Local churches partner together to benefit local students

After Sunday church services on August 7 and 14, members of Em­manuel Faith Community Church and its church plant, Orchard Community Church, partnered to provide over 1,100 local elementary students with much needed back-to-school supplies. Over two weekends, people from the two churches came together to assem­ble new backpacks and filled them with school supplies such as notebooks, pa­per, crayons, pencils, and glue sticks.

The backpacks were then delivered to Glen View Elementary School in Escondido, where each student and teacher received one on the first day of school. Backpacks also were given to kids who attend The Bridge, an award winning after school program spon­sored by Emmanuel Faith, as well as to students of other local families who

Church members help gather the materials for the backpacks that were present­ed to students at Glen View Elementary School.

“We want local students to begin the school year knowing that there are thousands of people who care about their success, their education, and their school community,” said Assad Saif, pastor of Orchard Community Church.

Emmanuel Faith Community Church is located at 639 E. 17th Ave. (at the corner of Encino Drive) in southeast­ern Escondido, and has been meeting together as a church family for almost 77 years.

A growing church in eastern Escon­dido, Orchard Community Church has been meeting weekly at Orange Glen High School in Escondido for the past two years.

For more information about Em­manuel Faith Community Church, vis­it www.efcc.org, or call 760-745-2541. The church is located at 639 E. 17th Ave., Escondido, CA 92025.