Serve with JCFUMC in Jefferson City Community

Magnolia’s Ministry

Contact: Amanda Love Time: Second Sunday of the Month at 10am Location: Community Room

Magnolia’s Ministry Group help share the love and generosity of Christ to the victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking in our community. At our meetings, we put together items including encouraging prayer cards of support, gift baskets and more as part of our outreach. We typically meet on the second Sunday of the month at 10am in the Community Room. Visit the App for current meeting times and to view our Amazon Wishlist with our most requested items.

Fresh Start Market

Contact: Tina Taylor, Volunteer Director
Hours: First three Tuesdays of the month from 12-3pm
Location: Rooms 105 and 107, First United Methodist Church

Fresh Start has been open since October 2015 and is the only household necessity and toiletry pantry open to the public in Jefferson City. It currently serves over 300 clients and is based on a unique model where clients “spend” their points on the items they need. This service is available for those living in the Jefferson City School District only. Clients must provide proof of address, photo ID and proof of either government assistance or paycheck stub meeting the low income requirements.

Currently, about 15 volunteers staff the market during office hours and help with occasional deliveries from local donors. All that is required for volunteers is that they have an open heart and mind and passion for serving those in poverty. 

Adult Mission Team

Contact: Dave Harris

The Adult Missions Team travels twice a year, in the spring and fall, to help rebuild homes after disasters or to help people in need who can’t afford costly repairs. Most trips are in-state, but occasionally the team will travel to other states where disasters have destroyed property. Participants need to be willing to get dirty, and have a desire to help others. The missions team usually sleeps in churches and cooks their own meals. Group size is usually 10-12.

Project Homeless Connect

Contacts: Karen Taylor
Date: Yearly in October
Location: Campuses of FUMC, FBC, and FCC

This is the tenth year that FUMC will host Project Homeless Connect. It’s a huge event serving over 150 individuals in the Jefferson City area who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. Services that day include medical and dental services (free of charge to participants), access to mental health and substance use screening, counseling on housing resources, state identification and birth certificates, bus passes, showers, haircuts, a hot lunch and much more. As many as 50 service providers and 200 volunteers participated last year! It’s a lovely example of how a community comes together to serve the most vulnerable. 

Volunteers are needed to serve as tour guides, help set up the day of the event, serve in the lunch and donation area and provide clean up. All that is required for volunteers is that they have an open heart, mind and passion for serving those in poverty. 

Common Ground

Contact: Tina Mollenkamp, Director
Hours: 9am - 12pm Monday - Friday
Location: 1015 E. Atchison Jefferson City, MO 65101

Common Ground has been operating for over seven years as an ecumenical ministry to the Jefferson City Community. As of September 2017, Common Ground became a separate and independent 501(c)3, which will allow its programs to grow even more. Common Ground provides temporary financial assistance and professional resource counseling to the clients it serves. Common Ground has also expanded its services to include a rapid re-housing program helping homeless families establish permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Four families have been served by this unique program. We use volunteers to staff our benevolence office during the week or to assist in our garden. Volunteers with human service experience are always welcome to get involved as resource counselors for clients. Current volunteer needs include individuals to weed the garden and office help during the week (usually once per month in a rotation.) The only requirement to volunteer is an open heart and mind and passion for serving those in poverty.

Partner in Education: Thorpe Gordon Elementary

Contact: Vera Rhea or Mary Cooper

Our relationship with Thorpe Gordon Elementary School began in 1999 when the school counselor and the school nurse were both FUMC members and in the same Sunday School class. They identified a need at the school and their Sunday class met that need by purchasing a washer and dryer that continues to be used daily by the staff for the student needs. The relationship evolved over the years and we became an official Partner in Education in 2010.  

Throughout the school year, FUMC has a presence at Thorpe Gordon through the following efforts: 

• Host and provide (45 dozen!) cookies at their Back to School night in August.

• Collect school supplies for the students, part of which are saved and used throughout the school year when new students enter. This past year, Thorpe Gordon had 51 students start after August! Many of these students enrolled with no supplies.

• Collect Halloween Candy for the school’s Trunk or Treat event.

• Provide a treat for the student’s holiday gift bags.

• Host a staff luncheon with notes of encouragement during Staff Appreciation Week.

• Purchase reversible jerseys to be used for all school sponsored sports and Little Olympics. They stay onsite and are washed by the PE teacher.

  1. Mentoring Program
  Contact: Vera Rhea
  FUMC has been involved with the Thorpe Gordon program since 1999. This program helps to build a trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support, and encouragement aimed at developing the confidence and character of the mentee.   The program takes place exclusively during the school day for 20-40 minutes per week.  It is supported and coordinated by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters school-based mentoring program.  

  One mentor describes the significance of the program as a mutually beneficial relationship:  

  “Personally, I think the mentor learns almost more than the mentee.  It makes you more aware of the community in which we live.  Though you may have lived your entire life in JC, the schools of today are much different. These students aren’t coming from two parent households with loving support at home.  Many are the support for their family.  Mentoring builds a greater sense of understanding and compassion.  Issues of oppression and poverty can be very hard to understand, especially if you are only exposed to data. Getting to know children who struggle can help you better understand the issues, thus growing your own compassion. I once read that partnerships between churches and schools are a natural progression toward meaningful community engagement and a glimpse into the Kingdom of God.  I would have to agree!” 

  2. Reading Buddies
  Contact: Karen Taylor or Vera Rhea

  Each week, Reading Buddies meet with their student for 20-30 minutes. With the early school start, Reading Buddies can arrive as early as 7:15am and be finished by 7:35am which allows time to get to work at 8am There is a brief orientation about assisting with developing reading skills.

Buddy Packs

Contact: Rosie Evans
The Buddy Packs program delivers over 1,200 packs, filled with more than 3,600 pounds of food each week to children in our area who often do not have enough food at home over the weekend. The food is provided by the Mid Missouri Food Bank.  Once the food is individually packed, volunteers load the packs into their cars and take them to an elementary or middle school.  The packs weigh about 3 pounds each.  FUMC has taken on the role of  “Buddy Pack Deliverers”.  On Thursday mornings at 10am during the school year, volunteers pick up the Buddy Packs at the Catholic Charities. and deliver them to an assigned school.  Volunteers can deliver every week or be matched with a partner to deliver every other week.  This program is remarkable and could not be accomplished without the help of volunteers.  Delivering Buddy Packs is an essential piece that makes The Buddy Pack Program successful.  

If you are interested in volunteering as a weekly driver or would consider being a substitute driver please contact the church office. 

Salvation Army Meals

Contact: Sheila Murphy
Location: Salvation Army on Jefferson Street

Salvation Army Meals is an FUMC mission that was started eleven years ago by Chris Dumas. Every fourth Sunday of the month church members prepare dishes at home and serve them for dinner at the Salvation Army center. We serve a set seasonal menu, with lots of popular comfort foods. This monthly meal allows mission members to connect with people in Jefferson City who we do not usually see or talk to in our daily lives. We are enriched by serving food to others.