Outreach
Community Service
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Neighborhood Center / The Bridge
Our Church collects food goods the first Sunday of every month to deliver to the neighborhood center. Much appreciated are canned good, peanut butter and don’t forget the pets - they like food too.
At Christmas we collect money and have usually been able to donate over a $1,000.
The Bridge homeless shelter has opened on September 28, 2020 at 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in Deland, Florida. The Bridge operates as a crisis shelter and day center. The facility provides for up to 30 homeless adults with shelter in conjunction with support services such as meals, laundry, showers, access to health care, linkage to housing, case management, and benefit assistance.
The Bridge employs national best practices of coordinated entry and housing first with a goal of housing within 30-90 days. These services aim to see the successful transition of individuals into transitional, permanent supportive housing, or permanent housing within 90 days. Their goal is to bring hope to the hopeless.
For more information, you can contact the Neighborhood Center (opens in a new window) or telephone them at 1-386-734-8120. Anyone from the church wishing to volunteer is welcome to contact the 1st UU Church of West Volusia office either by email firstuuofwestvolusiadeland@gmail.com at or by phone at 1-386-232-8433.
Interfaith Kitchen
The UU Interfaith Kitchen Team is chaired by Karen Wolf and Laurel Gregorian.
UU prepares a meal a few times a year, usually for the months that have a 5th Thursday. A recipe is selected and shared with team members who do the preparation at home. They take the prepared meals to the new Service Center. The team then helps set up, serve, and clean up. The number of meals served varies widely... anywhere from 50 to 105 people have been served. If you'd like to volunteer your help, call Karen Wolf at 763-213-2403.
(During the Covid-19 pandemic, the meals are being served as “to go” items, so the team is not actually serving.)
Spring Hill Resource Center
Seeking people who can help develop or volunteer with programs related to public health, community agriculture, food security, racial justice, or economic development. If you have expertise or ideas and want to discuss options, contact Shilretha Dixon, the center's Director, at shresourcecenter@gmail.com.
Habitat for Humanity
Seeking people who can help with regular housing builds, operating or organizing inventory at the ReStore thrift shop, assisting with duties related to mortgage financing and housing assistance for clients, and assist with office-related administrative responsibilities. If you have experience and interest in any of these roles, contact Magda Hiller, Habitat's Executive Director, at (386) 734-7268 or information@wvhabitat.org.
Historic Preservation
A group of Stetson faculty/staff and Greater Union Life Center leaders are working on a project to designate buildings and sections of the greater Spring Hill community as state and federal historic buildings/districts. There is a great need for volunteers who are interested in doing archival research; full training is provided. Anyone interested should contact Kevin Winchell at kwinchel@stetson.edu.
George Crofts’ Letter to the Editor in the Beacon!
“Letter to the Editor: Stains on the Declaration of Independence”
Click on the Below Link:
Looking For Donations for School Supply Back Pack Giveaway
Mara announced that the Joyce Cusack Resource Center is requesting donations for their Annual School Supplies - Back Pack Giveaway.
If you are interested in helping, please address your donations(checks) to Springhill Resource Center, 489 W. Matthis St, Deland, FL 32720