Sign up for volunteer opportunities coordinated by our
Bold Service and Social Justice Committee.
Contact [email protected] for more information, or click on the button below to sign up for the BSSJ Newsletter and be the first to know about upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Day Worker Center of Mountain View – April Outreach Connection
April 10 – 8:30am & 10:00am Worship
The Day Worker Center of Mountain View, a long time Outreach Agency partner of LAUMC, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary of serving our local community. Maria Marroquin, Executive Director, will speak at our April 10 morning worship services about the center’s mission, its impact in our community and its ongoing work.
During the pandemic the Day Worker Center has instituted an easy-to-use online system for reserving and matching homeowners and other employers with skilled day workers. Workers (as well as community members) are supplied with free masks, hand sanitizer and Covid tests by the center. Among the skills the day workers can provide are: gardening, landscaping, gutter cleaning, irrigation systems, flooring, furniture assembly, handyman tasks, painting, housekeeping, help with moving, window washing, event set up and clean up. Visit www.dayworkercentermv.org to reserve workers or to learn more. If you have questions, you can email [email protected] or call 650/903-4102.
On a typical day the center serves approximately 80 men and women workers, with only about 35% receiving work assignments each day and most not for a full day of work. Those who do not have work are encouraged to participate in skill building classes. Classes include English as a second language, Spanish literacy, computer kills, resume writing, healthy eating and fitness, emergency skills, and tutoring for children.
The center plays a crucial role in our community, providing resources and support for the day workers, their families and our local community, including free nutritious “to go” breakfasts Monday to Saturday and free nutritious “to go” lunches Monday to Sunday in addition to educational classes and training. Another critical component of the Day Worker Center is giving back to the community through community service, including monthly trash pickup on local streets, donating handmade blankets for premature infants at the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, coordinating and participating in community events, hosting blood drives and helping senior citizens in local community gardens.
The Day Worker Center is undertaking an exciting, new initiative: the creation of a Tool Library. The concept is that the center will gather and maintain a library of hand and power tools that workers can “check out” for use on specific projects for homeowners or other employers. The tools will be stored in a safe place at the Day Worker Center and workers will receive training in using the various tools. This project is in the early stages and the center is not yet ready to receive donated tools. However, in the weeks ahead there will be an opportunity to provide cash, purchase new tools and/or donate gently used tools to the new Tool Library. If you are interested in helping develop a tool list, providing training in use and maintenance of the tools, creating an inventory system or helping build a storage place for the Tool Library, please contact the initiative leader Luis Cordero at [email protected].
The Day Worker Center of Mountain, 113 Escuela Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the day laborer community in Mountain View, Los Altos and surrounding communities. The pillars of its mission are to (1) connect day laborers and employers in a safe and supportive environment, and (2) empower workers to improve their socio-economic condition through fair employment, education and job skills training. “We prepare people to fly with their own wings,” says Executive Director Maria Marroquin.
Help the People of Tonga
Donate supplies and equipment to help the people of Tonga in this time of need after the tsunami.
Our Compassion Week Partner, the LDS Church in Los Altos is organizing a relief effort this week for Tonga and is seeking our partnership in this effort. You can help by:
DONATING MONEY:
To help offset the cost of the shipping containers & transporting the goods to Tonga you can either:
- Donate a Cashier Check made out to San Francisco Shipping Enterprise
- Donate via check to Taulama for Tongans, a non-profit organization dedicated to improve the quality of life for Tongans (a charitable receipt will be given)
DONATING GOODS:
Where:
Drop goods off at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 1300 Grant Road in Los Altos
When:
Saturday, Feb 12th between 9-11am
What:
- Non-perishable food such as canned meat (tuna, spam, corned beef, etc.), canned fruits, canned vegetable, peanut butter, jam, sugar, flour, rice
- Kitchenware such as pans, pots, utensils, cups etc new or in good condition
- Hygiene & Sanitary items such as toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent
- Tarps
- Solar lights (A real need!)
Items will be taken to San Bruno where they will be loaded into the shipping container to be sent out on February 17th
Goods can also be delivered DIRECTLY to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 977 Sneath Lane, SAN BRUNO anytime Mondays – Saturdays from 10am – 12pm & 4- 8pm BEFORE February 17th. Please call first before drop-offs. Contact Ane Pasina, (650) 834 4777, [email protected]
For more information, please contact:
Tonga Consulate General, Telephone:(650)685-1001, [email protected] or Martha Misinale, (415) 786-4829
Accompany Family at Immigration Court
Date to be determined
We have been accompanying a young family in their journey to seek asylum. Two years ago, over 30 congregation members joined me to show support for them. It meant a lot for Julia to have the support of our community that day in court and through the challenges of the pandemic.
Will you join us on this next step of their journey?
Immigration Court in San Francisco
Contact Yvonne Murray ([email protected] or
408-930-3733). She will be coordinating rides and parking.
MOVE Mountain View – Volunteers Needed
MOVE Mountain View is recruiting volunteers to distribute and teach usage of OTC COVID Self-Testing Kits to clients at their Safe Parking RV lots in Palo Alto and Mountain View. This is a county supported program with the goal of increased detection and safety for vehicle dwellers during the surge in COVID cases.
Volunteers will spend an hour walking through the RV lot and distributing kits to residents. MOVE Mountain View staff will be available to train the volunteers on the specific details.
Volunteers must be fully vaccinated and boosted.
For more information or to register, click the button below.
Hope’s Corner Wednesday Morning Help Needed
January 5, February 9, and March 9
We have three upcoming dates where we need 6 volunteers to pack and distribute a hot breakfast to our food insecure neighbors in Mountain View. You will be trained on the spot. Arrive at 7:00am and depart at 9:30am. The dates we need volunteers are January 5, February 9, and March 9. If you are available on any of these dates please contact Jan McDaniel by email. Thank you.
Angel Tree – Calling All Angels
November 7 – 21
Incarceration strains family ties to the breaking point. You have the opportunity to provide joy to local children of incarcerated parents by purchasing gifts on behalf of the parents in prison.
From November 7 through the 21st, an Angel Tree will be in the Narthex before and after service at 8:30 and 10am. It will display gift requests for 50 children whose mother or father are in prison as well as gift requests for their custodial families. If you are interested in purchasing a gift but won’t be able to be in the Narthex in person, please contact Susie Buchholz for more information by email. We will deliver these gifts purchased to the children during our inaugural Angel Tree Christmas Program on December 11. Thank you. Be an angel!
Second Harvest Silicon Valley
We have new and existing food distribution locations that are critically short on volunteers.
We need your help – or we’ll have to cancel these distributions. Clients who struggle to pay for food often do not have easy access to transportation and may not be able to travel alternative locations.
Please help us fill these shifts!
2nd Annual Faith and Blue Weekend
October 8 – 10
The Mountain View Police Department (MVPD) will be participating for the first time in the 2nd Annual Faith and Blue Weekend from October 8th -10th. This initiative is designed to increase law enforcement communication with the community through houses of worship. MVPD is requesting community donations of items needed to complete hygiene kits for department staff to donate to those in need. The collection drive will go until October 6th. A group of community member volunteers and MVPD personnel will help assemble the kits together at 9:00 am Saturday, October 9th. We would love for members of LAUMC to show up and be a part of the packing event at 1000 Villa Street in the MVPD parking lot. There will also be compassion card making activities for children to participate. If you, or someone you know, would like to donate to this initiative, the following items are needed. Or, an Amazon Wish list has been created to allow for direct purchase and shipping to the department of hygiene kit items. Items can be dropped off at MVPD.
Hygiene Kit Items Requested:
Disposable Razors, Facemasks (Disposable), Band-Aids, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Granola or energy bar, combos, brushes, Chapstick, Juice box or small bottles of water, Bar Soap/Body Wash, Lotion (travel or small size), Shampoo (travel or small size), Kleenex pack, Gallon sized ziplock bags, socks, and underwear for men and women, feminine hygiene products.
Thank You from Rise Against Hunger
We are delighted to announce that the meals from your Rise Against Hunger Experience on 5/15/2021 have been shipped in a container totaling 285,120 meals from our Sacramento warehouse.The meals will be received by our in-country partner ORPHANetwork in Nicaragua. If you happen to receive more than one of these announcements, your meals have gone to impact multiple partners.
ORPHANetwork is an organization that nourishes lives through food assistance and other services in Nicaragua. To learn more, please visit our partner/country spotlight on the Impact Stories tab and click and drag on our World Aid Map at https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/global-impact/.
Thank you for generously giving your time to volunteer and packaging meals with Rise Against Hunger. We are sincerely grateful for your dedication and for sharing our vision of a world without hunger.
Due to the global health crisis, our meal inventory is shrinking and we are working to find ways to still meet the needs of our beneficiaries. To make a difference in the lives of children and families around the world during this challenging time, please donate now at riseagainsthunger.org/meettheneed.
Gratefully,
Rise Against Hunger
Compassion Week 2021
Make A Difference, Sign Up Today!!
We invite you to register for Compassion Week 2021! We will be working with several faith groups to encourage a big volunteer turnout, to help build a more compassionate and caring community. If you are interested in leading a project or supporting the Compassion Week planning effort, in any capacity large or small, please contact Yvonne Murray by email for more information or follow us on the Compassion Week website, Facebook (@CompassionWeekLosAltos), and Instagram (@CompassionWeekLA) for updates.
UMCOR US Disaster Response and Recovery
California Wildfire – Your Help is Needed!
The Disaster Response Team from our California-Nevada Conference has been hard at work providing assistance to those impacted by the recent fires. Trained Early Response Team (ERT) volunteers have been working with local pastors and their congregations to provide support. This includes meeting with people in the Local Assistance Centers to provide a listening presence as well as gift cards, hygiene kits, and buckets of materials for cleanup. You can read more about the response on the Conference News webpage. What can you do? Here are some suggestions:
- Pray! Pray for those whose lives have been impacted by these fires.
- Give Now! Make a donation to the California-Nevada Conference Disaster Relief Fund or UMCOR.
- Volunteer! Click here to register to become a disaster response volunteer.
- Provide a book for a child. The book, Where is My House? Can be purchased on Amazon and sent directly to the Conference Office. The books will be provided to children impacted by the fires. Send the book to: Attention- Shari Sandoval, California-Nevada UM Conference, 1350 Halyard Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95691.
Hope’s Corner Breakfast
We are recruiting 7 people to help prepare and hand-out breakfast for our guests at Hope’s Corner. Food prep and service will be Wednesday’s, October, 6th and 13th. You will meet the crew at Hope’s Corner on our Mountain View Campus from 7:00-9:00 am. Please contact us via email if you are interested in supporting this important work.
Thank You To The Pacifica Institute
On Friday, July 23, Hope’s Corner received a donation of 160 pounds of Hilal ground beef from the Pacifica Institute, a local Muslim organization that LAUMC collaborates with in a conversational partners program, Compassion Week, Interfaith Book Clubs, and more. The Institute provided the beef as its way to celebrate the Muslim holiday Eid Al Adha, commemorates the Prophet Abraham and his unconditional hospitality.
Hope’s Corner used 80 pounds of the ground beef on Saturday, July 24 in the Shepherd’s Pie served to over 250 hungry people at their Saturday breakfast for homeless, low-income, and vulnerable individuals.
Thank you Pacifica Institute for your generosity and commitment to serving others.
Thank You from Vitalant!
THANK YOU for sponsoring June’s blood drive. I know you put a lot of work into the drive. We are so grateful to you and the donors who came out to save lives. We started the drive with 21 appointments and 16 donors gave 19 lifesaving units of blood. When whole blood is broken down into its components, it has the potential to positively affect the lives of three patients. This means that Los Altos United Methodist Church has contributed to helping save the lives of 57 people at this blood drive. Vitalant relies on our community partners to safeguard patient needs and replenish the blood supply as we all look at ways to recover and get back to normal. Your efforts are used to support patients in need. Vitalant, along with the hospitals and patients we serve, truly appreciates your continued dedication and leadership towards hosting these life-saving blood drives. Thank you again for your hard work, dedication, commitment, and service to our community to help save lives!
Cheryl Trott
Donor Recruitment Representative
Vitalant
Check back often for more volunteer opportunities.