Decades of Service to Others

For almost three decades the members of Northwood Church have reached beyond themselves to serve our broader community through supporting the Pathways Schools for children and adolescents with significant social and emotional disabilities, and operating the Northwood Presbyterian Child Care Center providing quality educational enrichment programs for preschool children during the week and before- and after-school care for grade school children. You can learn more about those programs on their respective websites by clicking on the links in their program names above.

On this page we also shine a spotlight on some of the many other ways that Northwood members are active within our immediate community. This page will be regularly updated, and will typically present one story about how Northwood members are involved in working together beyond our walls. Our hope is that this information will both tell you about the kind of people who are Northwood Presbyterian Church and also encourage more folks both within our congregation and elsewhere to support these important efforts.

Currently the spotlight is on "Project Reboot" which supplies refurbished computers to folks who would otherwise lack the means to obtain them.

Project Reboot

For the past several years Northwood Church members Carl and Don have volunteered at Project Reboot, which is part of the Capital PC User Group, Inc. Elmer helps by taking computer equipment to Project Reboot.  This group refurbishes old computers (Pentium 4 or later) which are then provided to qualified low income families, many with school children who really need to have a PC at home. Recipients must have a picture ID and an original written and signed referral from a qualified social service agency, either County or private.

Some older computers to be refurbished are obtained from the Montgomery County Public School system, whenever they replace their computers. In addition, used computer equipment, monitors and printers are donated to this project by commercial offices or by individuals. Northwood people with computer equipment to donate may leave it at the church office, or make arrangements with Carl to take it home on a Sunday morning if brought to church.  A printed receipt is provided for your donation, which is tax deductible.

Parts which cannot be used in refurbishing are either sold to buy other needed parts or sent to the recycling center at the County Transfer Station.  As many as 200 computers are now being refurbished each month and eager clients come to receive them. Project Reboot does not accept used software, nor does it provide computer tutoring. Each computer is loaded with Windows XP operating system provided by Microsoft for a $5 licensing fee charge to the recipient, and with other open source freeware.

Project Reboot's workshop is located at 4 Choke Cherry Road, near the intersection of Shady Grove Road and I-270.  It is open to the public on Mondays from 1 p.m to 5 p.m and on Wednesdays from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. For more information, you can call the church office at 301-593-1180.

Mid County United Ministries (MUM)
Mid County United Ministries (MUM), with headquarters in Wheaton MD, was initiated by six Wheaton area churches in 1996 (including Northwood Church) and Community Ministry of Montgomery County (now known as Interfaith Works). Before MUM was founded, each church would individually assist people in crisis who came to their doors.  Now, under the MUM umbrella, funds and donated food are pooled and emergency social services provided at a single central location in downtown Wheaton.

MUM provides five services to those in need. The Food Pantry is probably the best known outreach of MUM. The pantry, which started in a small closet in 1996, has distributed thousands of donated canned and packaged non-perishable food items over the years. The food has been donated by Northwood and other churches over the years. Elmer Lantz with his wife Jean have regularly unloaded the food bins in Makemie Hall and delivered our donations to the food pantry at MUM headquarters in Wheaton.

Some clients need emergency assistance to pay their utility bills, and client interviews are done by MUM's primary social worker and Director, Diane Schroeder, to ensure that we have the information needed to work with Pepco or Washington Gas to prevent utility shutoff. MUM along with other agencies also provides funds to prevent evictions, and assists in funding emergency medical prescriptions.

The MUM office is located at 2424 Reedie Drive, in the Mid-County Services Center;
Phone: 301-929-8675, open 3 days a week from 9:00 to 4:30 on Monday and Wednesday and 9:00 to 3:00 on Thursday.

Volunteers are needed to help clients in the Food Pantry and in other areas. Please call Mrs. Schroeder for more information.