Why It Matters: St. Francis of the Tetons

From the beginning of its ministry in Teton Valley in 1993, St. Francis of the Tetons has made community service a cornerstone of its ministry.   Our mission statement puts it well: as followers of Jesus, we strive to “walk humbly, patiently and kindly with our neighbors.”

Early on the church reached out through informal networks to learn who might be in need. Then, members of St. Francis would offer time, muscles, and funds to provide direct assistance. Even now members continue to help families to stockpile firewood for heating, move aging individuals to more supportive living environments, obtain gift cards for gasoline so people can visit hospitalized relatives or transition to new employment, etc. In 2008 it became evident that even greater good could be done by joining together with other Teton Valley nonprofit organizations to aid individuals and families with more extensive needs than St. Francis is able to do alone. That’s where the Tin Cup Challenge comes in! 

Three stories from this past year demonstrate how St. Francis’ Tin Cup dollars have been put to work to benefit the community and some of its residents. 

• Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts — St. Francis offers its fellowship space as a place for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to meet. With Tin Cup dollars St. Francis also assists the Scout leaders to purchase supplies needed for the Scouts to earn their badges and, where needed, assists individual Scouts to pay fees so they are able to experience summer camping programs. 

• Rent assistance  — Due to a work injury, Ken (not his real name) was unable to continue his low wage job and fell behind in making rent payments for the house where he, his wife, and 3 pre-school children lived. While Workman’s Comp helped, more funds were needed to help Ken and his family. With the Community Resource Center serving as a clearinghouse, St. Francis drew from its Tin Cup monies to join with other community churches to offset the family’s rent until eligibility for other state financial resources could be established.

• Special Education supports in Teton Valley schools — While Special Education programs in Teton Valley schools meet state requirements, special education teachers look for ways to “kick it up a notch.” In 2018, teachers requested funds to purchase specialized equipment for their classrooms. Combining Tin Cup dollars with donations by members designated for community outreach, St. Francis was able to offer the majority of funds required for the purchase of the requested equipment. 

At St. Francis we look forward to seeing our friends and neighbors every July at the Tin Cup Event Day. Together with you, we hope to make a difference again this year in the lives of those in need and those whose lives are stabilized or improved in quality with Tin Cup funds.