About Plymouth

Outreach & Social Action

Plymouth members are drawn into passionate engagement with the social concerns of our times. With support of the Board of Outreach, you might connect with Plymouth’s wider community in two ways: through acts of compassion that address the immediate needs of those vulnerable in our society, and through advocacy for social change that furthers justice as a realization of the Kingdom of God.

Working Groups
To find out more about any of the following committees or program areas, including the possibility of joining one of them, contact Jeffrey Sartain, Executive Minister (612/871-7400, jeffs@plymouth.org).

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Caring for Creation – Transforming people and the land that sustains them. This working group focuses on caring for the environment as integral to spiritual life and social justice. Activities vary with the skills and interests of the membership. Recent projects include involving the congregation in the Minnesota Energy Challenge, writing numerous articles for the Flame, organizing an annual sustainable living fair, helping plan and plant a wildflower/rain garden at Plymouth, working on an environmental policy statement, field trips and more. Members are very interested in the environment, alternative energy, wildlife and all things “green”! Join them as they learn, grow and work towards a sustainable future. Contact: Tom Haigh or Barbara Crosby. More on Caring for Creation. Volunteer to work in the Wildflower Rain Garden

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Drop-In Center – Fellowship for neighbors with disabilities, mental illness or struggles with independent living. Plymouth created the Drop-In Center in 1971 as an expansion of the church’s visitation program to board-and-care homes. Social recreation and the positive benefits of friendship were intended to provide structure and foster well-being in participants’ lives, many of whom had previously been institutionalized. The program has continued with loving support from church people and now includes an annual week at Camp Knutson. The Drop-In Center relies on volunteers to make the program a community experience – to spend time with participants at the church on Wednesdays 1-3 or Thursdays 6-8 p.m., to go together on fieldtrips and to nurture relationships. For calendar, click here. Contact Larry Johnson, Drop-In coordinator, larryj@plymouth.org, 612/977-1282.

Families Moving Forward—Families Moving Forward connects families who are currently homeless with a series of congregations who provide housing one week at a time while the organization works with the families to find permanent housing. Guests of the host congregations arrive on a bus in the evening, have dinner, socialize, spend the night in their own guest bedroom, and have a quick bite in the morning before returning by bus to the Families Moving Forward Day Center. Volunteer job descriptions and link to sign up.

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Friends of the Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation – Creating homes for those in need and building a stronger community for us all. Created in 1999 by members of Plymouth, the Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation (PCNF) is a non-profit affordable housing developer. There are many ways to be involved in the Foundation: serving on the Board or a committee, volunteering on hands-on projects at a housing project or participating in “A Night on the Street” youth event. The Foundation currently owns eight properties, including Lydia Apartments for 40 previously homeless individuals, North Haven Apartments for
refugee families and Nicollet Square for homeless youth. For more information, see the Foundation's website.

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Gay-Straight Alliance – Promote inclusiveness at Plymouth and in our neighborhood. This informal group of members works to enhance inclusiveness both in the church and wider community. The Mission Statement is: “We walk together regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression to foster mutual understanding, celebration and respect within our group and in Plymouth as a whole. We seek opportunities for education and action within the broader community to promote an inclusive society.” GSA page

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Groveland Emergency Food Shelf – Help distribute more than 25,000 pounds of food to people who need it each month. Groveland Emergency Food Shelf, located in Plymouth’s basement, is part of a five-church effort to feed food-insecure youth and adults. Per month, the Food Shelf sees about 1,000 people and hands out 25,000 pounds of food. It provides three to five days of food at a time, an emergency supply. Plymouth volunteers stock shelves, greet clients, pick up and deliver food or raise funds. Adults are served Mondays-Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (hours subject to change). Groveland Food for Youth serves homeless and transitional youth. The Food Shelf is continually addressing the need for an ongoing supply of fresh vegetables and fruits. To volunteer, contact Dave Enghusen, groveland@visi.com, 612/871-0277. Food Shelf Website

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Habitat for Humanity - Help build someone a new home or refurbish an old one. Plymouth has organized volunteers to work on Habitat projects for over 15 years: complete rehabilitation of older homes, building new ones, or simply washing and painting the exteriors. We provide the effort and talents to provide good housing for worthy families selected by Habitat and have an enjoyable time together. We have two or three weeks from late Spring through the Fall each year when volunteers can spend one or more days working together with professional Habitat supervisors and experienced Plymouth leaders. We also need help to provide snacks and lunch for our volunteers. Contact: Bonnie Herr

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Heading Home Plymouth—Advocate for change through the legislative process. This working group works with members to provide education and promote advocacy on social justice issues of homelessness and affordable housing. Plymouth members staff the “Take Five” advocacy table in Guild Hall on selected Sundays following worship. This is a great way for the congregation to use their gift of citizenship to advocate for change via the legislative process. Contact: Jessica Frehse

Heading Home Hennepin, a plan to end homelessness in Hennepin County by 2016.

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Lydia Apartments Connections – Help neighbors help themselves. This working group helps to maintain an ongoing relationship between Plymouth and Lydia Apartments. Together with residents and staff, they plan and carry out activities and volunteer opportunities for residents and Plymouth members in order to benefit Lydia and the broader community. The working group also ensures that residents feel supported by the Plymouth community, which is deeply committed to their personal growth and well-being. Contact: Renee Macomber

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Meals on Wheels – A hot meal for the homebound every Thursday. Deliver hot meals once or more each month on Thursdays to homebound people in the Loring-Nicollet area, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Homebound people might include those with disabilities, the elderly or those otherwise isolated. For each delivery, six Plymouth volunteers, individuals or couples, set out on their own routes. All routes are in the downtown area with about 10 to 13 stops per route. Volunteers provide their own transportation and pick up meals from a central Meals on Wheels kitchen. Contact: Fran Neir

Neighborhood Connections – Partner with neighbors to build a better neighborhood. Plymouth is located within the neighborhood known as Stevens Square-Loring Heights and on the boarder of the Whittier Neighborhood. Plymouth partners with these two neighborhood associations on various activities to celebrate and enhance our life together in this place. We support activities, including community gardens, the summer/fall Farmers Market in our parking lot, community celebrations, fairs, clean sweep and block patrol. Contact: Katie Dailey. To learn more about these groups visit their websites: Stevens Square Community Organization (SSCO), Whittier Alliance, Whittier Neighbors.

SSCO Newletter

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Plymouth School Volunteers – Help kids improve reading and math or share artistic talent. Registration of school volunteers is held each fall. Volunteers spend one or two hours per week at the school during the September-June school year. Contact: Bryce Hamilton
Whittier International School is a unique arts-integrated elementary school in the Whittier neighborhood offering quality education to children of many income levels and nationalities. Many Plymouth volunteers assist as tutors, helping children speak and read English. Some also help with math lessons or play music during the day. For more information visit the school web site.

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Simpson Partners – Hospitality for the homeless, on a first-name basis. The Simpson men’s homeless shelter was created in the winter of 1981 and is housed in the basement of Simpson United Methodist Church. Simpson Housing Services has expanded to include a women’s shelter, support services and transitional housing for adults and single-parent families. Volunteers from Plymouth can help make sandwiches or work an overnight supervision shift in the men’s shelter, which offers a safe place, clean bed, shower, warm meal and resource referrals. Training for volunteers is provided. Other opportunities for involvement include organizing “Undie Sunday” at Plymouth, housing advocacy, legal counsel, shelter fundraisers and holiday food baskets for Simpson families. Contact: Ruth Colby

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Third Sunday Meal – Help serve more than 200 meals to neighbors in need each month. Plymouth hosts the Third Sunday meal, which strives to serve fresh, healthy food with dignity. Volunteers serve a free hot meal to more than 200 guests of all ages in Plymouth’s dining hall. Volunteers are needed from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The on-going need is for 25 volunteer servers per month. Plymouth partners with three other downtown churches – Hennepin Ave. United Methodist, Westminster Presbyterian and St. Mark’s Episcopal – to serve dinner every Sunday to those in need. Contact: Kim Lutes or Kari Hellie

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Downtown Congregations To End Homelessness – Transforming our actions from managing to ending homelessness. Join this interfaith effort of the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness (DCEH) and work together to end homelessness by using our civic voice to educate and push the community from managing homelessness to ending homelessness through our support of Heading Home Hennepin and multiple relationships with the homeless and near homeless, congregations, volunteers and community organizations.

DCEH Annual Report [PDF]

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Working Groups

Express your interest in a Working Group

Outreach/Benevolence News

Service Projects	Neighborhood Relationships	Education & Advocacy
Groveland Food Shelf	Lydia Apartment Connections	Advocacy
Third Sunday Meal	Drop-In Center	Gay-Straight Alliance
Meals on Wheels	Neighborhood Connections (Stevens Square- Loring Heights and Whittier)	Caring for Creation
Simpson Partners		To End Homelessness
PCNF Housing Events
Plymouth School Volunteers
Habitat for Humanity