“You are the light of the world…nobody lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to the whole house.” Matthew 5:14-15
2021 is Westminster’s Year of Service. We are going to spend this year focusing on what we can do in the church and community.
We’re encouraging all our Westminster folks to commit to one act of service each month in the community. Don’t know where to start? Check out the list below. Each of these organizations does amazing work and can use your help. There are all kinds of ways to serve from home or in-person, alone or with a group, hands-on or just bringing donations.
Have an organization you already support? Great! Let us know if we can add them to the list. We hope to build an extensive list of covid-friendly service opportunities in our area for 2021.
Service in the Community
Serve from Home:
Caring by Calling
2. Click "Mentor"
3. Scroll down then click "Become a mentor"
4. Scroll down and click "Digital Process"
5. Then fill out application (you will receive a package in the mail after that.)
* When asked how you heard about Crossroads, please put "Alpha Representative "
Pad Project:
Sole Hope:
Serve in Person:
CCSC:
CrowdSource Rescue:
Fairhaven Food Pantry:
Serve by Donating:
Foster system:
BEAR program
Caring by Calling
- Service involves calling seniors who are isolated and secluded
- If you would like to do more than call, there may be additional opportunities to visit or get small items (puzzle books, robes, etc) for seniors. For more information about either opportunity, contact Ashley Smalls: [email protected] or 713-410-1384
- Service involves communicating with a prisoner about Bible studies.
- Prisoners receive access to over 100 free Bible studies through the mail. Crossroads connects the prisoner with a mentor who writes to them, reviews their completed Bible study lessons, and gets to know them through mail. The mentors can share stories from their own lives and how God is speaking to them through His Word. In the process, the lives of both the mentor and the student are transformed as they study the Bible and grow closer to God together.
- Go to website: www.cpministries.org
2. Click "Mentor"
3. Scroll down then click "Become a mentor"
4. Scroll down and click "Digital Process"
5. Then fill out application (you will receive a package in the mail after that.)
* When asked how you heard about Crossroads, please put "Alpha Representative "
Pad Project:
- Service involves: Cutting, pinning, and sewing fabric to make reusable pads.
- This is a great option for families or friend-groups to serve from home, especially if you want to teach kids to sew. Don’t know how to sew? We can help. Kaisi is happy to help coordinate between people who only want to trace and cut, only want to sew, etc. She can even help get fabric. Contact her at [email protected].
- https://toolittlechildren.org/pad-project/
Sole Hope:
- Service involves: Cutting up old blue jeans to make shoes
- $99 dollars gets you a kit that makes 5 shoes. Each additional shoe is $14 per shoe. You provide old blue jeans, and follow the directions to cut the blue jeans into the shoe pattern.
- This is a good option for families or friend-groups that want to do service from home together.
- https://solehope.org/shoeparty/
Serve in Person:
CCSC:
- Service involves: Stocking shelves, taking calls, etc.
- Sign up to volunteer at: https://ccschouston.org/support-ccsc/volunteer/
CrowdSource Rescue:
- Service involves: picking up a food box and dropping it off on someone’s porch.
- Many Houston residents cannot get to a food bank or other food pickup location. This ministry delivers food kits from the food bank to someone’s front porch. After you sign up, you’ll get directions to pick up a box of food from a nearby distribution site and then drop it off on a person’s porch. You can do this anytime of day that a food bank is open, usually 9:00 am -7:00 pm. You pick the day and time you want to serve, as well as how many boxes you are able to deliver.
Fairhaven Food Pantry:
- Service involves: Assembling and handing out food boxes in Fairhaven’s parking lot.
- This ministry assembles and distributes the same boxes CrowdSource rescue delivers. They hand them out to cars from 10am-2pm, Tuesday-Friday in Fairhaven’s parking lot.
- There are outdoor and indoor service options available. They have been operating throughout the pandemic and have not had an outbreak, so they work diligently to maintain covid-safe protocols.
- You can sign up to volunteer at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054da9a922aaf94-fair1
Serve by Donating:
Foster system:
- Specific needs:
- Diapers
- Air Mattresses
- Sheet Sets ( Twin)
- Pillows
- Fire Extinguishers 5lb
- smoke detectors
- carbon monoxide detectors
- bath towels
- face towels
- bus cards (for parents getting to services)
- teddy bears for adoption day
- snacks ( granola bars, fruit cups)
- Most other household items (like furniture) can be donated. Contact Ashley Smalls to ask if your item can be used by a family.
- Contact Ashley Smalls for information: [email protected] or 713-410-1384
BEAR program
- Provide emergency supplies all year round for children who are under the supervision of Child Protective Services (CPS).
- Specific needs:
- clothing
- shoes
- diapers
- car seats
- air mattresses
- Toiletry kids: bar of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, wash rag, comb, snack, notepad with pencil, night clothes, underwear, socks, draw string bag. (Categorized by age)
- School supplies
- Extensive list available on their website
- https://bearesourcehouston.org/programs/bear-necessities/