Volunteer

Event Focused 2012 ι Family Mission Trips ι Para-Church & Nonprofits
Family ⁄ Community Groups

Event Focused 2012

Hope Roswell Kick-off - information to come
Saturday, April 14th, 2012
Area churches will come together to serve the poor and marginalized of our community, through two venues… apartment ministry and foster care

Pack-A-Thon Serve Event - website & volunteer
Saturday, June 9th, 2012
FBC will package 100,000+ meals for hungry children in Haiti and abroad

Family Mission Trips

Missioncation - Florida - sign up
April 1-7
Serve children with cancer and their families at the Lighthouse Family Retreat

Missioncation - St. Simons, Georgia - June 14-17 ι June 14-20
Half Serving Half Vacation
Two options: June 14-17 and June 14-20
Families will minister in a variety of ways: beach ministry, day camps in inner city housing, nursing homes, prayer walks, soup kitchen, and more

Missioncation - St. Simons, Georgia - July 19-22 ι July 19-25
Half Serving Half Vacation
Two options: July 19-22 and July 19-25
Families will minister in a variety of ways: beach ministry, day camps in inner city housing, nursing homes, prayer walks, soup kitchen, and more

Olympics - Greater Europe Mission/evangelism during Olympics - sign up
July 26 - August 5
Partner with Greater Europe Mission in London England during the Olympics
Gold Hill Baptist Church and St. James Anglican Church are putting on a two week festival, called Run The Race, for the community in S. Buckinghamshire, England. The festival will be held in a park across the street from Gold Hill. The hope is that no family will watch the games by themselves but rather partake in community activities. There will be various activities for everyone from babies to adults. On both Sundays during the Olympics, a large worship celebration service will be held in the park. You can participate in service opportunities such as: • Children/youth • VBS • Music • Hospitality • Catering • Maintenance • Prayer • Evangelism • Sports • Creative arts • Discipleship training

Para-Church & Nonprofits

Apartment Ministry - FBC Espanol - email
FBC Espanola has launched an apartment ministry at Concepts 21 and at Aspen Point.
Various volunteer positions are available to serve: outreach to women teaching crafts/cooking/Bible study/scrap booking, childcare (for the women participating in the cooking, etc.), prayer walks, canvassing, ESL teachers, and so on.
No Spanish is required.
Contact Maria Montenegro at maria.montenegro@fbconline.org or 770.641.5578

Great Commission Ministries (Jack Jones) - website
Ministry to the Spanish community here in Roswell. Many ongoing opportunities to serve, through AWANA, ESL, VBS, and other programs.
Contact Chris and Stephanie Poje at 770.333.0700

City of Refuge - website
Assists those in difficult life circumstances in downtown Atlanta… including at-risk children, homeless, and those in transitional housing. Opportunities for families to serve include food packaging, making meals, cleaning, and so on.
Contact Barbara Deuel at 770.509.1965

Vision Atlanta - website
Gives hope to at-risk youth through Christian mentors and a culturally relevant Christian camp environment. Many opportunities for families to serve during camp weeks.
Contact Joe Octavec at 770.928.4146

Nursing Homes
World Harvest Church leads weekly visits to five area nursing homes, on a weekly basis. They are always looking for extra volunteers to assist with visits, etc.
Contact Kim Owens at 770.235.1715

Act Together Ministries - website
A Christ-centered organization determined to change the plight of children living in distress in the North Atlanta area. Providing for a child's needs, enriching their lives, and showing Christ's love during their time of distress will allow these children to lead productive lives.
Hosts monthly outreaches to children and single parents. Volunteers always needed!
Contact Heather Clark at 678.200.9125

Living 1:27 Foster Care Ministry - email
Multiple ways to serve-be a foster family, provide respite for a foster family, or volunteer for specific needs.
Contact John Theiss at jjttheiss@gmail.com

Family ⁄ Community Groups
Public Places and Parks
Idea Description
Umbrella Escorts Moms and the elderly find it tough to make it from stores to their cars in the rain. Use huge golf umbrellas to help them to their car with as little wetness as possible. When asked why you are doing this… your response: "Because Jesus loves you, no strings attached."
Grocery Bag Loading Assistance Moms with lots of kids hanging on them often need assistance getting their bags loaded into the car from the cart. The elderly need the same sort of help.
Bottled Water Giveaway in your neighborhood or local park Ice down bottles of water in Igloo coolers for a giveaway and hand out to runners, dog walkers, etc.
Pay for someone's fast food bill Pay for the person behind you standing in line or at the drive through window.
Trash Pick-up There is lots of trash to pick up at festivals and sports events. Buy garbage bags and pick up trash. People will notice this act of servant-hood. Equipment: plastic gloves and garbage bags.
Hot dog grilling Like 'em or not, grilled hot dogs bring everyone nearby together. Even with providing the dogs, buns and condiments, this is an affordable outreach. Provide music and you've got a party that will draw strangers like a magnet.
Picnic in the park Similar to the hot dog outreach but with more frills. Throw a picnic with all the trimmings for anyone in the park that happens along. Instead of a traditional church picnic where only church attendees are invited, bring food for outsiders.
Ice Cream Coupon Giveaway Approach a local ice cream store and explain your desire to give away dozens of ice cream coupons. Chances are the owner/manager will be willing to give you a good deal on ice cream coupons.
Golf Balls and Tees The average golfer loses three or four balls per outing. Imprinted tees cost just a couple of cents per tee. Golfers can never get enough of these. Some golf courses will give them away for you at their counter.
Lamb's Lunch Throw a sit-down lunch party for residents at a low-income housing development.
Matthew Party Out of his joy in finding Jesus, Matthew threw a party for his friends after his conversion. This is similar to a Lamb's Lunch but with games and activities added. This is a great activity for newcomers to learn outreach who are fearful of being asked to do something in which they aren't skilled.
 
Holidays
Idea Description
Easter Basket Giveaway These are great to give to your neighbors as a neighborhood outreach. Purchase inexpensive Easter baskets and fill with candy such as wrapped small eggs and other inexpensive Easter candy. You can make a nice basket for around $2.00 including the basket. Use the outreach as a way to share the gospel!
Mother's Day Rose Giveaway in nursing homes Purchase roses and take to a local nursing home. Giveaway roses to all female residents and visit with them.
4th of July Festival Giveaways Most communities have festivals to celebrate this holiday. Get a group of people together and plan a Kindness Outreach!
Labor Day - School Supplies Take school supplies house to house especially in needy neighborhoods whose residents include many children.
Halloween - Reverse Trick or Treat We can use this event to connect with non-Christians in ways they can understand. The Saturday before Halloween, during the day, throw a costume party. (Positive costumes, nothing scary.) Team everyone in teams of 4-6. Go house to house in your neighborhood and give away candy. Say: "No tricks, just a treat to show God's love." Give out high quality candy.
Fall and Thanksgiving Leaf Raking "We came, we saw, we raked!" Several people in a small group can rake an entire neighborhood on a single Saturday morning. Maybe you don't like raking your own yard; but when you're with a group of friends serving in the name of Christ, a chore becomes a joy. Many yards take only fifteen to twenty minutes to polish off. Note: If possible go to neighborhoods where the city vacuums leaves left on the curb (some do). If you bag them, leave the bags by the curb for later pick up.
Christmas - Gift Wrapping at the Mall/Department Store Wrap Christmas presents for free for mall/store shoppers. Depending on your mall/store, you may have to rent the space, purchase the materials, and do it at the hours they ask. On the other hand, some malls/stores give free space, provide the materials and are very accommodating regarding wrapping hours.
Christmas - Caroling and Candy Canes Organize a caroling group and go "house to house" in neighborhoods. Take candy canes or a small gift to give as well. For another spin — go with low income areas, especially inner city urban, take hot chocolate and cookies and serve the residents.
Christmas - Tree Giveaway A few days before Christmas, lot owners are willing to give the trees away. With pickup trucks, deliver them to financially stretched single parent families.
 
Miscellaneous
Idea Description
Food delivery to shut-ins Find legitimate shut-ins in your neighborhood. Start a system with interested neighbors for a weekly hot food delivery. Keep in mind… many non-Christians are very interested in helping others even though they don't yet know Christ. A project such as this could easily be an entry point to their hearts.
Community Dinner Throw a dinner for the block. One family in a rough part of London has been doing grill outs for the past few years. The couple provides the grill and the hamburgers. Everyone else brings a part of the dinner. The result: Neighbors are talking to one another for the first time, they are watching out for each other and, naturally, the crime rate has gone down.
Shopping Assistance for shut-ins This would come by referrals. Work with shut-ins to get a list of needs, shop and deliver.
General Yard Clean-up After the winter weather is over, all sorts of debris become obvious. Go door to door with gloves, rakes, and trash bags.
Steaks and Salmons for Firefighters/Police Since 9/11 the general public has been aware of the tremendous job that they do for us day in and day out. Show them a little kindness by providing some steaks or salmon to grill. Let them know in advance that you are coming so they can have the grill fired up. Firemen and police are a great group to serve – they talk in the community.
Birthday Party Organizing Advertise on an apartment or community center bulletin board for free party organizing.
Move in Welcoming Party in your subdivision By referral find out about new families moving in. Greet with cookies or even a home cooked meal.
Pizza on moving day at apartments Coordinate a discount with a pizza restaurant for a volume discount. The pizza vendor may be willing to give you the pizza in return for a pizza endorsement.
Be Creative! These ideas are just the beginning of the many ways you can serve people in your community. Find a practical way to serve people and just do it!