Staff
Mercedes Diego, Administrative Assistant
Mercedes Diego is from Lodi, California, and she enjoys helping others and making them feel welcome and comfortable. She is 22 years old, and has been attending Galt UMC for eight years. She began by attending with her father and step-mother, but after they moved she continued to attend with her sister Mariah. She writes, "This Church has played an extremely significant role in shaping who I have become and has watched me transition from adolescence to adulthood. I am so grateful and filled with joy to be able to give my time to people that have become my family and to a place that has become a second home to me."
Sabrina Curlee, Worship Visual Tech
Sabrina Curlee makes sure everything runs smoothly during in person worship. She loves her job and the people who come to worship at Galt UMC. She is part of a family that attends Galt UMC that includes her grandmother, aunt, uncle, mom, and sister. Sabrina likes anything and everything Disney, plus horror movies, drawing, and singing musical theatre. She was recently baptized!
Lynn Hieb, Director of Music
Lynn Hieb brings tons of musical talent to his worship leadership. An accomplished acoustic as well as classical guitar player, he also sings and leads congressional singing.
Things To Know
At Galt UMC, we are living out the United Methodist Church mission statement: To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World!
Methodists have been in Galt for over 150 years — our current Sanctuary was built in the 1970s. We have a vision for our future that includes building affordable housing for seniors and veterans on our current empty lots, and building a freestanding Sunshine Food Pantry & Resource Center.
Sunshine Food Pantry
In 2009, outreach consultants from Galt Elementary School District discovered a need to provide food for low income families in the district. They approached several interested persons. As a result the Sunshine Food Pantry came into existence.
The District provided an unused classroom for a clothes closet and room for dry goods where needy families could come. Several churches of the area, including the Galt United Methodist Church, worked together to operate the pantry. Initial food source was from donations brought in my individual people.
The first months of service helped over 100 families with their food needs.
The numbers of people served showed there was a definite need for the pantry. Soon, needy senior citizens began to appear for food. It was difficult to not turn them away – so they weren’t and the Sunshine Pantry became a true asset to the community. Everyone is welcome, no one is turned away.
With the addition of fresh produce after a year, or so, we could no longer stay at the school. Galt United Methodist Church had the available room and the Pantry was relocated to its present location in June of 2011.
The clientele continued to grow and a source of addition food was needed. It was discovered that Solano/Contra Costa Food Bank was making weekly shipment runs to Elk Grove. We were able to receive not only dry goods but fresh produce as well.
After a year, or two, Sacramento Food Bank took over providing our food supplies. At first, we made biweekly runs to north Sacramento to pick up our orders. Eventually several other food distributers in Galt made a delivery truck feasible and now we receive almost weekly deliveries to Galt.
In addition to Sacramento Food Bank orders, Galt UMC picks up food donations from Raley’s and Save Mart Super Markets six days a week. They are a part of a national organization – Feed America – whereby they are given donation credit.
At this time we have free food distribution to all people who come, and our pantry doors are open from 8:00 to 10:00am on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. We also make food deliveries to 6 senior home facilities, and some of our excess items also go to homeless encampments, and farm worker homes. Our average count, at this time, is 1500+ families per month.