under one roof. The center provides living quarters, a free medical clinic, a mental health unit with street outreach teams, a job center, and a care center for homeless HIV/AIDS patients. To learn more about PATH visit http://www.epath.org.                 CHILD SHARE         Shelter Homes: A Rescue Effort is a church-based foster care network founded in Los Angeles County to rescue abused and neglected children languishing in institutional care. Child SHARE began in 1985 with key leadership and seed money from Westwood Presbyterian Church. WPC has been a faithful source of mission support ever since. Over the years Child SHARE has helped to give many children safe and loving foster homes. Parents recruited by Child SHARE nurture these children, heal their hurts, and give them hope for the future. An important component of Child SHARE is providing support systems, including babysitting, baby equipment, and counseling, to make foster parenting as easy as possible. Child SHARE is now replicating this ministry throughout the country. Today, Child SHARE works with over 400 local congregations representing 30 denominations to find families and friends for neglected children. Over 600 children lived in Child SHARE's foster or adoptive homes in LA or Orange County last year, with around 200 new placements each year! To learn more about Child SHARE, visit http://www.childshare.org.                 FOOD BANK

The Westside Food Bank distributes food to over 80 agencies to provide food to people without resources. WPC members and friends donate generously to the Food Bank through the church hunger committee on the first Sunday of every month. The Westside Food Bank began in 1981. Providing fresh produce, dairy products, baked goods, and canned and packaged food, the Westside Food Bank gives agencies more time and money to devote to counseling and problem-solving for their clients. The Westside Food Bank collects food donated by religious and civic organizations, schools, and manufacturers, as well as unsold food from supermarkets, farmers, and bakeries. To supplement donated goods and provide balanced nourishment, the Westside Food Bank regularly purchases food at wholesale prices, using contributions from religious and civic groups, individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies. Through monthly contributions to the Westside Food Bank since the mid 1980s, WPC is its largest private financial supporter. Visit the website at http://www.westsidefoodbankca.org.                 PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance enables congregations and mission partners of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to witness to the healing love of Christ through caring for communities adversely affected by crisis and catastrophic events. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is the emergency and refugee program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Its core budget including staff and administrative costs is funded through the One Great Hour of Sharing, and its program work is additionally funded through designated gifts. Westwood Presbyterian Church has made significant extra-mile contributions in recent years to PDA to aid victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami, the 2005 hurricanes in the Southeastern U.S., and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. See http://pcusa.org/pda for more information.                 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

WPC demonstrates its commitment to making a difference in our global society through its support of Amnesty International. Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights and seek to prevent and end grave abuses of those rights. Westwood Church, through its board of deacons, is a part of the Inter-Religious Urgent Action Network of Amnesty International, a worldwide organization founded over 30 years ago by a group of British lawyers concerned about the plight of political prisoners. Amnesty seeks the release of prisoners of conscience if they have not used or promoted violence. On the third Sunday of every month, church members and friends write brief cards or letters of appeal on behalf of prisoners whose cases Amnesty considers urgent. Learn more about Amnesty International at http://www.amnesty.org.                 CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE         Under the leadership of the WPC deacons, WPC members and friends have "played Santa" since 1982 by purchasing toys for children and gifts for moms who might not otherwise receive any gift at all. Each Christmas season, members and friends purchase hundreds of gifts, which are delivered to local agencies for distribution.                 HOLIDAY FOOD BASKETS         Since 1982, the deacons have led the WPC holiday food basket project. Each year at Christmas, WPC members and friends help to feed hundreds of hungry people on the Westside. From budgeted church funds the deacons buy turkeys for the baskets. Individual financial contributions supply the basket trimmings: stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dry milk, green vegetables, fruits and juices, and fixings for a homemade pumpkin pie. Last December, members and friends donated funds to pack 676 food baskets, which were distributed through local agencies and churches.                 BENEFIT FUNDRAISERS

SUMMER MISSION BENEFIT MUSICALE In response to the summer drought of donations to PATH, Child SHARE, and the Westside Food Bank, WPC launched its first summer Mission Benefit Musicale in July 1985 emceed by a celebrity host and showcasing the talents of WPC choir members and friends. In the succeeding years, the Musicale has featured well-known entertainers. Individual WPC members pay all of the administrative costs, meaning that all contributions go directly to the three agencies. Westwood Presbyterian Church's 2007 Mission Benefit Musicale raised over $95,000 to support PATH, Child SHARE, and the Westside Food Bank. Over the years, many member and guest performers have shared their time and talent. Buzz Aldrin, Meredith Baxter, Carol Burnett, A. J. Carothers, Gary Collins, Tyne Daly, Rhonda Fleming, Jeff Foxworthy, Johnny Grant, Anthony Hopkins, Carol Lawrence, Art Linkletter, Michele Lee, Mary Ann Mobley, Karen Morrow, Richard Sherman, and Dick Van Dyke have generously given of themselves in support of this WPC outreach, which has raised about 1.5 million dollars over the history of the Musicale. A CHRISTMAS PUDDING A Christmas Pudding has become a traditional season-opener for the Christmas holidays at WPC. Begun over a decade ago, the Pudding is assembled each year by WPC member, David Birney, who, along with church members and other artists, provides a Christmas gift of readings and music for the church community. Proceeds from A Christmas Pudding support an outreach mission of the church. A Christmas Pudding A Celebration of the Season in song, stories, and poems by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, G. B. Shaw, Longfellow, St. Luke and others, spiced with carols, unusual recipes, jokes, and traditional music. A WPC tradition for over a decade. Directed by David Birney Produced by Michele Roberge Starring, Tim DeKay, Lisa DeKay, Bairbre Dowling, Michele Roberge, David Birney and a guest artist to be announced. Tickets: $25 adults, $5 children under 16. Proceeds benefit P.A.T.H. See News from WPC and the church Calendar for more information on activities at WPC.