Volunteer

Masks for All

Dear Congregational Leader,

There is a rapidly growing COVID-19 need and an easy way for your congregation to meet it.

THE NEED
In order to restart businesses and our economy, local government officials are urging, if not requiring, the wearing of personal use face masks in public. Our congregants will also need masks to attend services when they resume. Many congregations are providing PPE to meet the needs of ourmedical community. This is why government leaders have asked Houston Responds to mobilize many more congregations to provide personal use face masks for all, especially for under-resourced families.

THE GOAL
1,000 congregations providing over 1,000,000 masks. How? 500 to 1,000 congregations mobilizing to create 100 to 200 masks (sewn or un-sewn) per week. The love, service, and generosity of local congregations will ensure over 1,000,000 people in Greater Houston will have potentially life-saving reusable masks.

WILLING AND ABLE
Is your congregation willing and able to participate? Are you already doing this? Please let us know if you are willing to help meet these needs:

1)    Produce Masks
2)    Serve as a Drop-off or Distribution Site for Masks
3)    Donate Funds, Masks, and/or Materials

For more information or to sign-up, please visit www.houstonresponds.org/masksforall. Please provide a contact person for this project when submitting the response form and someone from Houston Responds, or your local disaster response coalition will follow up with you.

Thank you for responding to this request from our civic leaders and providing love and care for our neighbors. May God bless our efforts!

For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)

Volunteer Opportunities

We have been keeping you up to date with how you can help those in your community. Two of the pressing needs we still face are blood donors and delivery drivers to drop off food. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and CrowdSource Rescue are two major non-profits that are assisting those in our neighborhood. We have highlighted these issues before, and we would urge you if you are healthy and willing, to either donate blood or volunteer to be a delivery driver or dispatcher for those who are not able to leave their homes.

GULF COAST REGIONAL BLOOD CENTER
Those who are participating in blood drives are taking all precautions to ensure the safety of their donors, however, an appointment is required, In addition, you can find more information about this below and at GiveBlood.org. The Blood Center is encouraging social distancing and they are asking all donors to please make an appointment to prevent overcrowding.

CrowdSource Rescue
The CDC has identified older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions as being at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Many of our neighbors who are at risk are unable to leave their homes for fear of contracting COVID-19. Crowdsource Rescue (CSR) played a critical role during Harvey by helping match flood victims in need of rescue to rescuers willing and able to help. They have stepped up during the current COVID-19 crisis to help direct volunteers who are willing and able to deliver food and basic supplies to homebound at-risk neighbors who need it the most.

They need volunteers who are willing to pick up food and supplies from a Food Bank and deliver it to those in need. The need is critical now and is likely to increase in the weeks ahead. CSR has incorporated social distancing into their model to keep volunteers and clients as safe as possible. Volunteers drop off the food at the client’s doorstep and do not enter the home.

Up for a bigger challenge? CSR also has a need for dispatchers who take on the task of coordinating drivers, clients and food distribution.

Serving with CSR is one way that the faith community can care for our neighbors in need.

Neighborhood Kidz Club Needs


Neighborhood KidZ Club (NKC) exists to make a difference in the lives of children, youth, and families in local communities through a commitment to addressing practical, spiritual, academic, and social needs. 

We are currently serving about 400 families in underserved communities. Families need a few basic items to help them get through this time. Our primary connection to families is through their children participating in our Bible Clubs. When we come with needed supplies for children and families it supports the gospel that we teach. Children and their parents in local communities recognize our faces and over time respond positively to God’s love extended through NKC Bible teachers and volunteers.

Your support of these supplies will be delivered with Easter Bible lessons and activities for the next few weeks. As children miss their time in Bible Club with teachers and friends, they will be happy to enjoy a story, activity, craft, and treats.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED 

• Bags of beans (black or pinto)

• Bags of white rice

• Boxes of pasta

• Cans of tuna fish

• Toilet paper

If you have any of these items or can secure any of them, please contact Beth Barber.

Katy Christian Ministries Needs

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS
• nonperishable foods
• personal care items
• cleaning supplies and disinfectants
• household paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, etc)

We are serving an average of 140 families per day using a modified “Carhop” system so clients remain in their vehicles while getting the food and supplies they need. Donors can stay home and shop online if needed, and have the items shipped directly to KCM at 5506 1st Street, Katy, Texas 77493. Deliveries should be scheduled during business hours Monday-Thursday, 9am-5:00pm.

Our Food Pantry is classified as an “essential service” under the Stay at Home order. Volunteers who are healthy and not in high risk categories are welcome to signup for shifts at our Food Pantry helping pre-pack bags, made pickups of donations from local grocery stores, or even answering phones as we are experiencing a very high call volume. Proper precautions are being taken for limiting group sizes, disinfecting surfaces, and providing access to handwashing facilities, in order to do our part to keep people safe while still serving.

VOLUNTEER
• Volunteers can sign up here:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4FABAB2AA6FD0-food.

• For questions, please email volunteer@ktcm.org.

OTHER NEEDS
• 2 webcams to conduct virtual counseling services with clients
• disposable face masks for safe distribution of critical food assistance to the community.

FUNDING NEEDS
Operational funding to provide continuity of services. Our budget is being deeply affected by lack of sales/closure of our two Resale Store locations and we ask for help from the community to help bridge this gap as we modify programs to continue serving an increasingly at-risk population. According to our newly published 2019 Impact Report, $.90 cent of every dollar entrusted to KCM directly funds the programs and services we provide free to the community. The full report is available at: www.ktcm.org/impact or see attached PDF copy. Donations can be made securely through the Donate button on our website at www.ktcm.org.

Connecting With Neighbors

One thing we all learned during the Hurricane Harvey days is that in times of crisis, neighbors are the initial first responders. The current Covid-19 Shelter at Home season has made it a bit more challenging to serve others in need in our neighborhoods. However, there are ways to stay connected with the needs of those around you thanks to technology.

Jon Davis, Pastor of Common Ground Community Church, shares his thoughts about how he is staying connected with and helping his neighbors through the use of the Nextdoor App.

Click this link to hear more. And then look for ways to be a good neighbor.