Allison Hill, a community in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, often makes the news, but usually for bad reasons: crime, poverty, and blight. For many people, it’s a place to avoid at all costs, but for members of Heart of Harrisburg (Alliance) Church, it’s where God has called them to labor and to love the people that He loves.
Each summer, Heart of Harrisburg and several partner churches provide a vacation Bible school (VBS) in Allison Hill. At the end of VBS week, they host a back-to-school bash for the community and hand out as many backpacks filled with school supplies as possible.
This summer, the churches decided to give away backpacks as well as plan a festival to celebrate the good things happening in the community.
The event was a joint effort not only among Heart of Harrisburg, Immanuel Alliance (Mechanicsburg), First Alliance (Harrisburg), and Carlisle Alliance Church but also the community itself. The owner of the bar across the street from Heart of Harrisburg donated hot dogs. The director of the local women’s shelter also helped, securing three $300 cards from the local food bank. Others donated cases of water bottles, sodas, school supplies, and backpacks.
More than 1,300 people attended the community festival and consumed 60 pounds of chicken, more than 1,000 hotdogs, and 300 pounds of ice for snow cones and beverages. The churches also gave away nearly 400 backpacks. Two people gave their lives to Christ, and follow-up efforts have led to many more ministry opportunities.
“We look forward to even more partnerships in the future and to seeing Jesus transform many more lives in Allison Hill,” said Ricardo Volcy, Heart of Harrisburg church planter and pastor.
—Based on an update by Ricardo Volcy, who serves at Heart of Harrisburg
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