Hunger

With our donations and caring volunteers, Providence UMC supports the hungry children and adults throughout our city.  According to the most recent statistics from Loaves and Fishes, 18.2% of North Carolina's population is "food insecure" meaning at times they lack access to enough food for all household members.  We respond to this need in many ways.  For example, Providence donates its fifth Sunday offerings to the hunger ministries of our community.

You can make a difference! Our hunger ministries are open to any member or guest who would like to volunteer.  If interested, contact Carol Shinn at Email Carol.

Backpacks with Snacks

In collaboration with Second Harvest Food Bank and Hands on Charlotte, Providence UMC provides up to 175 backpacks of nutritious food each week for the free-lunch students at Cotswold School and Thomasboro Elementary.

What you can do:  Volunteer to fill backpacks at Second Harvest Food Bank.  Serve as a backup for delivery of backpacks on Thursdays or Fridays at Cotswold School or Thomasboro Academy.

Friendship Trays

Volunteers at Friendship Trays package, bag, and deliver balanced meals at noon on Mondays - Fridays to individuals who are unable, because of age or infirmity, to obtain or prepare their own meals.

What you can do: Work a 2 hour morning shift packaging meals.  Work a 2 hour shift in the early afternoon bagging.  Donate a late-model vehicle to the delivery fleet.  Drive a route once per week to bring hot meals to local homebound neighbors in need.

Loaves and Fishes

Loaves and Fishes feeds hungry people in our community.  Both Providence UMC and our Weekday School host an ongoing collection for Loaves and Fishes.  In addition, our Fifth Sunday Offerings go to Loaves and Fishes.

What you can do:  Deliver food to food pantries.  Sort food donations at the warehouse.  Help with special events such as Advent for Hunger.  Assist in the office as needed.

Magic Meals

Make our Magic Meal casserole in your own home and then bring it, frozen, to Providence UMC.  We'll combine them and serve one of our shelters.  In 2011, Magic Meals have fed women and children at the Shelter for Battered Women, several terminally ill friends and their families, and 30 guests of Room in the Inn.

What you can do:

Make the Magic Meal.  Serve as a member of our cooking team.  Drive the food to the shelter.

Men's Shelter of Charlotte

The mission of the Men's Shelter of Charlotte is to provide safe emergency shelter while working to end homelessness for each man.  For over a decade, Providence UMC has provided a meal and fellowship for the Men's Shelter the second Tuesday of each month, seven months a year. 

What you can do: Serve as part of the kitchen crew that cooks meals for nearly 400 men each month.  Serve the meals and offer friendship to our homeless friends. 

Second Harvest Food Bank

Second Harvest Food Bank feeds people by soliciting and distributing food through partner agencies and educates people in the community about the nature of, and solutions to, problems of hunger.  This agency also partners with Providence UMC to provide Backpacks with Snacks to the free lunch students at Thomasboro Academy and Cotswold School.

What you can do:  Help with reception, inventory, storage and distribution of food.  Fill backpacks with food.  Perform clerical work or organize special events, such as Advent for Hunger.

Urban Ministry Center

The Charlotte Urban Ministry Center is an interfaith organization dedicated to serving our homeless neighbors and helping end homelessness.  They do this by mobilizing our community, building relationships, and providing compassionate, empowering ministries.  Our United Methodist Women and Serendipity Sunday School class made over 17,000 sandwiches in both 2010 and 2011 for the soup kitchen.

What you can do: Prepare sandwiches in quantities of 50-400 and take them to the Urban Ministry Center Soup Kitchen.  Check the Urban Ministry website for more details.