Community Outreach
Living Our Mission
Responding to Jesus’s call in Matthew 25 to feed, clothe and care for those in need, our Community Outreach Ministry assists those who serve the most vulnerable in our community. We do this primarily by encouraging parishioners to participate, with “hands and feet,” collectively and as individuals, in the work of local safety-net agencies. We also provide financial support to selected nonprofits, particularly those founded by Christ Church and with whom we have a long-term partnership. In addition, we support several international missions that have deep roots in our congregation through clergy and parishioner involvement.
Our mission includes inspiring our youth to become outreach leaders now and in the future. To this end, we partner with a limited number of organizations that offer unique opportunities for young people to engage in their work.
These are non-profit agencies that we support both financially and with parishioner participation. Parishioners individually and in groups also support many more agencies that do essential work.
Agencies
Contact: Gail Werneburg
Contact: Pam Laco or Diane Downing
Beaches Dial-a-Ride
Dial-a-Ride promotes the health and social engagement of homebound senior and disabled persons in Jacksonville’s beach communities by providing personal, affordable transportation.
Contact: Deb Hardman
Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM)*
The mission of BEAM is to keep families in their homes and help them get the support needed to become self-sufficient. Volunteer opportunities include monthly food donation and sorting, delivering food, working in the pantry, garden, or thrift store.
Contact: Sarah Knowles or Deacon Leila Quinlan
Beaches Habitat for Humanity*
Share in the ministry of building simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with God and families in need.
Contacts: Jack Hardman
Doug Knowles
Blessings in a Backpack*
During the school year we pack food bags for local students at risk of food insecurity at home. Packing usually takes place in the Westbury Hall dining room Thursdays 8:30 a.m.
Contacts: Sharon Kehoe or Katharine Loeb
Cuba Ministry
Church of the Good Shepherd, Güira, Cuba*
We support the mission of the Church in Cuba through our relationship with our sister parish in Güira, providing clean water for the town, education for children, laundry for seniors, and Christian affection for all through mission trips, prayers, and fellowship.
Contact: The Rev. Andreis Diaz
Diaper Bank of Northeast FL*
The mission is to alleviate diaper need in the Northeast FL community by providing low-income families with an adequate supply of diapers in order to keep their babies clean, dry and healthy. Contact: Katharine Loeb
Epic-Cure*
Epic-Cure rescues food from stores and restaurants that would be wasted and redistributes it to those in need. Since 2018 over 13 million pounds of food has been redistributed.
Contact: Katharine Loeb
Episcopal Relief and Development*
ERD is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.
Contacts: Bill and JoAnn Lee
I.C.A.R.E.
The Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation and Empowerment is a faith-based community organization that addresses neighborhood and community-wide justice issues in Jacksonville.
Contact: The Rev. Amy Slater
JaxTHRIVE*
A student-led non-profit that provides services to refugee students who have come to this country under extraordinary circumstances. They provide a nurturing environment where tutoring, life skills, mentoring and friendship help them advance in the classroom and flourish in their new communities. Contact: Kevin Davidsen
Kairos Prison Ministry
Volunteer teams share the love of Christ through annual retreats and monthly visits to Baker County Correctional Facility to be with incarcerated individuals.
Contacts: Dave Bovee
Alan Moore
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse Youth Community is an affirming, nonreligious gathering open to LGBTQIA+ middle and high school students and their families in Jacksonville and the Beaches area, including people of all faiths and no faith. There is also a separate meeting for parents. Both spaces are for friendship and resource sharing, rooted in the church’s baptismal covenant to respect the dignity of every human being.
Contact: Catherine Montgomery
Mede Nio*
Father Tom and his wife DeeAnn helped found this ministry for orphans in Uganda.
Contacts: The Rev. Tom Reeder
Deb Hardman
Mission House*
Christ Church is a founding member and primary supporter of Mission House, whose goal is to assist with material, physical and spiritual needs through service to those in need. Groups prepare and serve food monthly.
Contact: Diane Downing
Rhoda Martin Early Learning Center
A Head Start preschool in Jacksonville Beach founded by Christ Church. Volunteers read to the children and help support their development through art, music and love of learning.
Contact: Joy Hardaker
St. Mary’s Mission
Christ Church provides monthly supplies of food and volunteers to run the food pantry each Tuesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
Contact: Deacon Leila Quinlan
Sulzbacher Beaches Adult Health Center*
Medical and dental professionals can volunteer time and skills for the clinic which provides comprehensive healthcare to those in need in the Beaches area. Parishioners also collect hygiene products for home insecure persons and assist with maintenance projects. Other volunteer opportunities exist at the agency’s downtown facilities.
Contact: Susan Schantz
Outreach Grants
With oversight from the Community Outreach Committee, we provide funds to organizations with local, national or international Episcopal affiliation, especially those founded by Christ Church or impacted by significant parishioner participation.
We recently changed our grant-making criteria and process, and no longer solicit applications for financial assistance from the community at large.