Outreach Programs
Find out about the variety of programs sponsored by Christ Church Outreach Ministry (CCOM).
Growing Together Preschool
Growing Together Preschool is a developmentally appropriate preschool program for four-year old children living in Raleigh's Walnut Terrace public housing community.
The half-day program is intended to prepare the children for success in kindergarten. The preschool also offers support and educational resources for the children's families.
Contact person: Kathy Boos
Habitat for Humanity
Since 1996, Christ Church has sponsored construction of nine Habitat for Humanity homes in whole or in partnership with other churches or organizations.
Financial support is welcome and volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, are needed.
Contact person: Bob or Sally Chapman
Get directions to the house (36K pdf)
See photos from recent workdays
Migrant Ministries
Christ Church partners with the Tri-County Community Health Center to support a clothing distribution center for migrant farmworkers in Newton Grove, NC.
Each month from May through October, we give away clothing (donated by Christ Church parishioners) and packets of toiletries to the farmworkers who visit our facility. Last summer we served approximately 150 families.
Contact person: Kathy Shonerd
Overseas Missionaries
Christ Church helps sponsor two overseas missionaries.
Margarita Grachen; Kim and Mike Miller - For the last several years, Christ Church has helped sponsor Margarita Grachen in Villanueva, Honduras. Margarita's mission was to establish a day care center and orphanage called Los Amiguitos de Jesus (Jesus, Little Friends).
The day care center has been completed and is about to become operational. To help toward this goal, Christ Church donated its entire Easter Offering to the day care center in 2006, in addition to our yearly support.
In September of 2006, Margarita returned to the United States to begin attending Seminary. She has been replaced in Honduras by Kim and Mike Miller. Their primary goal will be completing the orphanage.
Christ Church continues to support Kim and Mike in this undertaking. We may also organize a mission trip to Honduras to help with Los Amiguitos de Jesus some time in the future.
Kim and Mike may be contacted at mikemiller@sams-usa.org.
Sue McLain - Christ Church also helps support Sue McLain in Rwanda, Africa. Sue's primary mission is to help Rwandan women learn to read and write, using stories from the Bible as the method of teaching. You may contact Sue directly at SMcLain@global-teams.org.
Contact person: Charles Smith
Saint Saviour's Center
Saint Saviour's Center is an independent 501c(3) non-profit organization established by Christ Church in partnership with the Raleigh Housing Authority.
It provides a variety of services with special attention to the public housing residents of Glenwood Towers and The Carriage House:
Community Health Initiative - Blue Cross/Blue Shield and White Memorial Presbyterian Church recently provided funds to hire a Community Nurse and establish a Health and Wellness Program operating from Saint Saviour's Center with regular site visits at Glenwood Towers, The Carriage House and Capitol Towers. This program will include one of our earlier ventures in health care, The Doctor Is In, A Health Education Program, with physicians and other healthcare specialists discussing health-related topics. (Blood Pressure monitoring is a part of this program.)
Meals on Wheels - Operates a Nutrition Center at Saint Saviour's providing a healthy noon meal, Monday through Friday to low-income seniors. Participants gather as early as 10 AM for coffee and conversation, singing, the celebration of birthdays and special events and the occasional celebrity guest. This program is more than a lunch club. It provides a life-line to fellowship and support for those who are too often alone.
Wake Relief - Families in need receive two weeks of free groceries every 60 days with a social service referral. More than 7000 families are served each year. Wake Relief is opened Mondays 1-3 PM and Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 AM - 12 noon. Volunteers are always welcome. Wake Relief is the longest running and best organized volunteer ministry of Christ Church with significant help from members of White Memorial Presbyterian Church.
English as a Second Language (ESL) - Staff from Wake Technical College teach English and Basic Life-Skills to adults whose first language is not English. A diverse group of approximately 200 individuals, representing many nations and languages, are engaged in this program each year.
Citizenship Classes - In partnership with the Lutheran Family Services and the ESL classes, approximately 25 students are coached for their naturalization examination.
Tax Assistance - Trained volunteers assist seniors and low-income citizens in the community with tax preparation.
Senior Socials - A variety of holiday and theme parties, movie nights and social events are held throughout the year for residents of the Raleigh Housing Authority's Glenwood Towers and The Carriage House. These parties provide seniors with an opportunity to socialize in a festive setting.
Additional Partners - Other partners in the St. Saviours ministry include:- The Raleigh Housing Authority, Christ Episcopal Church, Lutheran Family Services, Touching Lives Center, and Christ Our Comfort Presbyterian Church.
Contact person: Kathy Kenney, Executive Director or Sylvia Harlen
Phone: 919-833-6400
Wake Relief
Located at Saint Saviour's Center, 616 Tucker Street, Wake Relief is a volunteer ecumenical organization that provides emergency food for Wake County citizens who have been referred by the Department of Social Services and other agencies.
We supply a week's worth of nutritionally adequate food to families facing crises such as loss of employment, illness, and financial hardship.
Volunteer opportunities include working at our facility to bag groceries for delivery (2 hours/month); unloading and stocking food (1 hour/month; involves heavy lifting); and organizing a canned food drive.
We appreciate all volunteer assistance. We also need donations of cash and food.
Contact person: Julie Nau
Phone: 919-387-0312
