MISSIONSMINISTRY

At Carmel UMC strive to be the hands and feet of Christ through outreach in the world around us. We have three areas of focus: Food Insecurity, Children, and Housing.

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What's Happening:


The 2022 Missions Ministry REPORT is available. CLICK HERE to read! 

 

Sierra Leone Mission Team | Jessica Stevens writes: 

"Our team from Operation Classroom and Carmel UMC is wrapping up its first week with our partners, Carmel Preschool and Taiama Enterprise Academy in Sierra Leone! The worldwide UMC is working alongside the Sierra Leone UMC to bring education, healthcare and churches to the communities here. We’ve spent the week building relationships and learning so much from amazing Sierra Leoneans".

 

Food Pantry Donations

Every week we publish a list of Food Pantry MOST NEEDED items.
You can find that list here:  FOOD PANTRY NEEDS for THIS WEEK.

 

 

Food Pantry & Garden

Click here for closed dates and weather closing policy.

The CUMC Food Pantry serves about 300 families each month. We partner with local churches, school organizations and members of the community to serve healthy food to HAMILTON COUNTY RESIDENTS. Please bring proof of residence, such as a driver's license and/or utility bill with you when you visit the food pantry.

 

In 2022, St Christopher's Episcopal Church, Carmel Christian Church, Cornerstone Lutheran, and Pilgrim Lutheran, donated bounty from their own gardens to the CUMC Food Pantry. Orchard Park Presbyterian Church donates all of the eggs given to guests of the pantry. 

 

If you are interested in volunteering in the Food Pantry, please email cumcpantryscheduling@yahoo.com.

 

 

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement food for anyone in need of support. It operates between the hours of 1pm and 3pm on the third Friday of each month from the Carmel UMC parking lot. To learn more click here.

2023 DATES - FRIDAYS

JAN 20

 

FEB 17

 

MAR 17

 

APR 21

MAY 19

 

JUN 16

 

JUL 21

 

AUG 18

SEP 15

 

OCT 20

 

NOV 17

 

DEC -TBA

1pm - 3pm

Each household may visit the food pantry once every month, and the Gleaners Mobile Food Pantry day each month. 

Food Pantry Garden

In 2020 our church decided to get outside and start planting healthy, organic produce to be distributed by our Food Pantry to Hamilton County Residents. In 2021 the garden won the 1st Annual Anatoth Award from the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church for being a community-minded garden. Our hope is to continue growing healthy nutritious foods for our community. 

Soup's On joins Roberts Park UMC in downtown Indianapolis to serve meals to the hungry and homeless of downtown Indy on Sundays each week. Meals are provided from 12-1pm. Personal hygiene items are also available. CUMC serves 5 times per year. Contact Jim Bach at saborofborg@gmail.com about volunteering to serve.

2023 Dates | Jan 8, Mar 26, Jun 11, Sep 10, Nov 12

Missions Serving Children

BAGS OF HOPE

Most children in foster care enter with nothing of their own. Bags of Hope provides foster children with their own mongrammed duffle bag filled with books, blankets, toys and a few item that will hopefully bring them joy.

More Info HERE.

 

KIDS COATS

Kids Coats was started by three women from Carmel UMC and has grown from a church  ministry to its own nonprofit that serves thousands of people in Hamilton County each year. Kids Coats keeps the residents of Hamilton County warm in the cooler/cold months with lightweight jackets, scarves, gloves, boots, and winter coats. Volunteer opportunities are year round!

More Info HERE.

 

 

SIERRA LEONE & OPERATION CLASSROOM

The United Methodist Churches across Indiana partner with United Methodist Churches in Sierra Leone & Liberia to ensure children have access to education. Carmel UMC partners specifically with the schools in Sierra Leone, including the Taiama Enterprise Academy, to provide school supplies, scholarships and room & board to students. 

Pastor Daisy Gbloh is from Sierra Leone. She is serving as part of the CUMC staff for 18 months while she studies at United Theological Seminary. 

SALVATION ARMY ANGEL TREE

In Nov. & Dec of 2022, we collected Christmas gifts for 350 Hamilton County children. Each year Angel Tree provides thousands of children with something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. 

WANT, NEED, WEAR, READ

Carmel UMC partnered with  Salvation Army Angel Tree to distrbute gifts on December 17, 2022. Contact Jessica Stevens, jstevens@carmelumc.org if you have any questions!

 

HOUSING MISSIONS

Family Promise is the nation's leading organization working to prevent and end family homelessness. Carmel UMC was one of the founding partner churches to get this non-profit started in the Indianapolis area. What began as churches providing food and shelter in the winter months has turned into furnishing apartments to help provide stability for homeless families and most especially their children.

Look for sign-ups throughout the year to donate household items to furnish an apartment for a local family.  

Each year Carmel UMC sends a team to Frakes Kentucky to help families with home improvement projects.

In June 2022, our team built a new deck for a family and saw first-hand how improving a home can boost pride in home ownership and hope in many other facets of life. 

For more information about Henderson Settlement click HERE.