College Care Packages, A Ministry of Connection for Nearly Three Decades
When Sue Smith reflects on how the College Care Package ministry at Birmingham First began, she smiles at the simple and heartfelt origins of it all.
By Adrienne Trupiano
Communications Specialist
In the late 1990s, Sue’s children were very young. At the time, there was a praise band of high school students called Saturday Night Praise. Her children looked up to those older students who sang and played instruments in worship. As those students began leaving for college, Sue and another church family started thinking about how their young children could serve others. They wanted their kids to do something meaningful.
That is when the idea was born. What if the children helped assemble care packages for the church’s college students, along with handmade cards?
By Adrienne Trupiano
Communications Specialist
In the late 1990s, Sue’s children were very young. At the time, there was a praise band of high school students called Saturday Night Praise. Her children looked up to those older students who sang and played instruments in worship. As those students began leaving for college, Sue and another church family started thinking about how their young children could serve others. They wanted their kids to do something meaningful.
That is when the idea was born. What if the children helped assemble care packages for the church’s college students, along with handmade cards?
The College Care Packages ready for mailing.
Matt Hook, who was the youth minister at the time, and his assistant, Diane Peck, supported the idea and provided the names of students, since they stayed in touch with former youth group members. An announcement was also placed in Steeple Notes to gather addresses. Soon, care packages were being assembled right in Sue’s kitchen. The children would walk around the counter, dropping items into large envelopes before they were mailed.
As interest grew, more families wanted to help. The assembly line eventually moved to the church on Sunday mornings between services. While there is no exact start date, the ministry began in the late 1990s and has now been going strong for at least 28 years.
The early packages were simple. A few small items were included, each attached to a Bible verse or words of encouragement. The children created handmade cards, and a note from a pastor was always enclosed. One year, a pastor even recorded a CD of songs he sang and played to include in the mailing.
The response from students was overwhelmingly positive. “Who doesn’t like to get a surprise package?” Sue says.
One story in particular stands out. A college athlete would speak briefly with his parents when they called, offering little detail about how he was doing. One day, his mother visited his dorm room and noticed that he had taped the Bible verses and encouraging notes from the care packages onto his refrigerator. She later told Sue, “You are making a difference.” For Sue, it was a reminder not to make assumptions. You never know when your efforts are quietly touching someone’s heart.
As interest grew, more families wanted to help. The assembly line eventually moved to the church on Sunday mornings between services. While there is no exact start date, the ministry began in the late 1990s and has now been going strong for at least 28 years.
The early packages were simple. A few small items were included, each attached to a Bible verse or words of encouragement. The children created handmade cards, and a note from a pastor was always enclosed. One year, a pastor even recorded a CD of songs he sang and played to include in the mailing.
The response from students was overwhelmingly positive. “Who doesn’t like to get a surprise package?” Sue says.
One story in particular stands out. A college athlete would speak briefly with his parents when they called, offering little detail about how he was doing. One day, his mother visited his dorm room and noticed that he had taped the Bible verses and encouraging notes from the care packages onto his refrigerator. She later told Sue, “You are making a difference.” For Sue, it was a reminder not to make assumptions. You never know when your efforts are quietly touching someone’s heart.
