An important part of GPC’s mission is to “engage our neighbors.” GPC has developed a diverse range of opportunities to serve our local and global community of neighbors. Everyone is welcome to join in our efforts to grow our faith as we lead and serve those outside our church walls.
Come Serve With Us! 
KindCasserole
Help out a Senior with a KindCasserole!
Join KindWorks’ effort in providing ready-made meals to senior citizens living in the Hillside senior apartments in Gaithersburg, right down the street from GPC, through the Gaithersburg Cares Hub. You can make a recipe at home that will provide dinner for your own family, and pack up the rest in single servings to share. Casseroles will be delivered twice monthly.
Help Afghan Refugees & Other Neighbors
“…I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” —Matthew 25:35
Have you been following the refugee crisis, feeling compassion but not knowing what you can do to help? Join KindWorks in their projects helping to welcome these new neighbors to our community.
KindSoups – Make soup at home during a one hour Zoom with KindWorks OR on your own time, and donate a portion to refugees or others in need.
KindWelcomeDinners – Make dinners fun and easy with a Welcome Dinner Kit!
KindKitchens – Supply food and pantry items for a newly arriving refugee family.
KindExtras – Provide a small appliance, a bicycle, or another helpful item.
The Lord’s Table
Preparing and Serving Hot Dinners at Epworth Methodist Church
The Gaithersburg Community Soup Kitchen – The Lord’s Table – is a volunteer organization that collects food from area food banks, wholesalers, grocery stores, churches, and individuals. Hot dinners are provided Monday through Friday at Epworth Methodist Church (Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg).
Additional food collected by this group is given to Gaithersburg HELP and churches for distribution to those who need groceries.
For more information, please contact Patrick Donohue at Epworth Methodist Church or Francie Whitlock at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church.
SOME (So Others Might Eat)
Serving up French toast and more on the first Tuesday of every month
SOME is an interfaith organization that takes a holistic approach to helping the poor and homeless in Washington, D.C. During the past 40+ years, SOME has grown from a local soup kitchen to a comprehensive program that provides affordable housing; employment training and placement services; medical, dental, and mental health care; meals and clothing; addiction treatment and counseling; and more. It is a vibrant, faith-based program that offers hope and a fresh start to thousands of poor and homeless individuals and families each year.
GPC provides financial support to SOME, and volunteers from GPC prepare a hot breakfast for 400–500 individuals at the SOME dining room on the first Tuesday of each month. SOME serves a nutritious breakfast and lunch at its main facility on “O” Street in northwest D.C. every day of the year, and GPC volunteers have been providing the hot breakfast once a month for more than 30 years!Volunteers can participate in two ways: (1) join the GPC SOME Crew and help cook breakfast when you can, and (2) donate the ingredients for breakfast. The SOME Crew is made up of people who have said that they would like to help prepare breakfast at SOME with a group from GPC. Each month an e-mail is sent to everyone on the list and a group is assembled based on the responses.
Food items are donated by volunteers each month. Donations needed include eggs, bread, syrup, apple sauce, and orange juice. Additional items (ham and milk) and whatever items are not received as donations are purchased with support from the GPC Community Engagement Ministry budget. Food donations should be delivered to the GPC kitchen on the Sunday before the first Tuesday of the month.
For more information on how to join the GPC SOME Crew or donate food for the breakfast, contact Steve Olin.
Gaithersburg HELP
Lending support to this local food pantry in many ways
Gaithersburg HELP is a year-round food pantry that has served the Gaithersburg community since 1968. This is an all-volunteer organization composed of 200 volunteers from more than 25 local congregations, including GPC. It provides short-term, emergency assistance to more than 3,500 families in need. Gaithersburg HELP provides 3-day emergency food supplies based on family size, supplies for infants, help with prescriptions, transportation to medical appointments or to obtain services, and other support and referrals. GPC provides financial support to Gaithersburg HELP, as well as donations of food and supplies. This organization is one of the recipients of the items collected during the Lenten “Feeding of the 5000” Food Drive that GPC members participated in for several years. Gaithersburg HELP always needs volunteers to assist with telephone screening, provide transportation for clients, perform administrative tasks, or serve in the food pantry.
A list of current volunteer opportunities, along with a link to the volunteer application, can be found here. For more information on ways that you can get involved, please contact Gaithersburg HELP or visit www.gaithersburghelp.org.
Prison Ministry
Connecting with local inmates
GPC’s Prison Ministry is a group of volunteers affiliated with the St. James’ Prison Ministry—a consortium of local churches serving Montgomery County’s inmate population and their families at the three correctional facilities: the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds, the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville, and the Pre-Release and Re-Entry Services Center, also in Rockville. Volunteers are involved in a wide variety of activities, including meeting and praying with inmates, collecting and distributing religious literature and greeting cards, mentoring and participating in job partnership programs, and providing other services as needed.To volunteer with the Prison Ministry, contact Mary Wasik.
Community Schools
Supporting students and teachers in many ways
Note: During the pandemic, GPC has been unable to provide in-person assistance in the schools. Recently, however, we collected and donated more than 140 winter coats, as well as hats, scarves, mittens, and gloves to Summit Hall, along with gift cards.
More than 10 years ago, GPC began its involvement with Summit Hall Elementary School. Our goal has been to reach out to families and students that need extra help with winter clothing and occasional money for groceries and necessities not covered by food stamps. For a few years, the Community Engagement committee expanded its reach to include Rosemont Elementary School and Forest Oak Middle School. These schools had similar needs and were grateful for the goods and gift cards we sent their way as well as our prayers and good wishes.
Several summers ago, Summit Hall ES added two eight-classroom portables. The teamwork of GPC men that helped move classroom materials and even two pianos to meet the deadline for the beginning of school was remarkable. Unfortunately, the portables took up so much space that the Move It Monday running program that we helped staff had to be discontinued.
GPC volunteers have helped in classrooms at Summit Hall, by working on math or writing with the students, and doing copying for the teachers. One member diligently updated the bookroom used by the teachers. Our support to Rosemont ES and Forest Oak MS was primarily through contributions.
Our Christmas Giving Tree tags have helped GPC members know the needs of the school families, so that they can better support these families. Some volunteers have worked on trash pickup, trimming trees, planting chrysanthemums, and providing craft programs for kids during family dinners at school. We also provided some books for the children to choose from and take home with them. One summer, the GPC youth group spent a 90° day helping with outdoor cleanup, and cooling off inside, labeling new books for the bookroom.
The opportunities have been endless, so please consider volunteering with this neighborhood project when we are able to resume helping in the schools. The rewards cannot be measured.
Rebuilding Together Montgomery County
Helping provide low-income homeowners with safer homes
Rebuilding Together Montgomery County (RTMC) offers low-income homeowners safe and healthy home repairs at no cost to the recipient. Over the course of a year, RTMC repairs the homes of more than 100 families, reducing their financial burdens and improving the quality of life for more than 500 people across our county. RTMC’s critical services preserve safe and affordable housing, prevent homelessness, protect a family’s most valuable asset, and stabilize our vulnerable communities. GPC works with RTMC to provide home repair services. This program depends entirely on volunteers to repair and/or renovate the homes. Projects take place for one day in April. Volunteers do not need to be GPC members; anyone older than 14 years of age with any skill level (but experts are also needed!) can participate. GPC offers scholarships to volunteers who cannot afford to contribute toward materials for the projects.
For further information, contact Yaw Obeng.
Interfaith Works Women’s Center
Week of Meals
Join us to supply breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
December 18–24, 2022
During Christmas week, volunteers purchase food and supplies; prepare 35 bagged lunches; and prepare, deliver, and serve a dinner for 35 residents. Please check back in the fall to verify dates and guidelines and to sign up for this annual opportunity.
