Hamilton County Youth Center (“2020”)

Purpose:  To provide Christian fellowship, comfort, and hope for the young people at the Center.

Description:  Two volunteers meet with a group of up to fifteen teenagers (either boys or girls) on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings at 2020 Auburn Avenue from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.  The hour is spent singing favorite hymns, Bible reading, discussion and prayer.

Time /Training:  Schedules are set up in four-month blocks.  Volunteers go once a month. Volunteers are required to have a background check and attend a short training session at the Center.

Contact:  Deanna Ashing at 561-2836

See website for more information (Hyperlink)

Jail Ministry

Purpose: To provide Sunday worship opportunities for inmates in the Hamilton County Corrections Facilities and the Hamilton County Drug Court’s Rehabilitation Facilities.

Description:  Each Sunday, a team of one or more people report to one of the Hamilton County Corrections or Drug and Alcohol Facilities at 8:30 AM (finishing at 10:00 AM) to conduct a worship service.  This normally includes singing, prayer, Bible reading, and a discussion or talk.  Songbooks and Bibles are available at church to help with this program.  Each team can design their worship service.

Time/Training:  Team members serve every five or six weeks.  Training is “on the job”, going with experienced members until the new member feels ready to lead a service.  This is a very rewarding (blessed) ministry and we encourage people to give it a chance.

Contact: Jim Hammond at 561-4952.  He will be happy to discuss the program and arrange a trip in which you accompany an experienced volunteer.

IPM Christmas Giving

Purpose: To provide Christmas gifts to needy families served by IPM

Description: Children and adult names are provided by IPM along with a list of gift suggestions.  Gifts costing approximately $30.00 per person and Kroger food gift cards in $25.00 denominations are also welcomed. Gifts are returned to the Church and then taken to IPM for distribution.

Time/Training: Minimal, once a year commitment at Christmas.

Contact: Linda Seal at 561-7779 or Matt Kite at 321-3043

Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)

Purpose: To provide shelter for homeless families in Greater Cincinnati

Description: IHN is a national faith-based outreach to homeless families.  Twenty-seven congregations in the Cincinnati area are involved in the program.  The Indian Hill Church became a part of IHN in 2004.  We are hosts for homeless families for one week, two or three times during the year.  During the week, guests arrive at our church on Sunday evening for dinner and stay overnight, leaving in the morning at 6:30 AM.  In the daytime hours they are at the IHN Center in Walnut Hills, where they are assisted by IHN staff to find permanent housing and work. Guests return to the church for dinner and sleep overnight.

Time/Training: The responsibilities for the week are as follows:  overnight host, evening host, morning host, meal preparation and set-up/take-down of beds.  Also, members of our church donate food used for breakfast and lunches.  Youth from our church come each evening for an hour to spend time with the children of our guests.  This is a hands-on outreach that helps the needy in our community.  Time commitment varies from one hour to eight (overnight host).

Contact: Deanna Ashing at 561-2836 or Holly Dewees 831-3248

Inter Parish Ministry

Purpose: To provide a variety of social services to the working poor and other low income families and individuals in eastern Hamilton County and Clermont County.

Description: Many volunteer opportunities exist at IPM.  Due to the broad scope of services they provide, there are both long-range and short-term opportunities to help people in need.  Some of the on-going programs and services which make use of volunteers are: the Choice Food Pantry, the Elder Ministry, Bread Pick-Up, clothes sorting and general office work.  Programs that require short-term involvement include the Back Pack Program, Holiday Assistance Programs, and Special Events.

Time/Training: IPM professional staff provides all necessary training.

Contact: Matt Kite at 321-3043 or Noah Fleischmann 561-2655

Madisonville Education and Assistance Center (MEAC) Feed and Seed Program

Purpose: To provide a nutritious dinner for needy families in the Madisonville area.  The Community dinner takes place each Monday evening throughout the year.  In addition to providing a good dinner, this is a time of fellowship and caring, a time that allows the staff and volunteers to reach out to people in need.  In addition MEAC provides emergency assistance of food and clothing and provides programs for adult and childhood literacy and self-sufficiency.

Description: Volunteers (this is an ideal activity for families with pre-teens and teens) provide dinner for approximately 40-100 people.  The dinner is prepared by heating items purchased at Gordon Food Service ahead of time and then taken to the Center (on Erie Avenue in Madisonville).  The volunteers set-up and serve dinner, freeing staff to visit with clients.  Volunteers are also need to tutor children at John P. Parker Elementary School and assisting the summer tutoring program at MEAC.  Volunteers are also needed for the food and clothing pantry.

Time/Training: Time commitment consists of about an hour for tutoring and about an hour for food preparation.  In addition, the time spent at MEAC serving the meal is approximately two hours on a Monday evening.

Contact: Interim: Jennifer Taylor 561-6805 christianeducation@indianhillchurch.org