Immanuel Shelter to host Easter pancake breakfast April 12 at Epworth UMC

Eating pancakes can help feed and shelter the homeless. Immanuel Shelter - Serving the Invisible in Our Community will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser, Have Your Picture Taken with the Easter Bunny, from 8 to 11 a.m., Saturday, April 12, in Fellowship Hall at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road in Rehoboth.

Those who attend with their best Easter bonnet or hat will be entered in a drawing for a prize, and all can have their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny for an additional small fee.

Tickets, available at the door, are $10 for adults and $5 for children 3-12 years old; children under 3 eat free.

Immanuel Shelter is the only winter code purple shelter serving the Rehoboth, Lewes and other Sussex County homeless. It served men and women who were seeking protection from this past winter’s snow, ice and extreme cold. Initially founded in 2010 to protect community homeless from temperatures below 32 degrees, this past winter the shelter was open for a total of 110 nights jointly hosted by Epworth United Methodist and Faith United Methodist churches. The shelter is operational Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at Epworth, and Monday through Thursday nights at Faith Fellowship Hall.

The shelter operates totally on donations and volunteers' support, with paid staff working only the overnight shift. This year alone, Immanuel has served over 95 homeless men and women, a three-fold increase since 2010. The needs are simple yet many: food, coffee, socks, coats, warm waterproof shoes, sleeping bags, air mattresses, thermal underwear, toiletries, haircuts, showers, time in fellowship and a safe place to sleep.

Funds are desperately needed for continued operations.

Visit www.eumcrb.org or call 302-227-7743 for more information about Immanuel Shelter.