From His Hand Outreach Ministry

From His Hand is a collaborative effort of individuals and churches to provide occasional home cooked meals for some low-income residents of Williamsburg/James City County in the Name of Christ. For additional information, click here.

Blessings from His Table

Mid-December - April. A bag lunch program for community children whose parents may not be employed during Williamsburg's tourist off-season. Volunteers assemble lunches of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, graham crackers, pudding cups, & juice boxes, and deliver them to subsidized housing areas every Saturday from 9am to noon. Contact: Bonnie Brothers (258-0940) or Tim Lee (258-2527).

PORT

October - March. A homeless shelter that moves in and out of 22 host churches in Newport News. We provide volunteers who register clients, cook and serve dinner and breakfast, and spend the night as chaperones. Contact: Susan Cornett at 220-2615.

All God’s Children Camp

Our church sends volunteers, supplies and money to a special summer camp for children whose mothers are incarcerated. We collect clothes, towels and other supplies during the year.  Contact Joan Porter or Niki Tingen.

Highland Park

Our partnership with the Highland Park community, one of the neighborhoods where we deliver lunches from Blessings From His Table, includes potlucks, and events for neighborhood children in the park and the church. Contact: Carl Gerhold (229-5679) or Robyn Gohsman (565-1807).

Salvation Army:

During Thanksgiving and Christmas, volunteers purchase, sort, package and help distribute food, clothes, presents and Christmas stockings. We also collect school supplies to distribute in August. Contact: Nikki Tingen ( 566-1097) or Diane Joyner (258-5922).

William & Mary College Student Ministries

Each year the church welcomes W&M students and integrates them into the life of the congregation. This is accomplished through activities such as a fall reception and exam time care packages. Contact: Dean and Denise Hinders ( 221-0907) or Elisabeth Deaton ( 258-1469).

Operation Hope

This is a food distribution and evangelism project run by a local minister. We provide funding and people to help with food pick up and distribution. Periodically we collect books for volunteers to read to children who wait while their families receive food. Other volunteer opportunities are possible. Contact: John Cornett ( 220-2615) or Carl Gerhold (229-5679).

Housing Partnerships Habitat for Humanity

Housing Partnerships does home repair for low income families/individuals. Habitat for Humanity builds new homes for low income families. The church provides funds and volunteers. Contact: Jim Halstead ( 229-7675).

Thanksgiving Meal

The church cooks and delivers a hot Thanksgiving meal to those who are unable to cook for themselves. The extra food and money collected is distributed to local organizations such as the Salvation Army and FISH. In years past, we have made and delivered between 300-400 meals. Contact: Laura Viancour ( 564-1221).

Faith in Action

Williamsburg Faith in Action is a coalition of faith communities and local social service organizations that recruit, train and mobilize volunteers to enable homebound persons to remain in their own homes. It is a non-profit agency operated by a local Board of Directors. Volunteers are needed.  Contact Madelyn Larkin (565-0384).

Lenten Shoeboxes

Boxes of small gifts are purchased, wrapped and delivered to nursing homes and the elderly of our congregation during Lent. Contact: Ruth Sharp (645-4527) or Madelyn Larkin (565-0384).

Fish

FISH is a volunteer agency that provides emergency help to residents of the Greater Williamsburg Area. FISH depends entirely upon a caring community for food, clothing and cash donations. Our church collects food for FISH and members volunteer in delivering food, sorting, mending and sizing clothes. FISH is located at 312 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185, 757-220-9379. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

CROP
This is the name given to Walks and other community hunger education and fund raising events sponsored by CHURCH WORLD SERVICE. Churches on the Peninsula (including Chestnut Memorial) involve youth, children and adults in a 5-mile walk to raise funds for world hunger. The walk is held annually in the fall at Newport News Park. Money is raised through pledges and is used to obtain food and other relief supplies for the needy in 70 countries, but 25% of what is raised locally is given to local organizations such as LINK, DUCO, RESCUE MISSION, etc. You can volunteer to walk or sponsor a walker.

Avalon

Avalon operates a shelter for women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. WUMC supports this effort through Local Outreach.

Reach Out and Read --  Old Towne Medical Center

Each Tuesday from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. volunteers read to children waiting for medical appointments. The church donates the books which may be given to the children. Contact: Nancy Fazzone (259-1215).

Head Start Coats

During the month of October the Local Outreach Committee collects new and gently used coats for the Williamsburg-James City County Head Start Preschool program. As you clear your closets, please consider donating your gently used coats in children’s sizes 3-6 for this worthy cause. Approximately 160 four and five- year- old students enroll in this preschool and the low-income families served appreciate the gift of a warm winter coat for their child. A collection bin will be marked and utilized for this program during the month of October. Contact: Diane Joyner (258-5922).