Outreach
First Presbyterian Church is deeply committed to community outreach. We attempt to alleviate the stress of life on the streets or in substandard housing, by providing needed items such as food staples, pants, shirts, socks, hygiene kits and blankets in addition to a hot meal served every Sunday afternoon. If you are seeking active involvement in meeting the needs of our neighbors, there is ample opportunity here. Most of our ministries stem from the Soup Kitchen.
Soup Kitchen
The Soup Kitchen was started 40 years ago to provide a hot meal on Sunday afternoons to the food insecure of Memphis. Back then, there was no organization in Memphis that offered a meal on Sundays. Our Soup Kitchen founder famously said, "well people are hungry on Sundays too!" And we started from there. First Presbyterian Church provides the facilities and the leadership while volunteers from around Memphis assist in welcoming our guests, serving a hot meal, and outfitting guests in the clothes closet. You don’t have to be Presbyterian to help in the Soup Kitchen; we value our partners in this ministry, no matter their faith, sexual orientation or age. Please contact the office if you'd like to plan a day for your group to send volunteers!
The Soup Kitchen is grateful for our ministry partners! We currently serve an average of 100 men, women and children on Sunday afternoon. Eight to fifteen volunteers assist each Sunday. In addition to the hot meal we open our clothes closet every week.
We serve a festive meal on Souper Bowl Sunday at noon raising money that will support our services in the coming year. Join us!
Birth Certificate Program
You probably haven’t thought about your birth certificate in years. You don’t need to. You are thoroughly documented with driver’s licenses, social security cards, utility bills and bank statements. Most of our guest are not. Their valid IDs have expired and they cannot begin to rebuild their identity without a certified birth certificate. On the first two Sundays of each month, we interview clients, process and pay for their birth certificate applications. This past year we interviewed 366 clients and processed applications to 22 states from Maine to California. Since many of our clients are in a residency transition, their birth certificates are returned to the church and we allow the clients to receive mail and use our church address for their correspondence.
State Photo ID Program
Having acquired their birth certificates, our clients can apply for a photo ID. We transport 10 to 18 clients to the state licensing bureau on the first two Tuesdays of each month, escorting our clients through the procedures and paying for their application. It may seem like a simple process. But if you are among the dispossessed, governmental procedures can be complex, confusing and expensive. With a photo ID our clients can apply for food stamps, stay in a shelter, cash their checks, get a job or apply for housing or other life-sustaining needs.
Food Stamps (SNAP) Assistance
The Tennessee Department of Human Services uses our Fellowship Hall on most Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9:00 am until approximately noon to interview applicants for Food Stamps assistance. Volunteers from the church oversee the process, assisting applicants in filling out their forms and providing sandwiches, cookies and coffee. No appointment is necessary, but it is a first come first serve basis. Note that if a month has a 5th Monday or a 5th Wednesday, there is no Food Stamps assistance on that day.
Memphis Youth Mission
Part of the larger Youth Mission organization headquartered in Asheville, Memphis Youth Mission brings in groups from around the country and provides these groups with meaningful volunteer work opportunities in order that they can learn about this important crucible of the Civil Rights Movement.
Thistle & Bee
First Presbyterian Church partners with this unique non-profit that helps women recover from a life of prostitution in a variety of ways. Their granola makers use our kitchen to bake their wonderful-smelling granola every Thursday. Check out their website here.
Clothes Closet
On Sunday afternoons we continue to provide men’s and women’s seasonal work clothing for those in need. We expect the need to increase in the coming years and welcome contributions in kind from churches and organizations throughout the Mid South. As with the Soup Kitchen we welcome volunteers to help with the sorting and distribution of garments and accessories.
The Hospitality HUB
First Presbyterian Church is a founding member of The Hospitality HUB, and continues to support The Hospitality HUB at 146 Jefferson. Created by the Downtown Churches Association in 2007, The Hospitality HUB provides spiritual sanctuary for Memphis’ homeless and particularly to the newly homeless. The HUB connects its clients to resources that help them achieve physical, mental, spiritual and economic stability. The HUB provides counseling, processes birth certificate applications, interviews for state IDs and makes their own runs to the licensing bureau on the 3rd and 4th Wednesdays of each month.
MIFA Meals on Wheels
Volunteers from the congregation of First Presbyterian Church have assigned days and routes with the MIFA Meals on Wheels program. MIFA is a longterm ministry partner of First Pres, and once found it's home in our church building during the early days. We continue to support MIFA's work in Memphis through MIFA Community Days and Meals on Wheels.
Soup Kitchen
The Soup Kitchen was started 40 years ago to provide a hot meal on Sunday afternoons to the food insecure of Memphis. Back then, there was no organization in Memphis that offered a meal on Sundays. Our Soup Kitchen founder famously said, "well people are hungry on Sundays too!" And we started from there. First Presbyterian Church provides the facilities and the leadership while volunteers from around Memphis assist in welcoming our guests, serving a hot meal, and outfitting guests in the clothes closet. You don’t have to be Presbyterian to help in the Soup Kitchen; we value our partners in this ministry, no matter their faith, sexual orientation or age. Please contact the office if you'd like to plan a day for your group to send volunteers!
The Soup Kitchen is grateful for our ministry partners! We currently serve an average of 100 men, women and children on Sunday afternoon. Eight to fifteen volunteers assist each Sunday. In addition to the hot meal we open our clothes closet every week.
We serve a festive meal on Souper Bowl Sunday at noon raising money that will support our services in the coming year. Join us!
Birth Certificate Program
You probably haven’t thought about your birth certificate in years. You don’t need to. You are thoroughly documented with driver’s licenses, social security cards, utility bills and bank statements. Most of our guest are not. Their valid IDs have expired and they cannot begin to rebuild their identity without a certified birth certificate. On the first two Sundays of each month, we interview clients, process and pay for their birth certificate applications. This past year we interviewed 366 clients and processed applications to 22 states from Maine to California. Since many of our clients are in a residency transition, their birth certificates are returned to the church and we allow the clients to receive mail and use our church address for their correspondence.
State Photo ID Program
Having acquired their birth certificates, our clients can apply for a photo ID. We transport 10 to 18 clients to the state licensing bureau on the first two Tuesdays of each month, escorting our clients through the procedures and paying for their application. It may seem like a simple process. But if you are among the dispossessed, governmental procedures can be complex, confusing and expensive. With a photo ID our clients can apply for food stamps, stay in a shelter, cash their checks, get a job or apply for housing or other life-sustaining needs.
Food Stamps (SNAP) Assistance
The Tennessee Department of Human Services uses our Fellowship Hall on most Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9:00 am until approximately noon to interview applicants for Food Stamps assistance. Volunteers from the church oversee the process, assisting applicants in filling out their forms and providing sandwiches, cookies and coffee. No appointment is necessary, but it is a first come first serve basis. Note that if a month has a 5th Monday or a 5th Wednesday, there is no Food Stamps assistance on that day.
Memphis Youth Mission
Part of the larger Youth Mission organization headquartered in Asheville, Memphis Youth Mission brings in groups from around the country and provides these groups with meaningful volunteer work opportunities in order that they can learn about this important crucible of the Civil Rights Movement.
Thistle & Bee
First Presbyterian Church partners with this unique non-profit that helps women recover from a life of prostitution in a variety of ways. Their granola makers use our kitchen to bake their wonderful-smelling granola every Thursday. Check out their website here.
Clothes Closet
On Sunday afternoons we continue to provide men’s and women’s seasonal work clothing for those in need. We expect the need to increase in the coming years and welcome contributions in kind from churches and organizations throughout the Mid South. As with the Soup Kitchen we welcome volunteers to help with the sorting and distribution of garments and accessories.
The Hospitality HUB
First Presbyterian Church is a founding member of The Hospitality HUB, and continues to support The Hospitality HUB at 146 Jefferson. Created by the Downtown Churches Association in 2007, The Hospitality HUB provides spiritual sanctuary for Memphis’ homeless and particularly to the newly homeless. The HUB connects its clients to resources that help them achieve physical, mental, spiritual and economic stability. The HUB provides counseling, processes birth certificate applications, interviews for state IDs and makes their own runs to the licensing bureau on the 3rd and 4th Wednesdays of each month.
MIFA Meals on Wheels
Volunteers from the congregation of First Presbyterian Church have assigned days and routes with the MIFA Meals on Wheels program. MIFA is a longterm ministry partner of First Pres, and once found it's home in our church building during the early days. We continue to support MIFA's work in Memphis through MIFA Community Days and Meals on Wheels.