There are a number of volunteer opportunities at The First Presbyterian Church. Below you will find the organizations our church supports.
Reading Buddies, MANNA, and Winter Shelter are among the organizations that members support on a continuing basis with their volunteers efforts.
There are other volunteer opportunities as well. These include ushering, helping at the Harvest Festival and other events, writing for “The Messenger,” providing flowers for the sanctuary, and/or decorating the sanctuary for Advent or Easter.
To find out more about any of these opportunities please click on the headings below. To volunteer for any of these activities please contact the church office at (215) 567-0532.
the john gloucester house (jgh) was founded as a Presbytery mission project, a successor initiative in the tradition of the settlement houses. It serves the Point Breeze neighborhood in South Philadelphia. John Gloucester House currently offers upwards of 25 ministries to an area of the city hard hit by population and business decline. Its outreach activities include after school tutorials, an emergency food pantry, an older adult group, and the Pt. Breeze Habitat for Humanity project.
metropolitan aids neighborhood nutrition alliance (manna) was created in First Presbyterian Church's own kitchen. Its unique mission is to prepare and deliver highly nutritious meals, as well as care, comfort, counseling, and education to people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening conditions.
presbyterian children's village (pcv) serves at-risk children and their families through a variety of settings and programs. These range from in-home care and support, foster and kinship care, to a residential school and treatment program. PCV offers many services designed to keep families together, including after-school academic recovery, and delinquency and truancy prevention. First Presbyterian Church members have collected and donated clothes, Christmas gifts, and books for PCV clients.
riverside presbyterian home offers disabled persons and senior citizens the opportunity for independent living in subsidized apartments. Residents also have a daily meal, a commissary, a garden, laundry facilities, parking, podiatric home care visits, and an on-staff social worker. First Presbyterian Church clergy conduct regular worship services at Riverside and volunteers organize a variety of social events and provide other assistance.
project home serves chronically homeless people suffering from mental illness or substance abuse disorders, through programs aimed at restoring dignity and fostering personal development. These programs and services range from street outreach and safe havens, to permanent supportive housing with supplemental services. Through careful intake evaluation these programs can be matched to the unique needs of each individual.
reading buddies, an intergenerational program, offers inner-city children a weekly hour of concentrated, constructive adult attention. This program provides the children with an opportunity to improve their academic skills and enhance their lives by developing positive relationships with adults. First Presbyterian Church member Pat Quigg is the creator of Reading Buddies, and many other church members now volunteer at its 21 Philadelphia locations.
wintershelter , housed in Trinity Memorial Church at 22nd and Spruce Streets, ministers to homeless men with dinner, bed, breakfast, and daytime counseling and training during the coldest months of the year. Volunteers from First Presbyterian Church coordinate the provision and service of meals to the men on Mondays. Long-term renovation plans will allow services year-round.
habitat is homeownership ministry aimed to help people in need receive safe, affordable housing. Through Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, we partnered with seven other Presbyterian churches to built four houses. Our first house was dedicated on January 6, 2007. Work is expected to begin on our third house in Pt. Breeze in the fall of 2008. Work is scheduled for Saturdays as well as weekdays. No construction experience is needed.
If you are interested in volunteering please call the church office at 215-567-0532. You may also leave your phone number and address at the information table during our weekly Sunday coffee hour.