Each Christmas Eve, our church family gives a special offering dedicated entirely to a selected mission partner. This gift is our way of making a meaningful, focused impact—supporting their work and extending care to the people they faithfully serve.
Beginning December 1
There will be a Christmas tree outside of the Library with tags indicating home good items to gift. This a great opportunity to make a difference furnishing the home of a newly housed family.
Drop off items in the Blue Bin located in the 200 Wing.
Contact: Stephen Finkel stephenf@whpc.org
The Gathering at WHPC is a memory loss respite program, where participants engage in activities and socializing while their caregivers get a break. We meet on Wednesdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. A Kitchen Crew provides a meal for about 30 hungry participants and volunteers each week.
Volunteers with the Kitchen Crew could help prepare lunch from 10:00am – 1:00pm or clean dishes from 12:30pm – 1:00pm. You could also help prepare for the lunch in advance by shopping or baking treats.
A respite program for caregivers of those living with dementia. We are looking for caring volunteers to join us Wednesdays from 9 am-
1 pm as we provide supervision, companionship, and fun activities for our guests—giving their families a much-needed break.
For more information contact hilaryf@whpc.org
Each Christmas Eve, our church family gives a special offering dedicated entirely to a selected mission partner. This gift is our way of making a meaningful, focused impact—supporting their work and extending care to the people they faithfully serve.
Beginning December 1
There will be a Christmas tree outside of the Library with tags indicating home good items to gift. This a great opportunity to make a difference furnishing the home of a newly housed family.
Drop off items in the Blue Bin located in the 200 Wing.
Contact: Stephen Finkel stephenf@whpc.org
The Gathering at WHPC is a memory loss respite program, where participants engage in activities and socializing while their caregivers get a break. We meet on Wednesdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. A Kitchen Crew provides a meal for about 30 hungry participants and volunteers each week.
Volunteers with the Kitchen Crew could help prepare lunch from 10:00am – 1:00pm or clean dishes from 12:30pm – 1:00pm. You could also help prepare for the lunch in advance by shopping or baking treats.
A respite program for caregivers of those living with dementia. We are looking for caring volunteers to join us Wednesdays from 9 am-
1 pm as we provide supervision, companionship, and fun activities for our guests—giving their families a much-needed break.
For more information contact hilaryf@whpc.org
Flower Arrangement Volunteers are needed to join us on Sundays after worship to help break down the large sanctuary arrangements into smaller bouquets for delivery to nursing facilities and homebound members.
For more information contact lorainneh@whpc.org
Help support our church family during times of joy and challenge—such as births, illness, or loss—by providing a meal. You’ll receive an email when a need arises and can sign up to help whenever you’re able.
For more information contact janc@whpc.org
WHPC has a long history of supporting MLF with transitioning people from homelessness to being part of a community that includes housing, dignified income, physical and mental well being, and supportive relationships.
We are continuing to do this with monthly gatherings at King Park area of Community First. These gatherings focus on hanging out with neighbors and sharing a meal. Think of it as a cul-de-sac party/cookout in your neighborhood. Grilling, games & conversations … This is a family friendly event that will bless all those that participate.
These gatherings take place on the 3rd Saturday of every month at Community First VIllage in East Austin.
1. Teaching Classes. Using God of Hope approved curricula, volunteers teach the Bible, spiritual habits, and life skills. Classes are held in the dorms every weekday morning and afternoon, and are attended by all participants.
2. Leading a Discipleship Group. Meetings are held once a week, and are led by a volunteer. The purpose of Discipleship Groups is to provide an atmosphere of trust and safety where individuals come to know Christ and each other through sharing and discussion of life issues.
3. Life Coaching offers a one-on-one relationship where a volunteer walks through life with an offender examining issues through use of the Word, praying for offender concerns, and helping the offender prepare for release.
For further information or to volunteer to serve, please contact Chris Knepp, WHPC’s liaison to the God of Hope Ministries, at 512-809-0957 or at c.ardenknepp@gmail.com
More information about the ministry, as well as directions for applying to serve as a volunteer, can be found on the God of Hope website: https://www.thegodofhope.org/
6 Volunteers Needed
The Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin (mcaaustin.org) is a new, small, nonprofit organization that has been generously supported by WHPC. This group provides training in dementia care to young people in low-income schools across Austin. Our organization is currently looking for some additional volunteers. We have recently added another training tool called, “Dementia Live”, which teaches students how it feels to have dementia. We are looking for about 6 new volunteers who would be willing to assist the trainers during Dementia Live demonstrations. This would take about 1 ½ hours of your time. It is certainly not necessary, but anyone who speaks Spanish would be extra helpful! If you have any questions, please call Debbie Wilder at 512-965-6262.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Mentor a teen mom (women) or dad (men). The role of a mentor includes attending YoungLives events such as club and campaigners with you mentee, and finding time to hang out with them outside of these events. Your role is to be someone that they can feel loved and seen around. The most important thing that you can do in this role is show up! Once the parents know that you are there for them, the relationship will grow and you will be able to point them to Christ.
TIME REQUIRED
We ask YoungLives mentors to reserve Tuesday evenings from around 5:00-8:00pm. This time will be used for club, campaigners, mommy and me events, and leader meetings. You are also expected to spend time with your mentee outside of events if you are serving as a mentor.
LENGTH OF COMMITMENT
We ask YoungLives volunteers to commit to at least one school year.
TRAINING PROVIDED
Training will be provided at the beginning of each school year and as needed throughout the year. The training will be specific to the role that you decide to serve in.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL SKILLS
When looking for YoungLives volunteers, we are seeking individuals who are willing to share their faith with young parents, who have time to spend with them, love them, and who can be consistent in their lives. Sometimes we are the only positive influence in these parent’s lives.
To be a YoungLives volunteer you will need to pass a background check.
BENEFITS TO THIS POSITION
Serving with Younglives will help you grow in your faith and lead many generations to faith through young moms, dads, children, and supportive family members. You will also grow strong relationships with the team that you serve with. We look forward to having you on our team!
Contact Information
Tamara Hartman- South/Central Austin (512)992-4382
tamara.hartman473@gmail.com
Caitlynn Lopez- East/North Austin (512)906-7026
caitmaceo@gmail.com
JOB DESCRIPTION
Support the ministry financially, along with supporting staff with the operations of the ministry. Committee members attend clubs when available, and a monthly committee meeting.
TIME REQUIRED
Two Tuesday evenings a month- one for club and one for committee meetings.
LENGTH OF COMMITMENT
We ask YoungLives volunteers to commit to at least one school year.
TRAINING PROVIDED
Training will be provided at the beginning of each school year and as needed throughout the year. The training will be specific to the role that you decide to serve in.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL SKILLS
When looking for YoungLives volunteers, we are seeking individuals who are willing to share their faith with young parents, who have time to spend with them, love them, and who can be consistent in their lives. Sometimes we are the only positive influence in these parent’s lives.
To be a YoungLives volunteer you will need to pass a background check.
BENEFITS TO THIS POSITION
Serving with Younglives will help you grow in your faith and lead many generations to faith through young moms, dads, children, and supportive family members. You will also grow strong relationships with the team that you serve with. We look forward to having you on our team!
Contact Information
Tamara Hartman- South/Central Austin (512)992-4382
tamara.hartman473@gmail.com
Caitlynn Lopez- East/North Austin (512)906-7026
caitmaceo@gmail.com
JOB DESCRIPTION
Childcare- Attend one YoungLives club a month to watch babies. Other opportunities may come up throughout the year. A YoungLives Coordinator will reach out to you if we need additional support from the childcare team.
TIME REQUIRED
Childcare- One Tuesday evening a month.
LENGTH OF COMMITMENT
We ask YoungLives volunteers to commit to at least one school year.
TRAINING PROVIDED
Training will be provided at the beginning of each school year and as needed throughout the year. The training will be specific to the role that you decide to serve in.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL SKILLS
When looking for YoungLives volunteers, we are seeking individuals who are willing to share their faith with young parents, who have time to spend with them, love them, and who can be consistent in their lives. Sometimes we are the only positive influence in these parent’s lives.
To be a YoungLives volunteer you will need to pass a background check.
BENEFITS TO THIS POSITION
Serving with Younglives will help you grow in your faith and lead many generations to faith through young moms, dads, children, and supportive family members. You will also grow strong relationships with the team that you serve with. We look forward to having you on our team!
Contact Information
Tamara Hartman- South/Central Austin (512)992-4382
tamara.hartman473@gmail.com
Caitlynn Lopez- East/North Austin (512)906-7026
caitmaceo@gmail.com
JOB DESCRIPTION
Leader support- Check in with volunteer leaders. Many of our leaders are volunteers from UT and need support as they get through school, work, and ministry.
TIME REQUIRED
Check in with a leader at least once a month.
LENGTH OF COMMITMENT
We ask YoungLives volunteers to commit to at least one school year.
TRAINING PROVIDED
Training will be provided at the beginning of each school year and as needed throughout the year. The training will be specific to the role that you decide to serve in.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL SKILLS
When looking for YoungLives volunteers, we are seeking individuals who are willing to share their faith with young parents, who have time to spend with them, love them, and who can be consistent in their lives. Sometimes we are the only positive influence in these parent’s lives.
To be a YoungLives volunteer you will need to pass a background check.
BENEFITS TO THIS POSITION
Serving with Younglives will help you grow in your faith and lead many generations to faith through young moms, dads, children, and supportive family members. You will also grow strong relationships with the team that you serve with. We look forward to having you on our team!
Contact Information
Tamara Hartman- South/Central Austin (512)992-4382
tamara.hartman473@gmail.com
Caitlynn Lopez- East/North Austin (512)906-7026
caitmaceo@gmail.com
JOB DESCRIPTION
Prayer Team- Join us in praying for the ministry. You will be added to the weekly YoungLives prayer email sent out by one of our committee members.
TIME REQUIRED
Prayer team- Time to review weekly prayer emails.
LENGTH OF COMMITMENT
We ask YoungLives volunteers to commit to at least one school year.
TRAINING PROVIDED
Training will be provided at the beginning of each school year and as needed throughout the year. The training will be specific to the role that you decide to serve in.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL SKILLS
When looking for YoungLives volunteers, we are seeking individuals who are willing to share their faith with young parents, who have time to spend with them, love them, and who can be consistent in their lives. Sometimes we are the only positive influence in these parent’s lives.
To be a YoungLives volunteer you will need to pass a background check.
BENEFITS TO THIS POSITION
Serving with Younglives will help you grow in your faith and lead many generations to faith through young moms, dads, children, and supportive family members. You will also grow strong relationships with the team that you serve with. We look forward to having you on our team!
Contact Information
Tamara Hartman- South/Central Austin (512)992-4382
tamara.hartman473@gmail.com
Caitlynn Lopez- East/North Austin (512)906-7026
caitmaceo@gmail.com
The Gathering at WHPC is a memory loss respite program, where participants engage in activities and socializing while their caregivers get a break. We meet on Wednesdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm, and volunteers plug in when it works for their schedule and for any amount of time, including lunch if they wish. Besides becoming a volunteer, we also welcome one-off presenters for special topics, activities or entertainment.
Our goal is to be in community with each other while having fun, helping families live enriching lives during this journey with dementia, while also sharing resources and opportunities that can help along the way.
How you might help at The Gathering:
Most of the volunteers focus on keeping the participants company, helping them with activities when needed, and making sure they stay within our meeting area. Volunteers help with activity set up, rearranging chairs, collecting dishes, etc. Volunteers can help lead or assist with an activity.
Volunteer photographers would take pictures all or part of the time from 9:30am – 1:30pm and upload them for participants to enjoy.
Volunteers with the Kitchen Crew could help prepare lunch from 10:00am – 1:00pm or clean dishes from 12:30pm – 1:00pm. You could also help prepare for the lunch in advance by shopping or baking treats.
Morning set up help with arranging chairs and decorating takes place from 8:00am to 9:00am.
We would love to have more male volunteers, since at least half of our participants are male.
If you are interested in helping outside of The Gathering hours, you can assist in planning activities and/or administrative tasks.
Please contact memorycare@whpc.org, and either The Gathering Director or the Parish Nurse will contact you to share information and see when you can visit!
Learn more here. Email us at memorycare@whpc.org to arrange a visit. We can’t wait to meet you!
If you know a family who could benefit from this ministry, please pass along our email to the caregiver!
Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one shift per week for the entire semester (2 months for computers, 4 months for all other classes). Most new opportunities begin in January, May, and August of each year. Volunteer opportunities in the computer literacy program are available in March and October.
Through the Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) food truck ministry, volunteers provide food, clothing, hygiene products and other life-sustaining items to our unhoused neighbors 7 nights a week, 365 days a year. WHPC is responsible for make-ready on the first and second Sundays of every month.
The Meal Prep Team works together for an hour preparing the food that will be distributed off the delivery trucks. The commissary where the food prep takes place is just a mile from WHPC at St. John’s Newman Catholic Church. This is a great intergenerational opportunity to do alongside your kids!
VOLUNTEER DRIVING IS EASY!
Minimum requirement is 1 drive per month (Most volunteers enjoy the experience and do more!)
Drivers select rides to fit their own schedules
Rides can be set up by phone or email
Family members of any age are encouraged to ride along
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