Four Reardan churches find ways to serve town
By Caleb McGever
Four Reardan churches come together to meet community needs, providing essential services and outreach in this rural town with a population of about 600 about 30 miles west of Spokane.
We C.A.R.E., which stands for We Care About Reardan Edwall, is a nonprofit that serves the Reardan-Edwall School District with a food pantry, weekend food for school children, clothing and school supplies for school children, holiday food and gifts, emergency assistance and nondenominational gatherings. The gatherings include a vacation Bible school, community worship services, a community youth group and cooking classes, said Katie Thirupal. pastor of First Presbyterian.
We C.A.R.E. encourages other residents to join them in serving others.
The organization is run by the four churches working with local volunteers.
The churches, Emmanuel Lutheran, St. Michael's Catholic, Reardan Presbyterian and Reardan Bible Fellowship, which each have about 30 to 50 people attending regularly, each have food collection boxes.
Katie said that the congregations each "have their own traditions, liturgy and worship services," and many of the clergy also lead another congregation in a nearby town.
The cross-denominational effort began decades ago as the Reardan Ministerial Association. Run by representatives from each of the churches, community members and pastors, it focused on the food pantry.
In 2019, Reardan Ministerial Association reorganized as We C.A.R.E. as pastors in leadership retired, were reassigned or passed away, said Virginia.
This gave the community members involved a chance to come together and pick a new name, select a new council and register as a nonprofit that provides food, supplies and services.
We C.A.R.E.'s primary function is to operate a food pantry a few times a month, she said. About five to eight families come each time it is open.
Until September, Reardan's local grocery store housed the food pantry in a storage area that had an outside entrance.
"We were able to give folks vouchers they could use at the store to buy things the pantry didn't have, like milk and bread. It gave the store some business, too," Virginia said.
In September, the food pantry was given 72 hours of notice to move their food, because the grocery store that hosted it lost its lease and had to close.
"It was the only grocery store in Reardan," said Virginia. "The nearest grocery stores now are 15 miles away in either direction—in Airway Heights and Davenport.
"That means we are in a food desert," she said.
The only food services left in Reardan are a tavern that serves food—which limits options for families—and a drive-up coffee stand.
Senior citizens and others who are not able to drive have no options," she added.
The food pantry is now temporarily in a private residence shop at 310 S Lake St. and actively pursuing options for a new permanent location. They have shelves of nonperishable food and personal care items, plus they have farm eggs, frozen chicken and ground beef available.
The pantry operates the same times as before, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on second Wednesdays and 5:30 to 7 p.m. on fourth Thursdays. People can pick up the usual two bags of groceries, but the pantry can't provide grocery store vouchers.
In addition to the food pantry, We C.A.R.E. also organizes the Reardan-Edwall school's Bite2Go weekend food program with the Second Harvest food distribution center in Spokane. It provides students with weekend meal kits.
"Bite2Go really makes a difference in the kids' lives," Virginia said. "The school came to us and said, you already do the food pantry. Would you help us with this? We have too many kids who are going hungry, and it's affecting their schoolwork."
"So, we decided to do that. We work at fundraising to keep it going so all kids needing extra food on weekends have it," she said.
In addition, Second Harvest works with the local American Legion post to bring a Mobile Market to Reardan nine months a year. It is not held in the winter because there is no drive-through location available, Virginia added.
We C.A.R.E.'s outreach for students extends beyond Bite2Go.
It provides for the emergency clothes closet at the school, sponsors school supplies and helps families with rent or water bills when it can.
"We can't do it all the time, but we can help in emergencies," said Virginia, who moved with her family from Spokane to Reardan when she was in grade school and has been involved with First Presbyterian since then.
After being active in Sunday school, youth group, summer camps and as a youth elder on the governing board, she was away about 10 years for college, a first job and starting her family. She returned to Reardan and has been involved with the church since then.
Virginia retired a few years ago after a career as a medical technologist.
"I feel God wants us to support each other and feel that if we see something that needs to be done, we should jump in and do it, not do nothing or wait for someone else to take care of it," she said.
We C.A.R.E. churches also hold events and worship services, inviting other local residents to join them for worship and outreach.
The churches come together on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter for worship, which We C.A.R.E. helps organize.
On the first Sundays of summer months, members of Emmanuel Lutheran, St. Michael's Catholic, First Presbyterian and Reardan Bible Fellowship host community gatherings.
They are out in the park with their blankets.
Communal worship at the parks is casual and serves two purposes, explained Virginia.
The first purpose is that it allows the churches to join together in worship with easier access for more casual believers.
The second purpose is to give pastors a "day off" without having to pay someone to cover the pulpit.
The next communal worship is planned for Thanksgiving.
Over the summer, We C.A.R.E. hosts a free vacation Bible school for kids in preschool up to ninth grade. Each church hosts a different activity like crafts or Bible stories.
Volunteers from each congregation meet to pick the curriculum and run the camp for the community.
The grocery store's closure leaves local people with one less gathering place for building community.
"There used to be a little coffee shop in the store where many farmers would go every morning to discuss world politics and everything else." Virginia said.
With few community spaces left, she said We C.A.R.E. will highlight opportunities for people to become involved in serving.
"As they serve, they benefit the community and gain friendships along with a sense of belonging and identity," she said.
Despite the struggle to keep people engaged, she feels positive about the future.
"God put us here for a reason and wants us to keep helping take care of this community," she said. "Maybe what we're doing isn't the primary need now. Maybe something else will surface that we can help with. People just want to be in a position where they can help, so we're going to let them."
While We C.A.R.E. is largely funded by people in Reardan, she believes outside funds and business benefactors would help the organization to expand.
Virginia invites members of Reardan and Edwall to join We C.A.R.E. at the park for worship services and to help them do community outreach.
"We try to make We C.A.R.E. visible so people know anyone can be a part of it and will recognize the people who are part of it," said Virginia.
For information, call 818-0146 or email wecareaboutreardanedwall@gmail.com
