In The Community
Trinity actively participates in the following community outreach programs:
Five Cents A Meal Offering
Alexander Youth Network (AYN)
Crisis Assistance Ministry
Friendship Trays
Habitat for Humanity
Loaves and Fishes
Adult Mission Trip
Nations Ford Elementary Partnership
RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network)
American Drives Red Cross Blood
Room In the Inn
Salvation Army’s Center of Hope Temporary Night Sheltering
Sew N’ Sews
Urban Ministry Center
Christmas Outreach Projects
For other volunteer opportunities at Trinity, click here.
Five Cents A Meal Offering
www.presbyofcharlotte.org/hawg/5cents
Contact Liz Deal at 704.366.3239 or Liz1deal@aol.com
The 5 Cents A Meal program has operated across our nation since 1982 - formerly it was the 2 Cents A Meal program.
Each of us is asked to put 5 cents a meal into a container, remembering others who may have not had a meal that day.
All of the money collected must go for food. A collection box with envelopes may be found in the Cloister.
Collection containers may be found on the tables at the Wednesday Night Suppers as well. Our collections can make a big difference in the lives of our at-risk sisters and brothers in this Presbytery.
Alexander Youth Network (AYN)
www.alexanderyouthnetwork.org
Contact Anne Prather at 704-846-7639 or aprather@carolina.rr.com
Alexander Youth Network is the leading behavioral health care provider for youth in the state of North Carolina. AYN was founded in 1888 and has been in Charlotte since 1940.
AYN provides quality treatment to children with or at risk of serious emotional behavioral problems. AYN delivers an effective array of services, enabling children to achieve their potential and become positive contributors to society.
Trinity Presbyterian collects Christmas gifts for AYN during the months of November and December. During the month of August, Trinity collects an assortment of school supplies so each child will start school with a book bag filled with needed supplies.
Volunteer needs: Tutoring, serving as a special friend (role model)
Crisis Assistance Ministry
www.crisisassistance.org
Trinity has designated a space in the Administrative building to collect clothing and other household items for Crisis Assistance Ministry. For over 30 years, Crisis Assistance Ministry has been dedicated to helping low-income families who are facing a financial emergency and struggling to meet their basic needs. They offer resources and programs to help them get back on their feet.
Friendship Trays
www.friendshiptrays.org
Contact Linda K. Brown at 704-364-6631 or nworb2000@bellsouth.net
To deliver balanced meals to individuals in this community in a caring and friendly manner, who are unable, because of age or infirmity to obtain and prepare their own meals.
Friendship Trays is very proud of a 32-year tradition of serving our homebound community. The hot nutritious meals contribute to the health of the recipients. Beyond the meal, is the face to face visit with recipients that live alone and often see no one else the entire day. Our visit sometimes identifies a recipient that is in crisis and leads to life saving assistance. Their nutritious meals and the interaction with the recipients contribute to the self worth, independence and dignity of the individuals.
The program began in 1976 by purchasing meals from a hospital to deliver to five shut-ins in the Elizabeth neighborhood. Today 800 meals are delivered by 1,676 faithful volunteers, 7 days a week (that’s 95 volunteers each day). The cost of a meal is only $4.50, but 83% of those we serve live below poverty level, and cannot pay for their meal. They are the only agency in Charlotte that serves modified diets to meet special needs, such as diabetic, renal, low cholesterol, low sodium and pureed meals. 66% of the meals served are special diets ordered by a physician.
Friendship Trays is 100% privately funded, and receives no government or United Way contributions. Administrative costs are held at 7% and gifts are tax deductible.
Friendship Trays needs volunteers to help prepare and deliver the food to our recipients.
- The Early Birds count the cold trays and label the lids of the special diets between 8-9am.
- Kitchen Helpers place the hot and cold food into the containers between 8:15 and 10:30(some drive the route as well).
- Baggers sort the cold meals into bags by the route number from 9-10:30am and some also drive the route.
- Drivers start time depends on the route that is delivered. They pick up meals at the main location at 2401 Distribution Street. The average route has 10 people and takes approximately 1-½ hours.
Friendship Trays recognize their volunteer’s time constraints and are very flexible about the frequency that you volunteer. They can arrange for you to volunteer every day, once a week, or once a month.
Habitat for Humanity
www.habitatcharlotte.org
Contact Kent Payne at 704-364-5135 (Hm), 704-564-3983(Cell) or kemfpayne@carolina.rr.com
Habitat for Humanity is part of a national ministry that builds and renovates homes in order to provide decent housing for all. Our crew works approximately every sixth Saturday putting vinyl siding on the houses under construction. With donations of time, money and materials, Charlotte Habitat crews have built more than 700 homes.
Loaves and Fishes
www.loavesandfishes.org
Contact Sherese Smith at 704-367-1085 or sherese@matthewwsmith.com
Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit emergency food pantry program, which provides a week’s worth of groceries to people in crisis in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Clients are served on a referral basis after careful screening, to assure that only those truly in need are served. Food pantries are located in 15 areas of Charlotte/Mecklenburg. Trinity has an on-going food drive to support the needs of Loaves & Fishes with special emphasis during February. There is a grocery cart in the Cloister for food donations. Assistance in the food warehouse and/or pantries are needed as well.
Adult Mission Trip
Please contact Emily Walker at emily.walker@mintmuseum.org for details.
On the week-end of February 25-28, 2010, Trinity members will journey again to the Calvin Center in Hampton, GA, owned and operated by Greater Atlanta Presbytery. With the guidance of the center’s staff, Trinity volunteers made major and minor repairs in the homes of people with limited resources. Our time with these neighbors gave us the opportunity to serve and to be the hands and feet of Christ in another community. The center provides comfortable accommodations, meals, time for fellowship and meaningful worship.
Nations Ford Elementary Partnership
http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/nationsford
Contact Susanne Sawyer at 704.375.7857 or sbsawyer39@aol.com
Trinity began a partnership with Nations Ford Elementary School in April 2007. Since that time, our volunteers have contributed in many ways, including: (1) proctoring tests for third graders in the fall and end-of-grade testing in May for the third, fourth, and fifth graders; (2) providing donations for the Big Yard Sale, assisting with set up, and selling coffee and donuts during the event; (3) helping with the Spring Book Fair; (4) working in classrooms with individual teachers; (5) providing a Welcome Back Teacher Breakfast in the fall, a Christmas Luncheon, and a Valentine’s Day breakfast; and (6) going on field trips to the Columbia Riverbank Zoo with the third graders and Raleigh with the fourth graders. This summer, one of our church members, with the support of the school’s math coordinator, organized a dedicated group of volunteers to make over 150 “chair pockets” to be used in the kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Trinity’s Mission and Outreach budget is used to (1) fund the Teacher Appreciation Events; (2) subsidize the field trip to Riverbank Zoo; (3) support the After School Miracle School by providing snacks; and (4) purchase two rugs for kingergarten classrooms and a “ball cage” for use on the playground.
The work for the children at Nations Ford School is an exciting collaboraiton between the staff and our volunteers. Please join us in this meaningful partnership with Nations Ford Elementary. We need you, the teachers need you, and most important of all . . . the wonderful children need you to become a part of this rich ministry!
RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network)
www.carolinarain.org
Contact Debbie McLaney at 704-442-9633 or dhmclaney@aol.com
RAIN engages the community to transform lives and promote respect and dignity for all people touched by the AIDS crisis through compassionate care, education and leadership development.
CareTeams are groups of individuals from congregations or other caring groups who are trained by RAIN to support to persons living with HIV/AIDS. CareTeams provide practical, emotional, spiritual support to CarePartners (individual living with HIV/AIDS). CareTeams can provide assistance to one or more CarePartners or can provide specialized tasks such as: Transportation, Pastoral Care/Companionship or Events.
RAIN provides prevention education and awareness about HIV and related psychosocial issues of living with HIV/AIDS to faith and community groups, young people and clergy.
RAIN provides pastoral support in area medical clinics, hospitals, extended care facilities, in the individual’s home and by telephone. RAIN also offers support groups for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and worship services.
Trinity has an active Careteam, which has been in place since 1995. The team currently provides support for a carepartner who is living with HIV/AIDS, and has been doing so for the past 9 years.
American Red Cross Blood Drives
www.redcrossblood.org
Contact Karen Porter at porter_karen@hotmail.com
The American Red Cross/Carolinas Region provides blood to hospitals in 82 counties in NC, SC, GA, and TN. About 6 million people live in the 36,000 square mile region.
There is no substitute for human blood. Each blood donation is processed into components: Red blood cells platelets and plasma. Each component has specific uses - patients only received the part they need.
- Red blood cells carry blood from the lungs to every cell in the body and are used for patients in surgery for patients who have lost blood in an accident or who have anemia.
- Platelets help blood clot. Cancer patients need lots of platelets to offset the effects of chemotherapy.
- Plasma helps control bleeding in certain patients. It’s also used to make other products, such as antihemophilic factor.
Trinity Presbyterian partners with Providence United Methodist to host two blood drives per year for the American Red Cross. The March blood drive is held at Trinity Presbyterian and the September blood drive is held at PUMC. Church members as well as the general public are encouraged to donate blood.
There are other volunteer opportunities as well. We need volunteers to register donors, help in the canteen, and provide snacks.
Room In the Inn
www.urbanministrycenter.org
Contact Debbie McLaney at 704-442-9633 or dhmclaney@aol.com
Tricia Sistrunk at 704-540-1572 or sistrunkt@aol.com
The Room in the Inn program provides a bed, supper, breakfast and bag lunch three nights per month during the cold weather months of Dec. through March for some of Charlotte’s neediest citizens..the homeless.
Our nights to host for 2009-2010 are: Dec. 2, 16, and 23, Jan. 6, 13 and 27, Feb. 10, 27, 24, March 10, 24, 31.
Our team leaders are as follows:
| Site Coordinators: | Debbie McLaney (Dec. and Feb.) 704-442-9633 and Tricia Sistrunk (Jan. and Mar.) 704-540-1572 |
| Transportation: | Richard Williams |
| Overnight Hosts: | Betty Lynn Lambert 704-542-0633 |
| Laundry: | Lisa Tappy 704-556-1268 and Happy Davis 704-364-7526 |
| Breakfast Crew: | Julia Van Huss 704-366-2504 and Nancy Williams 704-542-6150 |
| Lunches: | Susanne Reid 704-844-2885 |
Salvation Army’s Center of Hope
Contact Debbie McLaney at 704-442-9633 or dhmclaney@aol.com
Tricia Sistrunk at 704-540-1572 or sistrunkt@aol.com
Lynette Neel - 704-554-1575 or neeldurham@mindspring.com
The Center of Hope, a shelter for women and children, does not have enough room to house all of the women who are looking for a safe place to rest. Charlotte churches have been called to help provide meals and a safe place to sleep until Room in the Inn begins in December. Trinity has answered this call, agreeing to host twelve homeless women for seven consecutive nights, from November 2 to November 9. Volunteers are needed for transportation, supper, overnight hosts and breakfast.
Sew N’ Sews
Contact Peggy Crowley at 704.366.7900
Sew N’ Sews is an ecumenical group of dedicated women that give of their sewing and knitting talents to several organizations in our community. Trinity provides workroom space for these women. They make full figured women’s dresses infant layettes, children’s shirts and pants, and knit scarves, hats and baby blankets for Crisis Assistance Ministry; make quilts and tote bags for Room in the Inn; and make special aprons and blankets for the Carolina/Piedmont chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Sew N’Sews accepts donations of fabrics of fabric and yarn.
Urban Ministry Center
www.urbanministrycenter.com
Contact Liz Deal at 704.366.3239 or liz1deal@aol.com
The Urban Ministry Center is an interfaith organization ministering to the homeless and others in need. (Formerly the Soup Kitchen). They provide many services including: serving lunch daily (including holidays), provides showers, laundry, job counseling, and medical care.
Upper Room Worship Service is held Monday - Friday at 10:45 - 11:15, led by volunteers from various churches. Trinity participates in this and one week each quarter two of our members go earch day and lead the devotions an dscripture reading and talk with the people and listen to them speak about their lives. Some of these people have been to Room In The Inn at Trinity and recognize us.
The guests for Room In The Inn program (December 1 - March 31) are picked up at the Urban Ministry Center and returned the next morning to the Charlotte Transit Center.
Christmas Outreach Projects
Contact Peggy Harding at 704.846.4170 or rharding1@carolina.rr.com
A Christmas gift list for Department of Social Services is one way that Trinity brings joy to children and adults. Our congregation donates gift for individuals who are living in group foster or nursing homes throughout Mecklenburg County. This project runs from mid-November through December.
For other volunteer opportunities at Trinity, click here.