The Compassion Corner is an ambitious outreach of BranchCreek Community Church that touches the lives of nearly 2,000 people living in Bucks and Montgomery Counties.
It provides food and other household essentials to members of 17 local communities who cannot afford them.
BranchCreek member Nikki Holcroft started Compassion Corner in 2004. She is this ministry’s leader, volunteering many hours a week to administer the program with the assistance of other volunteers and contributors.
Compassion Corner serves the following communities:
| Harleysville | Lansdale | Telford | Hatfield |
| Souderton | East Greenville | Green Lane | North Wales |
| Pennsburg | Perkasie | Quakertown | Pottstown |
| Collegeville | Sellersville | Colmar | Schwenksville |
| Red Hill |
At the end of 2010, 657 families including a total of 1,841 people were registered as Compassion Corner beneficiaries. Of those people, 87% are not members of the BranchCreek Church Family, and many do not attend any church regularly.
- Hours:
Compassion Corner is open on Wednesdays from 6-7:30 pm and Saturdays from 4-5:30 pm. Qualified individuals need only present a valid ID and a utility bill or lease to establish residence to use Compassion Corner; then they may shop.
- Qualifications:
Family income and the number of people in the family must be disclosed. Participants get to choose the items they want based on a point system. Then they are allowed to shop twice a month.
- Location:
Compassion Corner is located on the church property at 100 Main Street, Harleysville, PA 19438 in room 302. This is the preschool wing of the main church building, also known as the 200-300 building. Just follow the signs when you enter the church’s driveway.
Opportunity Knocks
If you are interested in supporting the Compassion Corner initiative, you can help in a variety of ways. Volunteers are needed to
- assist clients when the pantry is open
- stock shelves at other times
- help people shop for items
- donate food or household consumables
- donate coupons
- help clip coupons.
Nikki and her volunteers are masters at using coupons and keeping up-to- date on sales that are running in the area in order to maximize the positive impact of the Compassion Corner funds.
Read All About It
BranchCreek member Bruce McKelvy recently completed a fund-raising tour of the lower 48 states on his BMW motorcycle for Compassion Corner. You can read all about it and still donate at his website.
