| ||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Wesley Community Services (WCS) is comprised of Church volunteers who
minister to those who are in need in the community. Additionally volunteers are
recruited for specific events with the congregation providing a working financial
base. If you would like to become involved or learn more about Wesley Community
Services, please contact the church office at 926-4414.
minister to those who are in need in the community. Additionally volunteers are
recruited for specific events with the congregation providing a working financial
base. If you would like to become involved or learn more about Wesley Community
Services, please contact the church office at 926-4414.
Recent Activities....
Wesley Community Services Past and Present
A Timeline for Your Knowledge
1971- Wesley Home Mission was organized It operated with a food pantry, clothing, emer-
gency assistance and Christmas assistance.
1990 - Wesley Home Mission became Wesley Community Services.
1990- tutoring was added to the services.
1991- a partnership was formed with Christamore House.
1994- Survival Skills for Women and the Bucket Project was begun.
1995- Survival Skills for youth.
1998- Interfaith Hospitality Network was started– two weeks each year.
2000- Vivian Smith House Teen Parenting program
2001- Spanish classes
2002- Habitat for Humanity– providing meals and snacks for the volunteers
2005- Parish Nursing Health Screening and Flu Shots and the Wesley Care Team Reintegration
Program
2006- Partnership with Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety was started.
The following are some of the things we have done in the past and feel good about, but are no longer doing:
Tutoring, Survival Skills, Spanish classes, Vivian Smith house, Habitat for Humanity.
Current programs of Wesley Community Services are:
Food Pantry, Bucket Project, Emergency Assistance, Christmas Assistance, Interfaith hospitality Network and
Flu Shots.
A Timeline for Your Knowledge
1971- Wesley Home Mission was organized It operated with a food pantry, clothing, emer-
gency assistance and Christmas assistance.
1990 - Wesley Home Mission became Wesley Community Services.
1990- tutoring was added to the services.
1991- a partnership was formed with Christamore House.
1994- Survival Skills for Women and the Bucket Project was begun.
1995- Survival Skills for youth.
1998- Interfaith Hospitality Network was started– two weeks each year.
2000- Vivian Smith House Teen Parenting program
2001- Spanish classes
2002- Habitat for Humanity– providing meals and snacks for the volunteers
2005- Parish Nursing Health Screening and Flu Shots and the Wesley Care Team Reintegration
Program
2006- Partnership with Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety was started.
The following are some of the things we have done in the past and feel good about, but are no longer doing:
Tutoring, Survival Skills, Spanish classes, Vivian Smith house, Habitat for Humanity.
Current programs of Wesley Community Services are:
Food Pantry, Bucket Project, Emergency Assistance, Christmas Assistance, Interfaith hospitality Network and
Flu Shots.
Emergency Assistance - Since 1998, food pantry assistance has led Wesley’s emergency assistance to our
community. In addition to food and Christmas assistance, the following emergency assistance was given in
2004: Eight utility bills were paid, thirty-eight bus tickets given out, thirty-seven gas vouchers given, rental
assistance provided for six families through direct gifts and or loans. Thirteen miscellaneous requests were
provided for including such things as prescriptions, a birth certificate and a new door knob so that a home
daycare would pass inspection and the family could begin working. The majority of our referrals come from
the Help Line, Christamore House and Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety. Referrals came from other
churches as well.
At Christmas 154 pairs of socks, 110 items of underwear for both men and women and a new pair of shoes
were collected for Fletcher Place Community Center.
Food Pantry – In a recent year a total of 409 adults and 391 children were served. WCS distributed 245 ½
bags of food and 215 bread coupons. This is an increase from 144 bags of food and 103 bread coupons
given in the year before. Food items and cash donations to the pantry in that same year totaled over $6,000!
Because of WCS’s efforts to involve the community in our food pantry, besides the principal support of our
church, donations came from a variety of sources including St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Eagledale
Neighborhood Alliance, The Girl Scouts, Speedway AARP, 7th and 8th Christian Church, Pike Soccer, and
Wesley’s Vacation Bible School. Food pantry hours are now on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am – noon.
Christmas Assistance –
Once again, Wesley Community Services asks you to donate men’s underwear and socks, women’s
underwear and socks, and long underwear form men or women, to the GIVING TREE. Items will be donated to
Fletcher Place. The tree will be in the narthex during the holidays.
WCS has adopted several families for Christmas assistance. Earlene Hobbs is the Christmas Assistance
coordinator. If you would be willing to shop for gifts for a family, contact Earlene at 290-9744. Gifts and food
bags will be prepared Dec. 21st for delivery Saturday, December 22nd.
Bucket Project – Six buckets loaded with cleaning supplies and a broom were delivered monthly to newly
housed homeless families. The buckets are delivered alternate months to IHN and Horizon House.
Vivian Smith House Teen Parenting Program – The house reopened in 2004 after being closed for a year
due to lack of funding. Nine girls and their babies are currently in the program. WCS provided Christmas
gifts for the girls and the congregation donated personal items.
Interfaith Hospitality Network – The Indianapolis Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) is a ministry of hope for
homeless families. Through faith and community based partnerships, IHN provides emergency food and
shelter, offers individual skill development / rehabilitation and advocates for ending homelessness. Our goal
is economic stability for the guests we serve.
Prison Re-entry Program
A CD and three DVD’s have been made illustrating Wesley’s prison re-entry program experience using a Faith
Care Team made up of Wesley members.
The CD is an interview with Buddy Stapleton, Tom Brown and DeeEllen Davis that is now in the Library of
Congress archives of the DVD’s.
One DVD is a 10 minute promotional video telling about Faith Care Teams. Mass distribution is to be made to
many congregations of many faiths. The other two DVD’s are 45 minute interviews about their Faith Care
experiences. One is DeeEllen Davis and the other with Buddy Stapleton. A copy of these are in Wesley UMC
library.
community. In addition to food and Christmas assistance, the following emergency assistance was given in
2004: Eight utility bills were paid, thirty-eight bus tickets given out, thirty-seven gas vouchers given, rental
assistance provided for six families through direct gifts and or loans. Thirteen miscellaneous requests were
provided for including such things as prescriptions, a birth certificate and a new door knob so that a home
daycare would pass inspection and the family could begin working. The majority of our referrals come from
the Help Line, Christamore House and Neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety. Referrals came from other
churches as well.
At Christmas 154 pairs of socks, 110 items of underwear for both men and women and a new pair of shoes
were collected for Fletcher Place Community Center.
Food Pantry – In a recent year a total of 409 adults and 391 children were served. WCS distributed 245 ½
bags of food and 215 bread coupons. This is an increase from 144 bags of food and 103 bread coupons
given in the year before. Food items and cash donations to the pantry in that same year totaled over $6,000!
Because of WCS’s efforts to involve the community in our food pantry, besides the principal support of our
church, donations came from a variety of sources including St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Eagledale
Neighborhood Alliance, The Girl Scouts, Speedway AARP, 7th and 8th Christian Church, Pike Soccer, and
Wesley’s Vacation Bible School. Food pantry hours are now on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am – noon.
Christmas Assistance –
Once again, Wesley Community Services asks you to donate men’s underwear and socks, women’s
underwear and socks, and long underwear form men or women, to the GIVING TREE. Items will be donated to
Fletcher Place. The tree will be in the narthex during the holidays.
WCS has adopted several families for Christmas assistance. Earlene Hobbs is the Christmas Assistance
coordinator. If you would be willing to shop for gifts for a family, contact Earlene at 290-9744. Gifts and food
bags will be prepared Dec. 21st for delivery Saturday, December 22nd.
Bucket Project – Six buckets loaded with cleaning supplies and a broom were delivered monthly to newly
housed homeless families. The buckets are delivered alternate months to IHN and Horizon House.
Vivian Smith House Teen Parenting Program – The house reopened in 2004 after being closed for a year
due to lack of funding. Nine girls and their babies are currently in the program. WCS provided Christmas
gifts for the girls and the congregation donated personal items.
Interfaith Hospitality Network – The Indianapolis Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) is a ministry of hope for
homeless families. Through faith and community based partnerships, IHN provides emergency food and
shelter, offers individual skill development / rehabilitation and advocates for ending homelessness. Our goal
is economic stability for the guests we serve.
Prison Re-entry Program
A CD and three DVD’s have been made illustrating Wesley’s prison re-entry program experience using a Faith
Care Team made up of Wesley members.
The CD is an interview with Buddy Stapleton, Tom Brown and DeeEllen Davis that is now in the Library of
Congress archives of the DVD’s.
One DVD is a 10 minute promotional video telling about Faith Care Teams. Mass distribution is to be made to
many congregations of many faiths. The other two DVD’s are 45 minute interviews about their Faith Care
experiences. One is DeeEllen Davis and the other with Buddy Stapleton. A copy of these are in Wesley UMC
library.
|