The Resolving Poverty Ministries at Christ United seek to provide hope for those who are impoverished. Our goal is to provide relief for people by providing life essentials that they may not have, such as food, safe housing and supplies. If you are interested in helping people achieve a long term solution to poverty, consider our Transformation Ministries.
To learn how you can get involved with any of the opportunities below, please contact Jana Grimone, Director of Serving Others Ministries.
Hunger Opportunities
Food and Health Kits
There are opportunities for groups to assemble food and health kits. These kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster.
When people walk into our church for assistance, we provide them with a food kit and a health kit if they want it. We keep these replenished through funds donated by you. These kits are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition and cooking classes.
Food Pantry Cabinets
Year round, we have cabinets located in the North and South entrance of the main building where you can drop off food. The food is delivered weekly to a local food pantry.
Food Pantry Drivers
We are looking for drivers throughout the year (1 or 2 times per month) to be a part of a team that picks up food on Saturday mornings from local markets and delivers it to local food pantries. It’s a fun way to get your entire family involved. For more information, contact Ruth Jensen.
Send Hope Meal Packets
You can volunteer to assemble food packets that will be sent to an orphanage in Honduras. These meal packets are made with all dry ingredients and then shipped to Honduras through the Send Hope program. Send Hope also provides opportunities for groups to go on short term medical, dental and construction mission trips. The organization also provides items such as school supplies, mosquito nets and clothing. For more information, e-mail atbdds@yahoo.com or call 972-727-5001.
Souper Bowl of Caring
Every Super Bowl Sunday, look for youth and scouts of Christ United and help them raise money to feed our community through the nationwide “Souper Bowl of Caring” program. Proceeds benefit the Samaritan Inn, Collin County’s only homeless shelter.
Thanksgiving Basket Program
Opportunity to provide a complete Thanksgiving meal to a family in need. Donations will be accepted in the Atrium in November. In addition to donations, volunteers are needed for the distribution of the food items. For more information, contact Sally Smith.
What Should I Donate?
- Healthy, non-perishable food
- Items with intact, un-opened, consumer or commercial packaging
- Items with non-breakable packaging (no glass, please)
- Food within the expiration date on the packaging
Example items include:
- Cereal, rice, beans
- Ramen Noodles, mac and cheese, pasta, pasta sauce
- Peanut Butter, Jelly
- Hamburger Helper, boxed potatoes
- Snack items (pop tarts, granola bars, Jell-O cup)
- Canned meats (tuna, stew and chili)
Additional things you can do to bring focus to Hunger:
- At meal time, say a prayer for those going without food and a prayer of thanks for the food you have to eat.
- Invite guests to bring a can of food to your book club or other social gathering.
- Each time you go to the store, have your child pick out a can of food to donate to a child in need
- Invite your friends to volunteer at a food pantry with you or organize a food drive in your neighborhood.
- Organize your Mom-to-Mom, Bible study, exercise or service clubs to donate food or money to a local pantry.
- Collect your extra coins in a jar and donate them to a food pantry twice per year.
- When purchasing canned food, buy an extra can or two to donate.
Housing and Shelter Opportunities
APPA Youth Trip
The Christ United Youth Program (High School aged) goes on a weeklong mission trip where they build wheelchair ramps, porches, paint and repair roofs for those in need. Not a youth? Adult volunteers are welcomed to lead and interact with youth while seving at job sites. APPA 2018 will be June 17-23 in Bastrop, LA. Contact Stefani Reed-Meyer or visit here for more details.
Disaster Response Team
Provides assistance to people whose property has been devastated by a natural disaster such as floods, fires, severe thunderstorms and hurricanes. The primary responsibility of the DRT team is to make things safe, sanitary and secure in the early stages of recovery. The team also offers reconstructive assistance following the early stages of recovery. Since 2004, this courageous team has been all over Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. We gladly welcome any new comers, so please email Tina Wilson for more information.
DRT Deployments
- Van, TX Dulac, LA
- Grandbury, TX Bastrop, TX
- Tushka, OK Altus, OK
- Marlow, OK Orange, TX
- Santa Fe, TX Oklahoma City, OK
- Sherman, TX Gainesville, TX
- McAlester, OK Pass Christian, MS
- Mclean, TX Grand Prairie, TX
- Carbon, TX New Orleans, LA
- Kountze, TX Pass Christian, MS
- Lancaster, TX Falfurrias, TX
Gateway Apartment Adoption
Gateway provides transitional living for those who are experiencing homelessness. Christ United contributes to this cause by helping with decorating, stocking and furnishing apartments.
House on the Corner
For thirteen years, Christ United provided homes for deserving families in our community. The 13th house has been moved to its permanent location in East Plano. Thank you all who have graciously donated your time, money and support of House on the Corner. We have transformed the Douglass Community and we could not have done it without you!
We are currently assessing the needs of our community and dreaming up “What’s Next?” for our missions. For more information about missions at Christ United and how you can get involved, contact Jana Grimone.
Men’s Service Group (MSG)
Christ United’s Men’s Service Group (MSG) is a volunteer organization designed to help Christ United men serve God through home repairs and maintenance in Plano and the surrounding areas. Work is done in the homes of those in need and on our church campus.
Visit our Men’s and Women’s Ministry page for more information about volunteering for MSG.
Supply Opportunities
Blanket Blessings
Blanket Blessings provides blankets for adults and children who are homeless in our area. It’s easy to make a blanket – just cut fleece and tie a double knot in each of the ties hanging around the edges. Once completed, volunteers will deliver them to our community partners, such as the Samaritan Inn, to be distributed.
Fall and Spring Supply Drives
The fall and spring supply drives benefit local food pantries. Donating cash or checks is preferred as they allow the purchase of items in large quantities in conjunction with programs that offer discounts. Proceeds from these events benefit local area pantries.
Salvation Army Angel Tree
The Salvation Army Angel Tree program provides a way to give gifts to economically disadvantaged children who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present at all.
To get involved, you can simply “adopt” an Angel from one of our trees in the Narthex, the north building or the Sports & Rec Center and then follow the instructions on the packet provided.
Instruction for dropping off gifts:
- Using the white labels provided, please label each gift with the Angel’s name and number.
- Put all items in the red bag.
- Label the outside of the red bag (if you have something that is too large for the red bag please be sure it is labeled also).
- Bring your bagged gifts to one of the church services and drop off in the atrium or the Sports & Rec Center’s front desk.
- Do not wrap gifts.
School Supply Drives
Each year, Christ United hosts school supply drives that benefit students in need across Plano, Princeton and also for those enrolled in Christ United’s Project Hope and School on Sunday programs.