Floris UMC cares for families and individuals in need by providing fundamental necessities such as food and clothing and by partnering with local organizations to provide shelter. Below are some ways in which you can volunteer in our community through Floris UMC.
- Serve a hot breakfast at the Embry Rucker Community Center in Reston, Va.
- Cook and serve a hot breakfast at So Others Might Eat in Washington, D.C.
- Cook and distribute dinner through FACETS in Fairfax City, Va.
- Help at a non-profit funding local charities and scholarships through The Closet in Herndon, Va.
Grace Ministries
GRACE Ministries of the United Methodist Church is a mission project that serves low-income families in our growing community and shares the gospel of God’s love through monthly distributions of food, clothing and diapers at seven United Methodist churches in Northern Virginia. Additionally, GRACE Ministries provides health screenings, two job training programs–Personal Care Aide (PCA) Training and Multicultural Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Training–and College Prep ESL classes for graduates of the CNA Program. These programs provide assistance in easing emergency situations and in creating career opportunities in areas of significant workforce needs. To learn more about these programs, visit the GRACE Ministries Programs page.
GRACE Ministries at Floris UMC
Floris UMC supports GRACE Ministries by hosting a food, diaper and clothing distribution on the first weekend of each month. Volunteer opportunities are available on both that Friday and Saturday. Because volunteers are essential to this ministry, we encourage and welcome children ages 10-14 who are accompanied by an adult, students and adults to volunteer.
GRACE Ministries also accepts seasonally-appropriate clothing for infants, children, youth and adults as well as children’s books. Please bring your donations to the third-floor entryway and put them in the bins provided to the left of the Sanctuary on the Friday before the first Saturday of the month, 2:30-6 p.m. Visit our Donations FAQ page for more information.
Volunteer at Grace Ministries
Volunteers are essential to GRACE ministries. Volunteer opportunities are available on the Friday before the first Saturday of each month for set-up and the first Saturday of each month for distribution (with a few exceptions because of holidays). Children and students who are 10 years old and older are encouraged to participate. Many students have found GRACE Ministries to be a great way to fulfill required community service hours. Children ages 10-12 must be accompanied by an adult.
We welcome groups (e.g. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and other student groups) to sign up as a group. To do so, please contact Donna Porter two weeks in advance to discuss opportunities. Groups with members age 13 and younger must be accompanied by adults.
Sign up to volunteer for Friday set-up or Saturday distribution below.
Floris Guest House
Floris UMC hosts approximately 40 homeless individuals in January every year. At the Floris Guest House our guests receive a hot dinner, breakfast, a place to sleep, a shower and the opportunity to participate in a variety of evening activities. With a program of this magnitude, it is estimated there will be 250 volunteer opportunities available for the week.
Volunteer recruitment begins in November 2019.
Advent Giving
Floris UMC is a generous congregation that enjoys blessing the community during the Advent Season (November-December). Each year, Floris UMC partners with local organizations to provide gifts and basic necessities to vulnerable children, individuals and families in our community.
In the past we have collected gifts for the following organizations:
- Hutchison Elementary School
- Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter
- Inova Care Connection for Children
- Cornerstones
- Floris Guest House
- ANGEL Tree Prison Fellowship
- Child Rescue Centre (CRC) Sierra Leone
Ornaments, representing the requests of local families and organizations, can be selected during Advent Season. The ornament tags will include information regarding packaging, the type of gift, and return instructions.
If you have any questions, please contact Donna Porter.
North County Hypothermia Program
Floris UMC has partnered with Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith) for almost 10 years. Through this partnership, Floris UMC participates in the North County Hypothermia Program. We provide up to 30 homeless individuals with a hot, substantial dinner at the North County Government Center in Reston every Tuesday evening from December to the end of March. This is a very simple, tangible way to serve homeless individuals in our immediate community.
How to Get Involved
Opportunities are available to prepare and serve meals to homeless individuals through the North County Hypothermia Program in Reston, Virginia every Tuesday evening from December to March.
To receive additional information about how to participate or if you have any questions, please contact Donna Porter or complete this form.
Easter Basket Ministry
Floris UMC provides Easter baskets to children in our community who are living in shelters and transitional housing each Easter. Last year we filled 1000 baskets. Floris UMC families picked up kits representing a child and then purchased a basket and no more than $25 worth of goodies to fill the basket.
Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together has touched countless lives over its 25-year history at our church. Marcie Tuggle sums it up, “So often the homeowners are overwhelmed financially and emotionally. This gives them a fresh start.” Considering the volunteer’s perspective, she says with a smile, “You really do get so much more back than you give.”
All levels are needed and welcomed, from the most skilled work like drywall repair and new floor installation to painting and clearing yard debris. A careful effort is made to match each volunteer to a job suited for them. Volunteers are divided into teams and each team is given a specific task, such as renovating a bathroom or building a wheelchair ramp. After the preparations are done, the day arrives. Volunteers meet early in the morning at Floris UMC, check in, receive T-shirts, strategize and travel to the site. The work is typically completed in 8-10 hours.
Stay tuned for upcoming events in 2020!