Community Outreach

Community Outreach

Our partners in the City of Cincinnati are the foundation of our Community Ministry. They provide opportunities for us to share God’s love in our local community. These partners are essential to the ongoing ministry of Hyde Park Community UMC. We serve with children, teens, adults and seniors. Put your faith in to action and serve in your community!

 

Project 5000

Lent/Easter Food Donation Drive

More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights according to the Gospels. Today, many of our neighbors are at risk of hunger and fasting is not a choice. During Lent, you are invited to support our community partners Madisonville Education and Assistance Center and State Ave. UMC’s food pantries by taking, filling, and returning a Project 5000 food bag. The orange bags with shopping lists attached can be picked up and dropped off in the Social Hall (attached to the Welcome Center) until the end of April as a way to honor the season of Lent and Easter. This would be a great way for families (especially with children) to shop and serve together!

Super SERVE Saturday

3rd Saturdays of the month

As a way to bring families, multiple generations, and people of all backgrounds together we are offering different opportunities to serve in meaningful ways throughout Cincinnati. There is something for each age and ability – no superpowers necessary – just a willing, humble and flexible spirit and heart for all!

Found House Interfaith Housing Network

Hyde Park Community UMC has a longstanding  partnership with Found House Interfaith Housing Network (formally Interfaith Hospitality Network) serving as a host congregation for 4-5 weeks a year serving up to 4 families at a time.  Through our partnership with Found House we are working to ensure families have access to temporary shelter and connect families to the housing they deserve. While we are housing and hosting families throughout the year, we are in need of people to provide donations for meals and supplies and be onsite with the families.

Upcoming Weeks:

May 21 – 28

July 2 – 9

November 12 – 19

Justice Ministry

Get informed, get involved, make an impact.

The Justice Ministry seeks to inform the congregation and community about topics of justice; exploring underlying causes and sources of injustice and encouraging actions that seek fairness and equity for all.

We have an opportunity to join together in becoming more informed. From a more informed perspective we wish to turn knowledge and conviction into action. Join the Justice Ministry in this quest. Attend an upcoming program and/or let an organizer know of your interest. There is a role for you.

Our Community Partners

The Center for Respite Care is one of our Community Ministry partners focused on health.

This ministry cares for homeless individuals with medical needs. We support this ministry financially and by having volunteers serve meals and befriend those served by the Center. A small group is also making fleece blankets for the guests.

During our Summer Impact program, we prepare and serve meals for up to 14 homeless men and women, eat lunch with them, and then spend some time playing games with them.

If you would like more information about how you can partner with the Center for Respite Care, please contact Rev. Kate Smith.

Found House Interfaith Housing Network provides emergency shelter and housing programs for homeless families in Cincinnati, Ohio and surrounding areas. For the past 30 years, Found House IHN has been a beacon of hope for families in our community with nowhere else to turn. Found House remains focused on our overarching goal of helping families experiencing homelessness secure safe, affordable, permanent housing.

HPCUMC provides meals and shelter for 4 families, 5 weeks every year.  Our guests stay with us at our Hyde Park campus during the week; arriving by bus at 5pm each night.  We serve and eat dinner, visit with the adults, play with the children and provide warm, safe beds for the night.  After a breakfast on the go, the families leave around 6:45am to head back to the IHN Day Center (located in Walnut Hills) where the parents work on their case plan, children are shuttled to school, etc.  

We need many hands to care and serve our guests during this week.  Help set up, or prepare a meal; or just come eat dinner with us and play with the kids. We need about 6-8 volunteers each night including at least one to sleep overnight at the Church (in private room).

If you would like more information about how you can serve with Found House, please contact Rev. Kate Smith.

We participate in the Shalom Coalition, an interfaith group, of the Cincinnati Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Hyde Park Community Church was one of the founding partners of this coalition. From the first house construction in 1998, our church has supported this mission by providing funds to build the house and people helping with the construction. Yes, people just like you!

This year marks the 24thhouse for the Shalom Coalition. On-site work began March 24thfor our neighbor Chericka and her son and daughter.  She is a medical technician and works two jobs, one at U.C. Health. Please be in prayer for this family and the work that has already been done and how God might be calling you to partner with this build.

We support this ministry by providing funds to build the house and by having volunteers help build the house.

Saturdays are the primary day where construction takes place on the home.

If you would like more information about how you can serve with Habitat for Humanity, please contact Rev. Kate Smith.

MEAC is a Madisonville neighborhood ministry that provides financial assistance for housing and utilities to individuals in our community. It also is a choice food pantry serving four zip codes.

We support this ministry by providing funds for housing, utilities, food and other needs throughout the year and by having volunteers serve meals (once a month) and assist with the clothing closet, food pantry, etc.

Additionally, there is a donation bin for MEAC located in the closet outside the main offices where items can be placed for pick up. MEAC does a regular pick up at our campus and the donated items are put to good use.

Pray for the people of Madisonville. Pray for the services provided at MEAC to assist individuals with food, clothing and education.

For more information about how you can get involved in helping partner with MEAC, contact Rev. Kate Smith.

New Life Furniture Bank partners with local social service agencies like HPCUMC to provide full house furniture to families and individuals overcoming devastating circumstances, so they can start their new life with hope and dignity. NLFB hopes to share God’s love through the comfort and stability of furniture. 

NLFB relies on the help of hundreds of local volunteers to get furniture organized and delivered to those who are living in empty spaces. There are opportunities to serve with people at HPCUMC by signing up for Super Serve Saturday projects with NLFB! 

TUTORS/MENTORS NEEDED:

At the beginning of a new school year, we see the symbolism of renewal all around us. It’s a time for new beginnings & a new opportunity for a child to become the best version of him or herself. Please consider becoming a tutor/mentor for a 2nd grade student at Rothenberg Preparatory Academy as HPC begins our 7th year in relationship with Rothenberg. For more information, contact Andrea Slone, 513-470-1844, slone.andrea@gmail.com or Karen Bruner, 513-787-3549, bruchatt@cinci.rr.com

ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIP:

Our partnership with Rothenberg Preparatory Academy is a tutoring/mentoring program between HPCUMC members and the students at Rothenberg. Our partnership began over seven years ago, with a group of adults eager to build into the lives of students to help them to achieve their goals and to give them a stable adult influence. Now, some of those same adults are still working with the student they were paired with, watching him/her grow and continuing to mentor them to reach their goals.

The mentors at Rothenberg commit to going to the school once a week for a scheduled hour and working with the student that they have been paired with on reading and math skills. Additionally, they serve as a supporting role in their student’s life.

HPCUMC in conjunction with HPCUMC Preschool also partner with Rothenberg in providing students with Blessing Boxes at Christmas. As a church and preschool, we have set a goal to provide a Christmas gift for each student in the 5th and 6th grade at Rothenberg.

If you would like more information about how you can serve at Rothenberg, please contact Rev. Kate Smith.

State Avenue UMC is a partner church of ours located in Price Hill. We help support State Ave UMC financially as well as with food needs they have during the year.

If you would like more information about how you can serve with State Ave. UMC, please contact Rev. Kate Smith.

Each Thanksgiving, over 500 boxes of food are prepared and delivered to families in Cincinnati the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Do you know a needy family who could use a Thanksgiving Basket delivered to them? Call the church office on November 2 after 9:00am.

Looking to participate in the assembling or delivery of Thanksgiving boxes? Packing boxes takes place the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving every year in the church parking lot starting at 10:30am. Show up and lend a hand! Deliveries will begin at noon – maps will be available to your destination. If you are interested in assisting, or for more information, please contact Rev. Kate Smith in the church office.

Wesley Chapel Mission Center is a mission center located in Over-the-Rhine (OTR) that works with students after school to enhance their education, give them a safe place to learn, give them new opportunities for learning and growing, and teaching them about Christ.

We partner with them both financially as well as with volunteers. Our volunteers work in their after school program, volunteer at their Saturday morning tutoring opportunities, and support their special events throughout the year.

Additionally, HPCUMC’s Summer Impact program partners with WCMC to run their camp each summer. Summer camp is a daily program for the kids in the OTR neighborhood that gives the kids a safe place to learn, play, and grow for a few hours each day.

If you are interested in getting involved with Wesley Chapel Mission Center, or to find out more information, please contact Rev. Kate Smith.

Rev. Kate Smith

Pastor of Mission & Outreach

If you are interested in participating in our community outreach efforts, please contact Rev. Kate Smith, our pastor of mission and outreach.

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