Welcome to FOCUS Churches! For more than 50 years, FOCUS has created a community called to be a collective voice - and a helping hand - for those in need.
FOCUS serves hungry bodies and souls through its feeding programs. The Breakfast Club provides more than 18,000 meals year round and helps connect guests with much-needed services such as housing. The Interfaith Food Pantry located at Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Food Pantry at First Church in Albany offer emergency food supplies to families and individuals. And with each meal FOCUS serves a helping of hospitality. FOCUS also gives voice to critical issues of hunger and homelessness and joins with other organizations to raise awareness of the impacts and needs of those living in poverty.
Our Mission: FOCUS IS SIX COVENANT CHURCHES, FOUR FAITH AFFILIATES, AND TWO FAITH PARTNERS, DOING TOGETHER WHAT WE CANNOT DO ALONE. UNITED IN A COMMON CALLING TO RESPOND TO OUR NEIGHBOR'S NEEDS IN THE CITY OF ALBANY AND BEYOND, AS GOD'S SERVANT PEOPLE IN A BROKEN AND HURTING WORLD.
FOCUS serves hungry bodies and souls through its feeding programs. The Breakfast Club provides more than 18,000 meals year round and helps connect guests with much-needed services such as housing. The Interfaith Food Pantry located at Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Food Pantry at First Church in Albany offer emergency food supplies to families and individuals. And with each meal FOCUS serves a helping of hospitality. FOCUS also gives voice to critical issues of hunger and homelessness and joins with other organizations to raise awareness of the impacts and needs of those living in poverty.
Our Mission: FOCUS IS SIX COVENANT CHURCHES, FOUR FAITH AFFILIATES, AND TWO FAITH PARTNERS, DOING TOGETHER WHAT WE CANNOT DO ALONE. UNITED IN A COMMON CALLING TO RESPOND TO OUR NEIGHBOR'S NEEDS IN THE CITY OF ALBANY AND BEYOND, AS GOD'S SERVANT PEOPLE IN A BROKEN AND HURTING WORLD.
The Homeless and Travelers Aid Society is issuing a Code Blue alert for Wed Nov 6th thru Tuesday November 12th, 2019. What is Code Blue? Code Blue (CB) is a low-demand humanitarian cold weather program designed to reduce barriers for homeless people seeking shelter. It is called when the temperature is expected to be 32 degrees or less (including wind chill).
Monday November 11th is expected to be the first Code Blue Extreme (CBE). A Code Blue Extreme (CBE) is called when the “real feel” temperature is expected to be less than 10 degrees.
Homeless persons in need of shelter can go to the Capital City Rescue Mission at 259 South Pearl Street 12202 or the Council of Churches Overflow Shelter at 646 State Street 12206 (Lutheran Church). People in need can also call the HATAS Homeless Hotline at 518.463.2124. Additional homeless shelter options will be become available as the Code Blue season progresses.
Many thanks, Liz Hitt (Executive Director)
lhitt@hatas.org / 518.915.8243 (Mobile) / 518.463.2124 x 229 (Office)
Monday November 11th is expected to be the first Code Blue Extreme (CBE). A Code Blue Extreme (CBE) is called when the “real feel” temperature is expected to be less than 10 degrees.
Homeless persons in need of shelter can go to the Capital City Rescue Mission at 259 South Pearl Street 12202 or the Council of Churches Overflow Shelter at 646 State Street 12206 (Lutheran Church). People in need can also call the HATAS Homeless Hotline at 518.463.2124. Additional homeless shelter options will be become available as the Code Blue season progresses.
Many thanks, Liz Hitt (Executive Director)
lhitt@hatas.org / 518.915.8243 (Mobile) / 518.463.2124 x 229 (Office)
FOCUS will be honoring Andrea Carver, Board Member and FOCUS Volunteer of the Year!
This is your opportunity to learn more about where you can volunteer by talking to staff from over 40 non-profit agencies in Albany. Come enjoy some of Albany's best entertainment and food while finding out how to serve others.
Restaurants and groups providing food tastings include Mazzone Hospitality, Public House 42, Honest Weight Food Co-Op, Ama Cocina, New World Bistro Bar, and Albany High Culinary. Musicians and artists who will be on-hand include DJ Trumastr, DJ Hollyw8d, Justin Clark, the Albany Jazz Band, and Albany Center Gallery. A panel discussion about the use of specialized skills in volunteer work will take place at 12:30pm and the Volunteer of the Year Awards will be presented at 3:15pm. Sponsored by Serve Albany and Christ's Church Albany.
This is your opportunity to learn more about where you can volunteer by talking to staff from over 40 non-profit agencies in Albany. Come enjoy some of Albany's best entertainment and food while finding out how to serve others.
Restaurants and groups providing food tastings include Mazzone Hospitality, Public House 42, Honest Weight Food Co-Op, Ama Cocina, New World Bistro Bar, and Albany High Culinary. Musicians and artists who will be on-hand include DJ Trumastr, DJ Hollyw8d, Justin Clark, the Albany Jazz Band, and Albany Center Gallery. A panel discussion about the use of specialized skills in volunteer work will take place at 12:30pm and the Volunteer of the Year Awards will be presented at 3:15pm. Sponsored by Serve Albany and Christ's Church Albany.
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PLEASE NOTE: The FOCUS Food Pantry will not be open the last Saturday in November
but will be open the 3rd Saturday, Nov. 23rd. 
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$25 per person (children under 10 free). Call FOCUS for reservations: 518.443.0460
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From giving children access to free books to working with the homeless, five Massry Community Service Fellows spent the summer working to better the community:
Three of this year's Massry Fellows — from left, Chanchilo Ezung (FOCUS Churches of Albany), Grace Schlembach and Jeffrey Lorber — pose in the places they interned over the summer. (Photos and video by Paul Miller) |
University at Albany Massry Fellowships
Help Students Give Back to the Community Chanchilo Ezung, MBA ’18, is a doctoral student from Kohima, Nagaland in India, whose research interest is in smart cities and information management. Ezung interned with FOCUS Churches of Albany. “I wanted to work for the organization but I did need some support for the summer. So the fellowship helped me choose to work for the non-profit. I actually turned down a job because I wanted to work for the organization,” she said. More than 800 people reported being homeless in Albany County in January, 2017, an increase of 7 percent from 2016. Ezung helped FOCUS Churches of Albany build their outreach through social media. “I build relationships with the homeless by socializing with them during the breakfast program,” she said last month. “They have been very gracious and kind. I took the “Humans of New York” approach for collecting their stories and taking pictures.” https://www.albany.edu/news/92277.php |
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