Helping Others Make the Effort (HOME) is a non-profit organization working to break the cycle of homelessness by providing housing and life skills to homeless women and their children. HOME delivers four distinct program options, dependent on the individual family’s need and housing urgency. COF assists HOME monthly with their free yard sale and also supports them financially through the giving baskets. For more information please visitwww.osceolahome.org or contact Mary Downey at mdowney@osceolahome.org.
Project 5000
Project 5000 is COF’s food pantry. Volunteers are needed to compile a box of specific shelf-stable foods designed to feed a family of four for two days. These boxes are donated to families in need who come to COF for food assistance, as well as to the Migrant Center workers. You can help by picking up a list of Project 5000 Box foods from the table in the hallway, and compiling a box for donation. In addition, you can ask friends, neighbors, and co-workers to compile a box, then bring it to COF for distribution.
Judea:
Coalition For the Homeless
WRCC: Women’s Residential and Counseling Center; a branch of the Coalition for the Homeless
Purchase, cook, and serve dinner on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Each month a different family, group of friends, or co-workers signs up to purchase, cook, and serve dinner for approximately 80 homeless women and children at the WRCC in Orlando. The group usually leaves the Four Corners area around 3:30 or 4. Dinner is served at the WRCC at 6:00, and the group is usually back by 7:30 or 8:00 pm. Cost of meal varies depending on the menu you plan. This is a great place to serve if you have families with younger children. Contact your team if you are interested in sponsoring a month at the WRCC. 107 East Hillcrest Orlando, Florida
Coalition for the Homeless:
Serving Dinner: COF sends a group to the Coalition for the Homeless to cook and serve dinner to approximately 500 homeless men. We do this each month that has a 5th Friday. We leave COF at 3:30 and return around 9:00. While there you will chop, dice, make cakes, wash dishes, serve food, and fellowship with the homeless. If you are unable to attend but would still like to help, a list of standard supplies for these meals are on the signup table in the hallway.
Clothing and Shoe Donations: COF travels to the Coalition for the Homeless every other Thursday to bring clothing and shoes to homeless men. Volunteers are needed to help with the clothing delivery. We leave COF at 5:30 pm and return around 9:00pm. While there you may take clothing requests from men, hand out bagged orders, or help locate numbered bags.
Voice of Hope Clothing Closet: Volunteers are needed to check through a list and put together bags of clothing and shoes for homeless men. Volunteers also needed to fold and shelve donated clothes and place size labels on pants and shoes. This is an ongoing project, and can be worked on at your convenience at any time the church is open. Even a few minutes a week is appreciated. Please contact your Voice of Hope team for a brief training.
Professional Shopper/Bargain Hunter: If you love to yard sale or thrift shop, this is a great opportunity for you. Please keep your eyes open for gently used men’s clothing and shoes of all kinds. Tennis shoes, work boots, and jeans are especially needed. Other items to keep an eye out for include: sleeping bags, blankets and sheets, towels, bicycles, backpacks, duffel bags, and suitcases. Reading glasses, socks, underwear, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, powder, toothbrushes, and toothpaste are also needed. For a complete list, please see the sign up table in the hallway.
Coalition for the Homeless 639 West Central, Orlando, Florida http://www.centralfloridahomeless.org.
Samaria:
East Coast Migrant Center
The Migrant East Coast Center provides a Head Start program for the children (0-5 years old) of migrant farm workers. Without this place of learning and care, most of these young children from migrant families would spend their days idle in the fields while their parents worked. We donate food and facilitate special events for the center. The Migrant Center also invites volunteers to show the children love by playing and stimulating the minds of the older children and holding the younger ones (children are at the facility between 6am-6pm on weekdays).
Ends of the Earth
Disaster Recovery:
COF sends a team of volunteers to help repair homes in areas hit by natural disaster. The trips are typically 7 days long, and are planned quarterly. Cost of the trip includes transportation, food and bunkhouse-style lodging. Activities on the trip vary but may include demolition, clearing of debris, yard work and light construction. No experience, no skills are necessary. A volunteer cook is also needed to accompany each group to prepare meals for the team. Watch your bulletin for information on upcoming trips.
International Mission Trips:
COF partners with an international organization through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. Activities vary depending on need. Volunteers are expected to sacrifice and save in order to participate on international mission trips as part of a long-term commitment. Watch your bulletin for information on upcoming trips.
