What is ECCO?
ECCO began in 1989 in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, and it has expanded its programs and services ever since. ECCO’s mission statement has always been “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” It’s aim is to improve the community’s quality of life with compassion. Although it is not specifically a faith organization, we have been assured that we are free to talk about our faith and our church as we serve at ECCO.
Why ECCO?
The Vestry chose ECCO for many reasons, but these were paramount:
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First, ECCO is local. We seek to be Ambassadors of Christ’s forgiving love primarily where we live, work, play, and learn. ECCO focuses on the community in which we do these things. Its main facility is located on 6 Mile Road. This allows us to serve close to home and reduce obstacles that prevent us from serving.
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Second, it offers many opportunities for serving where we live, work, play, and learn. These include:
• Food drives,
• Clothing donations,• Volunteering on an ongoing basis (including Weekly Shift Opportunities, Third Thursday Farmers’ Market and First Saturday – Shelf Restocking.)
• Volunteering for one-time projects such as: providing a group to help with a small construction project (ECCO partners with the East Cooper Faith Network’s “Fix-It” program to do this),
• Seasonal projects, such as providing food for Holiday Meals, providing Heaters & Fans, or Adopt-a-Family at Christmas. -
Third, ECCO provides STAC with new opportunities to share the gospel. Since ECCO is not a Christian organization, it means we will be working side by side with non Christians building relationships and, hopefully, sharing our stories of God’s forgiving love with them.
This means that there are opportunities to serve regardless of age, station in life, skill level, or ability. Everyone can participate!
How do I get involved with ECCO?
There are two ways to get involved.
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The first is to jump right in individually and find a service opportunity that personally interests you. The ECCO website will tell you what service opportunities are available and how to join in.
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The second way to serve is to join a service project team organized by STAC. As a church, we will navigate our way to determine what works best for us in serving our neighbors through ECCO, and we appreciate your input. Stay tuned for more details on STAC organized service dates!
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Nell Daniels is the main contact for any missions questions. The best way to contact her is by email (nelldaniels@aol.com). Thank you for your time, and we can’t wait to see how ECCO can serve to help us be Ambassadors of Christ’s forgiving love where we live, work, play, and learn!