The shelter is closed after 7 months of housing those who are experiencing homelessness. Michael spent more time with the residents of our social hall than anyone else. Every day he sat in the Christian Education building for 2-3 hours while folks showered and did their laundry. This...
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The Outreach SLG is meeting on June 23rd at 6pm to discuss the shelter closing at the end of the month and what this means for revamping the Saturday Cupboard. At this time, the church is looking to hire a COVID-19 specialized cleaning company to do a thorough cleaning of the social...
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As we inch into June, we wanted to update you on what is happening within our leadership group. The shelter remains open until further notice. We will allow the shelter to be a safe haven for as long as necessary according to the City’s safety guidelines. The Giving Tuesday...
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Friends near and far, the Outreach committee and Old First staff want to thank you for your generous donations to support our #GivingTuesdayNow campaign. This began as a small ask to reach a goal of $1000 and grew into something miraculous. Several individuals and families came forward...
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*** Below is a letter that Outreach has sent to all of Old First’s friends who support the Outreach Programs and the Homeless Shelter *** Dear Friends of Old First, I think you all already know, but Old First Reformed United Church of Christ and Bethesda Project jointly...
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How is Philly helping the homeless during quarantine? If you haven’t been on social media you have probably missed the posts I have been sharing about community partnerships and volunteer opportunities to help out those who are still residing on the street or who don’t have reliable...
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Last week, Outreach received word from Bethesda Project that all volunteer shifts would be terminated at their community sites and residences. This was a blow to our shelter which is part of their Church Shelter Program (CSP). We quickly mobilized to let the scheduled volunteers for...
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We are looking for a few internet savvy folks to help with some of the administrative and internet based responsibilities of the Outreach Coordinator. As an at-home volunteer you will need 3-5 hours a week to complete these tasks. The ideal volunteers will be comfortable with emailing...
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Below are the 2019 reports that we’ve received thus far for the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26, 2020, after worship. There will be printed copies of the Action Items (agenda, election slate, 2020 proposed budget) for everyone present at the Annual Meeting. There will also...
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Below is a song that was sung at last Sunday’s Carols for a Cause. The event, which took place at Christ Church, raised money for Old First’s Saturday Breakfast and Clothing Cupboard and Winter Homeless Shelter. Carols for a Cause ultimately raised $8,000 for our Outreach...
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