This article was written comes from Billi Charron, Outreach Coordinator at Old First Reformed Church. If your church would like to share information on one of its ministries here, please contact Brea Rarick: brea@psec.org.
Old First UCC has been offering a ministry to the homeless by way of homeless shelter for 35+ years. Our congregation recognized a need for extra services for the people we were serving and opened a small clothing closet out of our Christian Education building. The clothing cupboard expanded to clothing and breakfast in 2011. The small ministry serving 20 people on a Saturday now serves 80 people every Saturday. Those who come are provided with a fresh hot meal and have an opportunity to shop through the clothing to get items they want.
Groups who volunteer as a breakfast team provide all of the items for the meal they want to service. Breakfast volunteers have complete discretion over the breakfast they serve with one rule that there must be a non-pork option if they are serving breakfast meat. Volunteers arrive at 7am to begin preparations for the meal that is served at 9:30am. After breakfast has been served and enjoyed, volunteers then begin to assist the guests with shopping through the “Cupboard.”
Old First is looking for teams to assist with breakfast the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. There are currently two of our sister congregations who volunteer to provide and serve breakfast. If you have any questions or your congregation or colleagues would like to join this ministry, please reach out to Old First’s Outreach Coordinator Billi Charron at volunteer@oldfirstucc.org
