TUCSON, Ariz.--A congregation full of retired teachers is reaching out to a neighborhood school.

St. Mark's United Methodist Church has partnered with E.C. Nash Elementary, a nearby school in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.

Worldwide Faith News reports the church is sending volunteers to help in classrooms and to organize donation drives for books and supplies. The group donated a washing machine so the children would have clean clothes.

Janet Camp, chairwoman of the church committee in charge of the project, said the church is helping the school help the families.

"It just blows my mind how much the school is doing not just to teach the children but to assist the families," she said.

Nearly all of the students receive free or reduced-priced lunches and 72 percent speak English as a second language.

St. Mark's, which averages 750 on Sundays, sent 50 volunteers to assist teachers in the classroom with reading and math help. The project has grown.

Church volunteers began to read books for a books-on-tape program and have made nearly 200 books available in the school's library.

The church organized donation drives for books, school supplies and backpacks. They collected 500 books and 325 backpacks full of supplies.

During the summer the church donates bags full of books and supplies to encourage students to continue learning over the break.

Principal Rusty Farley said support from the church has been critical for a school with little parental involvement.

The children wrote thank-you notes for the backpacks. "Several of them mentioned that they couldn't believe that a total stranger would do something so kind for them, that there was someone other than their parents and other than us who was caring for them," Farley said.

The church has also raised $5,000 and donated it to the school.

"Our pastor really has a vision of wanting us not only to reach out and help these people but enrich our own lives by increasing our compassion, if you will, and getting to know more of the families down there," Camp said. "I think it's a way to enrich both of our lives."

Volunteer Melinda Sims helps with reading each week at the school.

"These are first-graders, so they can make some pretty amazing steps," she said. "In some cases, I've actually seen that light go on."

Farley said the church volunteers have also boosted morale among the school staff.

"We feel like we're not alone in this," Farley said. "We feel like we're not trying to fight this overwhelming battle of poverty and ignorance and second-language issues, that there are people out there helping us. "From the staff's perspective, to have an additional 40 to 60 folks to help us is such a blessing."