Since its beginning in 2024, the food bank Arch® Book program from Concordia Gospel Outreach (CGO) has been picking up speed. This grassroots effort to share Christian children’s books at food banks nationwide has expanded to hundreds of locations. One of them is based at a Lutheran church in southwest Iowa.
Spotlight on Swaddling Clothes
Timothy Lutheran Church is located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, nestled on the east bank of the Missouri River. Timothy Lutheran is a site for Swaddling Clothes, a program run by various congregations of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to “share the mercy of Christ with our neighbors through the gifts of clothing, food, friendship, and the forgiving Word of God” (swaddlingclothes.org).
When the opportunity arose for this Swaddling Clothes center to participate in the food bank Arch Book program and share Bible story books and other essentials with families, they were eager to get started.
Nancy Ruffcorn, Swaddling Clothes location director, shared:
“We are thrilled to be able to give away Arch Books to all of our Swaddling Clothes clients. This is something we wanted to do, but [we] only planned to give books at Christmas and Easter. Expanding the Arch Book distribution is an answer to [our] prayers.”
This means that guests at Swaddling Clothes are not only cared for in body— receiving maternity clothes, baby clothes, diapers, formula, bottles, and other necessities—but also in soul, as they receive Bible story books that share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Making an Impact Through Arch Books
When we asked how the community has responded to the Arch Book distribution at Swaddling Clothes, Nancy emphasized the program’s impact.
“The response to these books has been great,” she shared. “Many of our families tell us that they frequent thrift stores to purchase used books. Having new books has been a treat. Our families tell us how much they enjoy reading to their little ones.”
Beyond the excitement of an unexpected, brand-new book, Nancy hopes that families will develop an interest in learning about Jesus after encountering these books. Since many of these families might not otherwise have access to Christian literature, this is a pivotal opportunity for the program.
“Many of our families don’t have any affiliation with a church. We hope that the Bible stories will spark an interest in learning more about Jesus.”
In the second quarter of 2025, this Iowa location alone distributed 720 books to families in need. Nancy Ruffcorn also shared that she is looking forward to the possibility of sharing Spanish Arch Books with her community in the future. Stay tuned for updates regarding this impactful program as it expands, and prayerfully consider making a donation to further God’s kingdom through it.
Support the food bank Arch Book program to continue and increase its impact in communities like Nancy’s.
