Organizing churches to host out of town volunteers

[Ann Kansfield]

Hi friends,
Thanks for including me in this group. I really appreciate it.
I'm sure that many of us may have had inquiries by folks outside of the area wanting to send volunteers. It seems to me that churches would be perfect venues to host out of towners. I'm wondering if we might have the ability to help with organizing churches (especially the small ones who might want to help, but their ten old ladies aren't going to be mucking out houses) to do this. Or is someone else already doing this?

I'm thinking along then lines of making a list of churches and contacting them to see if they would be open to housing out of town volunteers. If so, asking them about their space, showers, kitchens, etc.

Then we'd connect volunteer groups with these places.

Perhaps this is something the episcopal or presby or elca disaster folks are already doing? RCA and UCC havent done it yet, to my knowledge. I feel like this could really be an area where churches could excel. They just need some whipper snappers with energy to help organize it.

Thoughts?

[Mieke Vandersall]

I think this is a good idea.

I know the PCUSA folks are doing something similar--Lafayette Avenue Church, where we hold Not So Churchy, is planning on holding volunteers in some apartments they have access to. For most of our churches the issue is in showers. People can often sleep on the floor but there are limited facilities for us with showers.

That's what I know from this end!

Mieke

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Rev. Mieke Vandersall
Minister Director
Presbyterian Welcome
www.presbyterianwelcome.org
917.441.8638

[Emily Scott]

Hi Ann, 

I also think it's a good idea, and there will be need as this continues.  St. Lydia's does not have a building.  And yes, I agree that the question is showers...

Hmmm...

Emily

[danielmarrin]