Outreach

We extend our Christian faith and assistance to others in need in our community and the world by supporting these programs:

 Parent Advisory Council of Marion County

The Parent Advisory Council, in partnership with the Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) to inform parents and community representatives of relevant guidelines and/or changes to the School Board’s policies and rules. For further information, please call Yvette Mitchell, Representative, Parent Advisory Council at352-351-4075.

Changes and News from Formerly Church without Walls

Church Without Walls Status

The report of the demise of Church Without Walls, Inc. (DBA-Youth Reach) is not true.  The organization has been working with the at-risk youth of Marion County since 1994.  This has not changed.  Our 40 plus volunteers will continue to provide tutoring, enrichment and moral training in our local detention centers.

What has changed is the PACT (Parents and Children Together) and SAFE (Student and Family Education) programs in Marion County will not be offered after July 1, 2008.  The United Way grants and DJJ grants to support these programs were not funded. Without money the necessary staff cannot be employed.

The Board is making efforts to find other sources of funding such as writing grants and asking the community for support.  When these efforts are successful the PACT and SAFE program will be renewed.

13 N.E. 36th Avenue
Ocala, Fl. 32170    624-2001 

 The Christian Appalachian Project

 The Christian Appalachian Project trip for August was cancelled.  Suggestions for mission trips in 2009 will be greatly appreciated. Join the Mission Committee and help us help Ft King to reach out to the community of Marion County and beyond.

 Interfaith Emergency Service

The good folks at Ft. King provide and serve dinner once a month to the people sheltered at Interfaith Emergency Services.  We currently have June 25, 2008 as well as other dates in 2008 open.  If you would like to provide this mission, please sign-up on the bulletin board outside the church office.  For more information,  call Joyce-Ellen Horne at 624-1336.

Food4Kids Program is Growing at Interfaith Emergency Services  By Gary Linn, Interfaith Emergency Services

More than three million friends and neighbors across the U.S. walk with the world as either walkers or sponsors.  Please sponsor our walkers.  Jim and Donna Johnson are our recruiters this year.  Please see them for participant packets. 

Needed:   volunteers to provide and serve dinner at Interfaith Emergency Services on December 26^th.  Sign up on the bulletin board outside of the church office.  If you do not know what this gratifying mission opportunity is all about, call someone on the list that has already served.  Thank you to all who have performed this valuable mission in our community.

The Interfaith Food4Kids program had a very successful school year.  Because of the generous donations of food and money from our community, we were able to add 2 schools to the program this year and now have 10 schools participating.  The program began in 2004 with 2 schools and has grown steadily.  The Food 4Kids program is a wonderful partnership with the Marion County Public Schools. 

Each week throughout the school year, 80-90 backpacks are sent home providing weekend food for about 285 children.  We have already been contacted by another school that would like to be added to the program next school year.  Our goal is to continue expanding the program.  This will be possible with continuous sustained support from churches, businesses, organizations and individuals.  During the Summer months we are asking for monetary donations and backpacks on wheels (unisex colors and no cartoon characters please) so we can prepare for the new school year.  We will begin collecting food for the backpacks in the middle of August.  If you have any questions, need more information or want to make a donation, contact Karen Palmer, Food4Kids Coordinator, at 620-8239.  Thank you to everyone who has helped us feed hungry children.

Interfaith with your support, continues to provide assistance to the citizens of Marion County. As the size of our county is growing, our programs of service grow as well. Our Prescription Program is up to 534 clients. Every day, Monday through Friday, our volunteers provide food, personal hygiene items, clothing vouchers and prescription assistance to the citizens. The shifts run from 9am to 11:30am or from 1pm to 4pm. 

What do $40 and a young person being released from the Department of Juvenile Justice have in common? A “Fresh Start.” $40 buys a new pair of pants, a new shirt, new shoes and new undergarments. For this young person it means greater self-esteem, it means that someone cares, it means a better chance to get a job and it says they are important. If you would like to know how your contribution can help with this special project “Fresh Start Closet,” contact Gary Linn at Interfaith Emergency Services at 629-9968.
We are in need of volunteers in several areas. Examples of areas needing assistance is our Thrift Store in Ocala and our Food Pantry. We will find that special area for the volunteer that best fits their personality. If you would like any further information, please contact Interfaith at 629-8868.

 Habitat for Humanity

 May 10^th was a very important day in Ocala.   Habitat for Humanity raised the walls on this year’s Women Build house.  You can volunteer on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to noon.

Sign-up is through Dee Heartly at 351-4663 no later than Friday for the following Tuesday, Tuesday for Thursday and Thursday for Saturday. Volunteer applications are on a table in the narthex. Be sure to follow the building’s progress on the Pastor’s bulletin board. We will need many hands to move the family in for our completion goal of Christmas 2008.

MARION COUNTY CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE 
CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE BEGINS WORK ON FAMILY VIOLENCE

On the second Tuesday each month, we are meeting at the Ocala Police Department on Pine at noon for a “Bag the Violence” lunch. It is a time for parents and others who work with children and youth to meet the school and community officials and to discuss ways we can overcome bullying and violence. Bring your lunch! A drink and dessert will be provided.

 CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE BOARD MEETING  

We had 1048 verified cases of child abuse in the county in 2004. What can we do to lower that number? We have 398 children in Foster Care. What are we doing to help these homes to be safe for children? Have we thought about being a Guardian Ad Litem? Have we thought about mentoring? What about helping CWW or the YES Program? You can make a difference to children 2005. 

The 8% Solution Committee will be another committee of the Alliance. This committee will be addressing how we can reach out early to children who are getting into trouble, and who may be later in our adult jails. How can we turn people around early.

Marion County Children’s Alliance This emerging group is led by a Board of Directors including the Directors of DCFS, the Regional Manager of Juvenile Justice, the State Attorney, the Legislator from our District, The Director of United Way, the Superintendent of the Public Schools, the Representative of the Faith Community, the head of the Judges in the county.

The vision of the Alliance is to create a community that values all children and families, accomplished by nurturing the family environment while providing, effective services of the highest quality.

It has a coordinator, Dr. Mike Jordan. The head of the board is Sheriff Ed Dean, and it has quickly moved to find grant money for a Director. It now has 34 agencies as a part of its Steering Committee. This group is quickly at work in building better Communication, Coordination , and Collaboration in helping children and youth at risk and their families in this county. It is something we have long needed in Marion County. Many are very excited that we have this group underway.

Alliances are forming across the State of Florida in every county, but in Marion County we are ahead o of most all the other counties, because we saw the need before Tallahassee began to ask counties to form Alliances. It is going to take the whole community working together to really deal with the problems of children and youth at risk in our county. We need to not only agencies, but also Faith Communities and business to join forces. This group has the mission to make this possible. You can come to their meetings at the Sheriff’s office.

We also introduced people to the One Church (or Faith Community) One Child program. We are looking for 12 Faith Communities to take on one youth & family who are just starting to get into trouble. The idea is for Faith Communities to turn around these folks before they get into deeper trouble. We already have six faith communities on board with this program. 

The Faith Community Network is looking for five new after school care programs to be started this year. If you know of any group interested, let us know. 
The Alliance has started a group called the Violence Forum that is seeking to overcome violence in Marion County. We are encouraging the city to get behind its curfew laws for people under the age of 16. We are also starting new programs in the evening where youth can congregate with supervision. 

The Faith Community Network is also asking Faith Communities to take on one youth who is 11-14 years old and coming before the judge for the first time. The Faith Community would reach out to this youth through it’s youth program and provide mentoring and tutoring. They would work with the youth’s case worker from Juvenile Justice to help turn the youth around. If you have interest or know of others who might be interested, contact Jim Bullock at 694-4121. 

The Children’s Alliance meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Sheriff’s auditorium.

RAPE CRISIS CENTER

Needs donations of sheets, bleach, trash bags and paper products. Please leave your items in the basket in the narthex.

 Children’s Advocacy Center  Kimberly Cottage 

The Children’s Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization which provides support for abused and/or neglected children. It was organized one year ago and has chosen not to seek government funding, rather to seek community support. The agency is asking churches and their members throughout the community to participate in a faith initiative project. 

Various ways of assisting, as well as, donating funds, could be; become a mentor at the Center, volunteer at the Center, provide refreshments for the children, add the children and the staff to your prayer list. 

If you are interested in helping make a difference in a child’s life, call Debra Gelinas, Executive Director, at 369-2341.