Mt. Hope
Community
Presbyterian
Church stays
true to the
community.
Dillman’s grandson received a doll when
he went to Children’s Hospital for an
operation.
“It really touched me knowing
somebody in my own family was helped
by this,” she says.
The dolls look like little gingerbread
men, and children keep them so they can
explain what happened to them to their
classmates. Children can personalize the
dolls, and every child draws a smiling face
on the doll, Dillman says. Volunteers have
made more than 4,000 dolls since the
program began.
In addition, volunteers make 350 trick-
or-treat bags and 350 Christmas sacks
for children at the hospital. The sacks are
created through an assembly-line process,
so volunteers can help even if they don’t
know how to sew.
“When the children wake up on
Christmas morning, there’s a sack of toys
in the room for them,” Dillman explains.
Volunteers also make corsages for
the Children’s Hospital prom and on
Mother’s Day for every mother and
female employee at the facility.
Mt. Hope Community Presbyterian
Church also hosts a clothesline ministry
every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Individuals and families in need can come
to the church to receive new or gently
used clothes. Although the national
economy has improved, Dillman notes
that many members of the community
are still in need. The church also recently
added a children’s library to provide
youngsters with reading material. “There
are a lot of kids in the community who
don’t have books,” she explains.
The church also provides meals to the
Penn Hills police and EMS on Christmas,
Thanksgiving and Easter. Volunteers
usually provide a traditional meal that
feeds about 30. “They’re so happy
because nothing’s open on the holidays,”
Dillman says.
Mt. Hope Community Presbyterian
Church also assembles care packages
to members of the armed services.
Volunteers provide food packets and
other items to the Animal Protectors
of Allegheny Valley animal shelter as
well, and sew blankets and neck rests for
patients at Hillman Cancer Center.
Earlier this year, Rev. Ray Lewis
retired after leading Mt. Hope for the
last six years. Dillman says he has had a
positive impact on the church. Mt. Hope
Community Presbyterian will select a
new minister soon, and Dillman plans to
continue leading the mission efforts. ■
» For more information, visit
mthopepcusa.org.
PENN HILLS
❘
SPRING 2018
15