St. Peter’s - Women Nurturing Women
Tuesday, November 4, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Fireside Room
Gallons of Love: Christmas for California Prisoners - 2025
Last year, St. Peter’s women donated significant numbers of items to support Gallons of Love - a ministry providing a one gallon zip lock plastic bag with toiletries, stationery, and small treats for women incarcerated at the California Institution for Women to let them know that they are remembered and loved. Donations of the following items (with listed specifications) are needed.
• Plastic bags: One-gallon zip lock type clear plastic bags
• Assorted stickers
• Stationery items: Any kind or size of paper, envelope or notepad, decorated or undecorated, can be used, including those that come with donation solicitations from the Sierra Club, etc. Our volunteers will collate cards, writing paper and envelopes so that each bag contains several stationery sets.
• Clear barrel pens: Clear barrel stick pens in blue or black (such as Bic). The barrel must be see-through.
• Greeting cards: Greeting cards and envelopes for all occasions are welcomed, i.e.: Thank you, birthday, get well, anniversary, Christmas, and even sympathy cards are all useful. The prisoners are able to share and trade with one another for appropriate cards for their needs. (over)
• Sample-sized toiletries: Small (think TSA approved size) plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion. No glass or metal is allowed into the institutions, and no alcohol-based items (hand sanitizer or mouth wash). Plastic lip balm tubes are allowed, but not lipstick.
• Bar soap: Small individually wrapped bars of soap.
• Toothbrush/toothpaste: Individually wrapped toothbrushes, and small individual-sized plastic tubes of toothpaste. Please, no mouthwash or dental floss.
• Beverage mixes: Individual serving-sized packets of coffee and cocoa, or individually wrapped tea bags.
• Hair combs: Plastic hair combs can be of any shape or size, as long as they do not have a sharp rat-tail handle
• Hair ties: Elastic hair ties of any size or color.
• Travel-sized facial tissue: In an environment where toilet tissue serves for everything, a small pack of Kleenex is a treasure.
• Financial donations: Cash/check donations are greatly appreciated since they allow for the purchase of any of the above items that are not otherwise collected in sufficient quantities.
On Tuesday evening, November 4th, St. Peter’s women will hear Rev Linda Barkman from Testimony Ministries speak to the experiences of incarcerated women and then write individualized notes that will be included in the Gallon of Love bags. Dinner will be provided. Any of the above needed items can be brought to the Fireside Room on November 4th during the event, or dropped off before November 4th in the church office with the notation “Gallons of Love.”