Local Community Programs

Local Community Programs supported by First Presbyterian Church:

Hunger Relief 

  • We collect food the third Sunday of each month for East Wayne Street Center and Wellspring Food Banks.
  • We also provide cooked meals and volunteers to serve the meal one Sunday a month at the Rescue Mission. The February Rescue Mission Meal will be prepared and served on February 19. Please sign up in the Church Office to contribute a spaghetti dish, garlic bread or your choice of cake. Your giving to this ministry is so appreciated by our neighbors at the Mission.
  • On Sunday, February 5, our youth will be participating in the national Souper Bowl of Caring by collecting food and cash to be delivered to East Wayne Street Center, Wellspring Social Services and Amistad Christiana Food Bank.
  • During the six Sundays of Lent contributions of canned fish and crackers are collected.

 Everyone a Neighbor Day -  This is FPC's way of showing care and concern for our neighbors downtown. We know we can't solve their problems but we are able to show we care for them through hospitality. We ask anyone in the neighborhood on the 4th Thursday of the month to join us for food and fun. We serve lunch and share stories at the lunch tables. We play bingo for $1 prizes. We collect used clothing during the month and put it out for the taking if anything might fill a need for them. On our lucky days some one sits at the piano and we have some good old songs to sing. We take prayer requests and if we are lucky and a nurse joins us we take blood pressure readings. We try to make it feel like they are at home in McKay Hall and enjoying family. Hopefully it is an afternoon of fun out of the sun, rain, cold....a problem free afternoon.  Contact: Sharon Hedeen 483-9666, e-mail: shedeen@frontier.com

 Children's Clothing Collection - The Board of Deacons is supporting a clothing drive in order to meet the needs of about 500 homeless children. The students are in grades K through 12. We are collecting gently used winter clothing, as well as clothing for approaching warmer weather. The urgent need now, however, is for underwear and socks; these items need to be new and still in their original wrappings. Please help and bring your donations to the church's small dining room - blue bins next to the Habitat container. These young people need to dress appropriately for the season, feel good about themselves and come to school prepared to study. If you have any questions, please call Annelie Collie, 485-0568.

Habitat for Humanity  - We raise money, collect aluminum cans and supply labor for building homes.  Cans are collected in a marked container in the church's Small Dining Room.  We also sponsor a Harvest Home Dinner, a fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity.  Contact: Dick Florea  637-5015.  First Pres was one of seven local churches joining to build a house in November 2010 in Monroeville, and previously helped build five homes in Fort Wayne.  Our next involvement is in a planned Interfaith Build project in May 2012.

Interfaith Hospitality Network provides meals and companionship to homeless families at the residential facility on East State Blvd.  Our next assignment is January 15-21. We will be responsible for feeding our friends from Sunday through Saturday of that week. Your help is needed!! There is a sign-up sheet on the Interfaith Hospitality Network bulletin board in the Small Dining Room. You may sign up for the main course, a side dish, or dessert - or, of course, you may decide to provide the entire meal. There is also an instruction sheet that you may take with you. If you have any questions please feel free to call Joan Coslow 424-2430 or Taff Silliman 672-8340.  

Angel Tree provides Christmas clothing and toys presents for Wellspring Social Services and East Wayne Street Center. Angel Tree selection typically begins in November with a child or family chosen for whom Christmas gifts will be purchased. Volunteers are available to help with the selection amd to answer questions. For Christmas 2011, generous giving filled 142 Angel Tree requests. 

Women 4 Women, Knitting 4 Peace knit shawls for women. Knitters meet the first Wednesday of each month 1:00 to 2:30pm in the second floor Parlor. The shawls are dedicated on Mother’s Day Sunday.   Contact: Alice Chitwood 744-3802, e-mail: mamawchitwood@comcast.net

Ditty Bags - At their May retreat, the Deacons assembled 120 attractive cloth bags filled with personal hygiene items which were distributed to clients of Charis House, the YWCA Women’s and Children’s Shelters, the Rescue Mission and the Interfaith Hospitality Network.

Education Scholarships, Loans, and Grants: First Presbyterian offers $1,000.00 scholarships to qualifying members and children of members who are pursuing degree directed post-secondary education. In addition, loans are available for those seeking church-related vocations and for staff needing assistance for graduate work. Applications, obtainable from Lisa Yarian in the Financial Office, are due April 1.

Emergency Response Team responds to local or national disasters.  Contact: Ruth Ann Briggs 637-8680, e-mail: wnrabriggs@frontier.com

Homosexuality Team provides education about issues of inclusivity.  Contact:  Kathie Bishop 423-6674, e-mail: nkatlinc@frontier.com

Eco-Faith works to educate the congregation and encourage action toward church and homes becoming more ecologically effective.  Contact:  Dave Freeman 637-3032, e-mail: freedave@aol.com

Presbyterian Latino Alliance N.E. Working with churches in five counties, they reach out to Spanish speaking people, helping them to learn English as a second language, and providing bilingual worship and Bible School.  Contact: Jean Wise 637-3500