Helping the Homeless or Needy Visitor

Every pastor gets the phone calls from families needing financial assistance, a bag of groceries, a tank of gas, transportation help, or auto mechanic work. Many needy people skip the phone call and visit the church on a weekday, seeking assistance. Discerning who to help and how to help are constant prayers of pastors. Here may be a simple way to give “a cup of cold water” to a person in need and assist your pastor in having something prepared to give to needy people.

1. Buy gallon size bags that zip at the top.
2. Buy an assortment of bottled water, toiletries, pre-packaged snacks like granola bars, crackers, canned fruit, socks, small gift certificates to local fast food restaurants, etc.
3. Include a small New Testament, tract, and flyer about your church.
4. Package together these bags so a pastor can give them out whenever he thinks it to be appropriate. Have several church families keep one or two in their cars to give away as they do errands around town and are approached by people needing assistance.
5. These packages can also be used to send to deployed military servicemen or missionary families.

Sunday School Food Drive

Many churches have food closets or pantries they use to reach non-members or to minister to members having special needs. Other churches stock a food closet only during the holidays as those times often bring the most opportunity to share food while sharing the gospel. This idea for helping stock a food closet comes from a larger church, but you may find the idea adaptable to your church ministries.

1. Announce the annual food drive in all Sunday school classes, church newsletters, bulletin boards, and email updates.
2. Share how the items were used in past years to show purpose and give tangible reasons to participate.
3. Divide up the needed items by having each class and their families responsible for bringing in certain kinds of food. See division idea below.
4. On the day of the food drive, set up boxes at the entrance of the auditorium so Sunday school classes have a convenient way to drop off food items.
5. Let people know that if they do not belong to any one Sunday school class, they can bring whatever items they desire to help restock the food closet or pantry.

2-3 year old class                            jello/pudding

4 year old class                                jelly/peanut butter

5 year old class                               cereal

1st grade class                                 cake mix/icing

2nd grade class                               canned soups

3rd grade class                                oatmeal/hot cereal

4th grade class                                stuffing/rice

5th grade class                                 muffin mix

6th grade class                                 condiments

Junior high class                             macaroni-n-cheese

High school class                             hamburger helpers

College/career class                        canned chili/spaghetti

Young married class                       canned/dried beans

Adult classes                                     sugar/flour/cornmeal

Single mothers’ class                       cooking oil

Senior citizen class                          canned veggies/fruit