Almost anyone who makes it a habit to give of their time, love or money will explain that they hope to make a difference in someone’s life. Knowing you’ve done so is a pleasure. And meeting the person you’ve helped – that can be transformational. For years, members of the Benicia Community Congregational Church have donated funds toward buying backpacks and stuffing them with reams of school supplies – enough for every single kindergartener and first grade student in the La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District whose families are unable to buy their own. Then they take the extra step of driving to Puente each year to deliver the supplies and spend time in fellowship with the community their donations benefit. If Benicia Congregational had simply donated the supplies – which benefit more than 40 children each year – their act of generosity would have been more than enough. But the act of giving itself has never been the stopping point, says Sarah Thompson, chair of the Mission and Outreach Committee for the church. It’s about relationships. “It’s really important to make those personal connections. We’re not just making these backpacks for a faceless person; there’s going to be someone receiving them,” says Thompson, a professor of sociology at Las Positas Community College in Livermore. She and her family live in American Canyon, in … Continue reading Benicia Church rallies for Puente backpack drive