Homelessness

There are roughly 7,300 homeless people in D.C. this year.  Consider serving to make a difference.

Beltsville Church Initiatives:  

1. Give a care package to a homeless person.   We're making hundreds of care packages to give to the homeless.  Take and use one of ours or consider making one yourelf or donate money to help the church make more.  Click here to learn what you might consider putting in a care package.

2. Volunteer at a Shelter.  We are needing two teams of 8 to help serve breakfast at Thrive DC, a local shelter.

     •     Tuesday, October 6 or Thursday, October 8 – 8 AM – 11 AM

     •     Help prepare and serve morning meal to 150+ community members

     •     Work directly with Program staff to facilitate laundry and shower services

     •     Distribute daily needed hygiene supplies to clients

3. Volunteer to help us house homeless women in our community for the week of February 14-21. We need people to bring food, coordinate logistics, and stay overnight in one of our ministry Houses.  Email the church office to indicate how you'd like to help.

Community Initiatives:

1. Volunteer at Thrive DC.  The emergency support that Thrive DC provides offers hope to their clients when they need it most. They serve over 250 men and women each day, and couldn’t do it without volunteers who make time for the most vulnerable members of our city.  Opportunities include:

  Serving breakfast to the homeless

  Serving dinner to homeless low-income and women

  Working with the homeless on computer skills and employment searches

  Host an event benefiting Thrive DC

2. Volunteer by feeding the homeless at http://some.org/volunteer/

Global Initiatives:

1. Help Refugees.  The escalating refugee crisis in Europe is seeing hundreds of thousands of people fleeing violence in war-torn Syria and other countries. Travel for these refugees is treacherous, conditions are desperate, and cold weather is fast approaching.  Throughout Europe, you can help us reach refugees at every step – in their home countries, along travel routes, and in cities where they are passing through or settling down. REFUGEES NEED URGENT ASSISTANCE. HELP ADRA RESPOND.

2. Protect a Street Child.  Provided by ADRA.  A center that provides shelter, food, medical care, tutoring, and even sports and music can take children off the streets and show them a brighter side of life. Without education and engagement, a street child is vulnerable to drug addiction, criminal activity, and sexual exploitation.

3. Clothe a Refugee Child for Winter.  Warm clothing, cozy bedding, and other weather-appropriate resources mean so much to a shivering refugee child braving winter with no comforts from home. Many times temporary housing isn’t enough to keep out the chill, and the walk to school or chores is brutal without suitable protection from the elements.  Provided by ADRA.

4. Educate an Orphan.  Education is a gift that lasts forever. Providing the necessities, such as books, a uniform, and supplies, means that an orphan can go to school and be ready for the future just like the other kids. For an orphan who may face neglect or discrimination, it’s a chance at a future that would otherwise not be an option.  Provided by ADRA.

5. Get informed about long term solutions to homelessness at http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/solutions

Shoes (Clothing)

Beltsville Church Initiatives:

1. Donate your new or used shoes that are still in decent condition at first or second service on September 26.

2. Go without shoes for a day at work, post a picture on facebook or twitter to raise awareness for those without shoes.  Be sure to tag Beltsville Church Facebook Page or Pastor Tim Madding's Twitter.

Community Initiatives:

1. Donate to a local Goodwill store. Find locations at http://www.dcgoodwill.org/donation/goodwill-donation-bins/

Global Initiatives:

1. Clothe a Refugee Child for Winter  Warm clothing, cozy bedding, and other weather-appropriate resources mean so much to a shivering refugee child braving winter with no comforts from home. Many times temporary housing isn’t enough to keep out the chill, and the walk to school or chores is brutal without suitable protection from the elements.  Provided by ADRA.

2. Partnering with TOMS and their One for One program, ADRA distributed more than 84,000 pairs of the brand’s shoes throughout Rwanda in 2013.  Read Placidia's story and buy a pair of shoes from TOMS.

3. An agency that distributes shoes to those in need worldwide at https://soles4souls.org/

Feeding the Hungry

Beltsville Church Initiatives:

1. Bring a bag of non-perishable food to church on Sabbath, October 3.  All food donated will be given to Beltsville Adventist Community Center (BACC) to assist families locally.

2. Choose to either fast from all food (or a portion of) on one specific day or fast from something specific (like all forms of sugar) all week long.  Then, post a something on facebook or twitter to raise awareness for those without food.  Be sure to tag Beltsville Church Facebook Page or Pastor Tim Madding's Twitter.  #sevendayswithout

Community Initiatives: 

1. Visit BACC and see what they do and what we have to offer people in our community.  Consider serving.  They will be hosting an open house on Sunday, October 18, from 3 to 5pm.

2. Donate money to BACC food pantry which provides food to those in our local community who need it.

3. Find other area community service centers that are making a difference and suppor them.

Global Initiatives:

1.  Improve Mealtimes With Cookstoves  A gift of a new cookstove can transform mealtimes for an impoverished family. Economical and energy-saving, each cookstove is safe for use indoors and doesn’t require an open flame, which cuts down on risks such as burns or respiratory infections from inadequate ventilation.  Provided by ADRA.

2.  Save a Starving Child  Regular, nourishing meals for a child who is at high risk of malnutrition can turn a life around. Severe hunger is an overwhelming experience for children, and they are especially vulnerable to its terrible effects. Balanced meals, high in protein, calcium, and crucial vitamins and minerals, help a child meet physical growth milestones, focus on learning, and have the energy to just be a kid.  Provided by ADRA.

Clean Water

Beltsville Church Initiatives:

1. Support the ADRA initiative to help drill wells in others countries so that others might have access to clean water.

2. Offer someone a bottle of water.  When you do, let them know that there are 783 million people in the world that do not have access to clean water.  Then encourage them to support an initiative to make a difference.

Global Initiatives:

1. Drill a Well and Change a Community Forever  Drilling a new well completely transforms a village by bringing safe, clean water close to home. Women and children no longer have to walk unprotected for miles to get water, so they can spend their days in meaningful work or stay in school. Chronic disease from drinking unsafe water is cut drastically because villagers don’t have to share their drinking source with bathing livestock and other contaminants.  Provided by ADRA.

Almost 800 million people in the world lack access to clean water, and they suffer for it, especially in the developing world. Every major ADRA water project also includes training in vital hygiene and sanitation practices, which means a healthier future for an entire community.

There are so many opportunites to partner with and assist others in the mission of service.  We must do all that we can to make an impact in our communities, but it is just as vital to team up with others to make a difference locally and globally.

Listed below are ministries, programs and initiartive that are seeking to help those that are unable to help themselves.  Look them over, go to their websites, consider making donations and then pray about driving across town or  buying a plane ticket and traveling there personally to assist them.

We are proud supporters of ADRA for our global Initiatives.