Mentors Needed at Longan Elementary School
Henrico County Public Schools district-wide mentoring program – Henrico HEROES supports the youth in our community by providing opportunities that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the introduction of a suitable mentor. In order for this program to succeed, we are currently seeking adult mentors.
This program would not be possible if it were not for all the caring and committed people who dedicate their time to our youth. The time commitment for this program is 30-45 minutes per week to accommodate the predetermined lunch schedules or enrichment schedules of the schools. Each mentor is required to attend a mentor training and asked to make this weekly commitment from October to April. Once accepted into the program, your age preference, availability, and interests will be considered when matching.
A mentoring relationship benefits both individuals involved. It would be ideal if the mentors who volunteer in our program have strong ties to the community through other organizations. We are currently in the recruitment stage of developing the program for the 2024-2025 school year and would love to have you join the mentoring movement!
Interested in mentoring? Apply to be a mentor and register for new mentor training by accessing the links below.
Mentor Application
Mentor Training Registration Link
Questions: Contact Rev Renee.
Building Hope at 6100 Chamberlayne Road
Read about the new ministry at our 6100 Campus – here.
Click here for a FAQ for Core Table Volunteers.
Dinner Church
Dinner Church is a new Fresh Expressions ministry of Good Shepherd UMC. Modeled after Jesus and the early church, it is a time when we will share a meal, a Jesus story, music, and conversation with our community. Dinner Church will gather every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at West End Manor Civic Association located at 8600 Lakefront Dr. Henrico, VA 23294.
We encourage you to invite a friend and to attend Dinner Church with them. This week, 8 adults and 5 children new to Dinner Church attended!
The planning team is excited to step out in faith and see where the Holy Spirit leads this ministry! We would love for you to join us in serving our community. There are many opportunities, including helping with meals, worship, conversations with the community, and setup/clean up. Please see the list of opportunities below! There are weekly opportunities, so if you can’t serve one week, you can serve another.
Serving Opportunities: Click Here.
Questions: Contact Rev Renee.
ESL and Refugees
ESL Ministry – On Mondays during the academic year, all of our classroom spaces are filled with participants in our Adult ESL and Children’s Tutoring Program. We meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. If you like to listen to children read, help them with their homework, and be a supporting presence in their lives, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to make a difference in a child’s life. No Spanish is necessary to work with the adults. Contact Valerie Robnolt for more information and the dates when there is a change in schedule. This is a mission opportunity where you can serve once, twice, or as many weeks as you are able. Come as you can – there is a place for you. A background check is required. Click here for the form.
If you are seeking ESL, contact Valerie Robnolt.
Community Partner – Longan Elementary School
Community Partner – ReEstablish Richmond
We partner with ReEstablish Richmond to support refugees who have resettled in Richmond. We partner by offering space for their Heela Program, a component of their Empowerment Program.
Virginia United Methodist Church Refugee Response – click here to learn more about the many ways the Virginia Annual Conference is providing support throughout the Commonwealth.
CARITAS Furniture Bank
CARITAS, one of Good Shepherd’s long-time ministry partners, provides effective, permanent solutions to individuals and families dealing with the crisis of homelessness, including refugees and/or addiction in the Metro Richmond area. The CARITAS Furniture Bank recycled 248,007 lbs of furniture during 2021 and served nearly 653 families in the Richmond area with essential household items. CARITAS finds its Furniture Bank shelves bare of our essential items: sofas, loveseats, and upholstered chairs. Dropping off furniture at their warehouse at 2220 Stockton Street is a great help, but pickup appointments are available. To learn more about the Furniture Bank, click here.
Watch the Channel 6 News story about the CARITAS Furniture Bank.
Food Ministries
Welbourne UMC Community Food Pantry – Food and items from Good Shepherd are delivered to Welborne on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Please place items in the bins at the front entrance of the church or in the bins inside the sanctuary. We are not collecting egg cartons at this time.
Current Needs for Welborne UMC Food Pantry
- Pasta
- Pasta Sauce (plastic or can containers; no glass)
- Jelly (plastic containers only; no glass)
- Peanut butter
Home Again – Home Again helps families and individuals experiencing homelessness to secure and maintain a Home, Again. In 2019, HomeAgain served 768 individuals across 540 households, including men, women, children, and veterans! Click here for a video that describes the ministry and here for the HomeAgain website. Good Shepherd prepares monthly meals for approximately 25 people. To assist with supplies, cooking, or delivering the meals, contact Deana Buck. Safe, decent, and affordable housing does transform lives and boosts potential! Our meals will give people the nourishment they need during this time in their lives.
Liberation Veteran Services – We serve dinner to the residents of Liberation Veteran Services, a transitional community shelter for homeless veterans, on the first Wednesday of each month. Plan the menu, donate the food, or cook the meal on Wednesday afternoon at the church or meet at the church at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday to carpool to Liberation Family Services and serve. Contact Jessica Martin or Jeff Wheeler. To sign-up to bring food items, click on the Sign-Up Genius button above for the latest signup.
Liberation Veteran Services also has these ongoing needs. Items may be placed in bins at the opposite end of the hall from the sanctuary entrance. Contact Jeff Wheeler or Jessica Martin for more information.
- Men’s house slippers size 9-10 and 11-12, and a few 13-14
- Non-perishable food (ex: peanut butter, jelly, macaroni & cheese, canned soup, canned beans, individual bags of chips, etc.)
- Lysol, Clorox wipes, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Bleach, Pine-Sol, Laundry Detergent (pods)
- 55 Gallon Trash Bags and Small Garbage Bags