St. Anne's is helping Cornerstones reach its goal of collecting 3,200 backpacks for the 2014 Back-to-School backpack drive. Each year, Cornerstones and its partner Kids R First provide thousands of K-12 children in the Reston-Herndon area with brand-new backpacks.

More schools have requested support this year, resulting in 1,000 more backpacks requested this year than last. In addition to backpacks, Cornerstones is also requesting donations of new underwear for elementary-age children and Payless gift cards. Here's how you can help:

Purchase new, durable backpacks (no wheels or corporate logos, please)

• High school size - need is the greatest for this age group (20"Hx14"Wx7"D)
• Junior High size (18"Hx13"Wx6"D)
• Elementary school size (16"Hx12"Wx5"D)

Also requested:

• Packs of underwear for elementary-age children
• Gift Cards to Payless Shoes

Please drop off your donations by Monday, Aug. 11 and we will deliver to Cornerstones. Questions? Please contact Kimberly Cowell-Myers (703-789-4068). 

During the summer, St. Anne's partners with Cornerstones and Fairfax County in a Summer Feeding Program to serve summer lunch at the Cedar Ridge Community Center to children who are entitled to free or reduced price lunches during the school year. The program operates Monday through Friday through August. Volunteers are needed between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to set up, serve lunch and clean up at the Cedar Ridge Community Center at 1601 Becontree Road near the Forest Edge School. While a once a week commitment is optimal, you can sign up for as many or as few days as you'd like. The St. Anne's team could use more volunteers, so if you can spare a couple of hours a week to join us, contact Carol Hurlburt (703-264-9054). 

Over the past few weeks and during the coming weeks, numerous members of St. Anne's have been and will be traveling to extend the spirit of St. Anne's. They will be traveling to Philadelphia, the Dominican Republic, Dungannon in Appalachia, and in the Reston/Herndon area with Mission Possible. In your spare moments, please hold these people in your thoughts and prayers that they may arrive safely, complete their tasks with happy and joyous hearts, and return back to us fulfilled with new experiences.

Upcoming Mission Dates

Dungannon Mission Trip: July 26-August 2

Please check out St. Anne's Blog page to read, see photos and hear podcasts about mission trip members' experiences in Philadelphia, the Dominican Republic and Mission Possible. Earlier this month a group of St. Anne's youth traveled to Philadelphia to the Stenton Family Manor homeless shelter to offer some summertime activities for the children living there. Each evening a member of that group wrote about their days activities. On Tuesday, another group of St. Anne's folks returned from the Dominican Republic.  Last week Mission Possible also did community service activities in the Reston/Herndon area. You can also access the podcasts and see photos on the St. Anne's Outreach Facebook page.  

Every kid deserves a fun-filled summer. St. Anne's can help make the summer cooler for kids in need. The Embry Rucker Shelter currently serves over 25 children of a variety of ages. Each child receives passes to Reston's pools. We can help them make the most of their pool time by providing the following items:  

• Flip flops in a variety of sizes, from toddler on up
• Sunscreen--for babies and bigger kids
• Beach Towels
• Swim Diapers (larger sizes)
• Regular Diapers and training pants in sizes 3,4,5,6...
• Children's sun hats and inexpensive sunglasses
• Balls--inexpensive rubber balls are always a hit!

Of course, adults need to cool off, too! Individual bottled water, adult sized flip flops, and rain ponchos (for those inevitable summer storms) are all needed. Donations can be dropped off in the bin in the Narthex at St Anne's (in the coat closet.) Jennifer Gartin will deliver our donations

directly to Embry Rucker each week. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer  (703-389-7813). 

In the summer our schedule for the Wednesday Noon Eucharist service changes a bit. In July the Wednesday Noon Eucharist service will be held July 30. The Noon Service will not be held during August. The service will resume on Sept. 3.