Local Outreach Opportunities
Alternative Christmas
Through St. Paul’s Alternative Christmas program, you can give others a gift that impacts lives around the world. Very simply, Alternative Christmas enables you to support a ministry or organization and provide your recipient with a holiday card to show that a donation was made in his or her name.
Campus Ministry – Wesley Foundation
Do you have a heart for students and sharing your faith? If so, there are opportunities to serve in Abba Java Coffeehouse, student small group activities, service and mission projects, providing food and meals, and more. Visit the Wesley Penn State website for details.
Centre Volunteers in Medicine
Centre Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) provides medical and dental care, case management, and necessary medications at no cost to qualified uninsured and under-insured residents of Centre County. Local doctors, dentists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals volunteer their services at CVIM. In addition, CVIM depends upon volunteers to staff the office, interview patients, and assist with fundraising. Many St. Paul’s constituents support CVIM through gifts of their time, talent, and treasure. To learn more, visit the CVIM website.
Food Bank
The first Sunday of each month is designated as Food Bank Sunday at St. Paul’s. Check the weekly “What’s Happening” email for the current needs list. The Food Bank requests that you do not give baby food or formula, expired or opened products, products with alcohol in them, or over-the-counter medications. Drop off non-perishable donations in the bins at the College Avenue and Calder Way entrances to the Church.
Good Samaritan Fund
St. Paul’s Good Samaritan Fund provides financial assistance to people in need when other community resources are not available or have been exhausted. Typical requests include help with utilities to prevent shut-off, assistance with rent to prevent eviction, and help with security deposits to secure housing. Requests for assistance are completely confidential and can be made in person, by phone, through referral by other agencies, and in collaboration with other service providers. Referrals and requests for assistance are coordinated through Renae Schunk, St. Paul's Director of Care Ministries.
Interfaith Human Services
Interfaith Human Services (IHS) provides financial assistance for basic needs to qualified Centre County residents. In addition, IHS operates a free furniture and appliance recycling program and manages the Centre County Fuel Bank. St. Paul’s was one of the founding sponsors of this mission. We continue to provide financial support, and many St. Paul’s members are active volunteers with the program. Visit the Interfaith Human Services website for more information.
Out of the Cold Centre County
St Paul's assists in providing volunteers to Out of the Cold Centre County, a place for the homeless population to go to get out of the elements, find community, take a shower, and get connected to resources. Further information is available at the Out of the Cold website.
Park Forest Preschool
The Park Forest Preschool is a free preschool for children two to five years old from low-income families. Funded by local congregations, civic organizations, and private donations, the preschool sessions are held weekday mornings during the school year. St. Paul’s has been a strong supporter of Park Forest Preschool since its inception, and we continue to provide support by funding a scholarship for a child to attend.
RISE (Reading is Enlightening)
RISE is a five-year effort to ensure that Centre County elementary schools have access to high quality children’s books that portray individual differences and encourage respect and understanding of those differences. RISE will donate children’s books to Centre County elementary school libraries and preschools in these diversity categories: culture, disabilities, race, gender/family structure, and religion as well as social justice issues. Additionally, a student reward program will encourage students to read books in diversity categories, and funds will provide grants to elementary educators for diversity curriculum resources.
Shoe Bank
Located in Room 203 of the Wesley Building, St. Paul’s Shoe Bank provides NEW shoes to children up to 18 years old whose parents or guardians receive public assistance. Founded in 1991, the Shoe Bank now provides approximately 500 pairs of new sneakers a year to children. The Shoe Bank is open from 9:00 am to noon on Saturdays. We have about 30 active volunteers, but are always happy to welcome more!
Wesley’s Closet
Wesley’s Closet is a ministry of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church & Wesley Foundation providing free gently used coats, gloves, scarves, hats, and new underwear and new socks for those in need, sizes infants through adults. Donations of gently used clean coats, gloves, scarves, hats and new underwear and new socks are accepted throughout the year at the labeled bins at the College Avenue and Calder Way entrances of St. Paul’s, as well as inside the Locust Lane red doors.