2024 Compassion Ministry
Compassion Ministry
Overview
The Compassion Ministry was founded in 2015 with the following goals:
Thank you
Thank you to the congregation and our volunteers for your support of the Compassion Ministry. Compassion is grateful for your prayers, donations, time volunteering, and sharing with our neighbors. Let’s continue together to help those in need in our community.
Overview
The Compassion Ministry has five key ministries: Food Distribution, Compassion Cooking Teams, Grant Elementary School support, Unhoused Outreach and Community Outreach/Social Justice.
Food Distribution:
Our Food Distribution ministry has experienced significant growth since it was established in March 2020. We established a partnership with Second Harvest and received our first delivery on March 24, 2023. This partnership ensures that families receive a consistent supply of essential items such as meat, milk, eggs and fresh produce on a weekly basis. Our dedicated volunteers diligently sort through the produce to ensure that only quality items are distributed to our neighbors in need. Any unusable produce is discarded. Our neighbors in need include walk-ins, primarily elderly residents in our neighborhood, families from Grant Elementary School, as well as their friends and neighbors. Additionally, it extends to those facing homelessness at St. James Park. As Second Harvest has gone through some changes over the last year, we have started to supplement their deliveries through purchases at the grocery store to make sure that we have a consistent supply of food for our unhoused neighbors.
The Compassion Ministry was founded in 2015 with the following goals:
- To reconnect with people in the community at Japantown and San Jose area
- To rebuild the community together through love and justice
- To rejoice with our neighbors by sharing what we have to offer
- The idea that our downtown San Jose community should be better off because Wesley United Methodist Church is there and cares.
Thank you
Thank you to the congregation and our volunteers for your support of the Compassion Ministry. Compassion is grateful for your prayers, donations, time volunteering, and sharing with our neighbors. Let’s continue together to help those in need in our community.
Overview
The Compassion Ministry has five key ministries: Food Distribution, Compassion Cooking Teams, Grant Elementary School support, Unhoused Outreach and Community Outreach/Social Justice.
Food Distribution:
Our Food Distribution ministry has experienced significant growth since it was established in March 2020. We established a partnership with Second Harvest and received our first delivery on March 24, 2023. This partnership ensures that families receive a consistent supply of essential items such as meat, milk, eggs and fresh produce on a weekly basis. Our dedicated volunteers diligently sort through the produce to ensure that only quality items are distributed to our neighbors in need. Any unusable produce is discarded. Our neighbors in need include walk-ins, primarily elderly residents in our neighborhood, families from Grant Elementary School, as well as their friends and neighbors. Additionally, it extends to those facing homelessness at St. James Park. As Second Harvest has gone through some changes over the last year, we have started to supplement their deliveries through purchases at the grocery store to make sure that we have a consistent supply of food for our unhoused neighbors.
Compassion Cooking Teams:
Our Compassion cooking teams prepared delicious dinners for the residents of Casa de Clara on Wednesdays. The teams make a hot meal that is brought to the families at Casa de Clara. On average, the cooking teams make meals for 13 people each week.
Our Compassion cooking teams prepared delicious dinners for the residents of Casa de Clara on Wednesdays. The teams make a hot meal that is brought to the families at Casa de Clara. On average, the cooking teams make meals for 13 people each week.
Grant Elementary School Support:
We are grateful for our relationship with Grant Elementary School. Our tutoring program continues to support students from our local community. Over the past school year, our tutors were able to support the intervention teachers by working with small groups of students. Our tutors have set up regular meetings with the staff at Grant Elementary to create a plan that makes the greatest impact on the students at the school. Thanks to generous donations, Compassion was able to donate approximately $1,500 of school supplies in September 2024.
Unhoused Outreach:
Each week we deliver a bag of specially selected items to our friends at St. James Park. These items include canned food with pull tops, soft fruits, snacks, juice and water. Additionally, during food distribution, a group of volunteers prepare a hot meal to distribute at the park. About 50 bags of food and hot meals are distributed every week to our unhoused neighbors.
We are grateful for our relationship with Grant Elementary School. Our tutoring program continues to support students from our local community. Over the past school year, our tutors were able to support the intervention teachers by working with small groups of students. Our tutors have set up regular meetings with the staff at Grant Elementary to create a plan that makes the greatest impact on the students at the school. Thanks to generous donations, Compassion was able to donate approximately $1,500 of school supplies in September 2024.
Unhoused Outreach:
Each week we deliver a bag of specially selected items to our friends at St. James Park. These items include canned food with pull tops, soft fruits, snacks, juice and water. Additionally, during food distribution, a group of volunteers prepare a hot meal to distribute at the park. About 50 bags of food and hot meals are distributed every week to our unhoused neighbors.
Community Outreach/Social Justice: The Compassion ministry collaborates with PACT (People Acting in Community Together), an organization focused on addressing significant social issues. Mark Teagle is the Co-Chair, Chairman of the Board. Much of the focus has been on affordable housing and encouraging people to register to vote.
We are grateful for the support and collaboration that enable these ministries to exist. Together, we strive to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.
Posted in Charge Conference 2024