For many children in our neighborhood, the holidays can be difficult: without school, they don’t get enough to eat during their Christmas break. The holidays should be magical for every child, so let’s do our part to ensure the kids in our community don’t spend it hungry!
 
HEN is teaming up with the congregation from Tulip Street United Methodist Church to prepare backpacks filled with food for the kids at Warner School. We are inviting all neighbors to contribute to this holiday outreach by donating either backpacks or food. You can bring your contributions to the HEN Holiday Party on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 6PM at 807 Fatherland.
 
Suggested food items include:

• Meals that elementary- or middle-school-aged children can heat or prepare by themselves (ramen noodles, canned pastas, prepared mac and cheese, cup o’ soup, etc.)
• Snack items that are reasonably nutritious (cereal bars, granola bars, protein bars, peanut butter crackers, animal crackers, etc.)
• Prepackaged apple sauce cups, fruit cups and fruit snacks (100% fruit juice if possible)
• Small individual packets of raisins, craisins, and nuts
• Juice boxes

 
For many of these children, the food in these backpacks will be their main meal each day, so it needs to be easy to prepare and as nutritious as possible.
 
Also, for anyone interested, HEN and Tulip Street will meet at East Park Community Center on Dec. 10 at 1PM to fill the backpacks and deliver them to Warner School. All are invited to help, and you can deliver additional donations at this time as well.
 
We look forward to seeing everyone at our Neighborhood Holiday Party on Sunday, Dec. 4. Food and drinks will be provided, but please bring a small dessert to share.
 
Here’s to making the season merry and bright! 

After a sad goodbye Tulip Street Methodist church members locked the door on their home of more than 125 years November 6th. Their last service included deconsecrating the 1890 church and releasing it "for any honorable use."

As of this week the 30,000 square foot sanctuary, the education building and the church's two lots are on the market for $2.6 Million. The listing information says the building must be preserved due to the historic overlay and suggests it could be used for offices. Councilman Brett Withers says the overlay protects the exterior but not the interior. of the church which includes intricate wooden beams spanning a 30 foot ceiling.

John Cavin the broker with Southeast Ventures who's selling the church was also the Chair of the United Methodist Board deciding to shut down Tulip Street. He says they will try to find another church to buy it but there's not a strong demand for "bell towers and heavy wooden alters' among contemporary congregations. He said they will try to leave the neighborhood with "something good", possibly non-profit offices.