Effort United Methodist Church reaches out to those in need in the community in many ways. One of those is the St. Nick Project.

This is an annual ministry of caring through which the church family seeks to bring the spirit, love, hope and joy of Christmas to families with children in the area, who are experiencing difficult times. They provide gifts to each family member.If you would like to support this ministry, there are several ways you may do so.• Adopt a Family: You can select the family of your choice, to adopt and provide gifts to. You will receive information on the children's ages, likes and dislikes, and any special needs. You will not know the name of the family, but only a "code number." You can then deliver your gifts to the church office by Dec. 15, from where it will be picked up by the recipient family, before Christmas.• Donate a Gift or Cash Donation: Donate an unwrapped gift, suitable for a child from ages infant to teens. Or provide a monetary donation, that will be used to purchase needed gifts.• Refer a Local Family to the program: If you know of a local family who you think might benefit from the St. Nick Project, simply provide their name to the project. The family will then be contacted to see if they wish to participate in the program. No family is included unless they approve their participation.For more information on adopting a family, making a donation, or to refer a local family to the project, please call Linda Ernst at 570-460-4415, or the church office at 570-629-1890.