Missions

People experiencing homelessness are often marginalized and stigmatized in our society. Oftentimes, access to essential resources can feel difficult or even impossible for those struggling. Providing Care Kits with various hygiene products is an effective way to offer immediate assistance to the strangers you encounter in your day-to-day life.

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• In addition to providing essential items, Care Kits can foster a sense of community and connection. Care Kits are assembled when our current stock begins to dwindle. Our last assembly took place on April 23, 2023. Look to this page for information on the next Assembly Day!
• The Mission Team has Care Kits available for you to keep in your car, house or office and distribute when the need arises. Contact the Mission Team here if you would like some.

The annual Christmas Mission Market at San Marino Community Church is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the many ways to get involved in mission work and showcases an array of unique gifts to purchase in honor of your loved ones. Proceeds will benefit participating organizations, all of which provide assistance and relief to neighbors locally and around the world. Cash gifts in support of various causes are acknowledged with a card to present a friend or loved one. Give a gift from the heart, bringing hope to those less fortunate both near and far.

The Mission Team and Community Church provide ongoing support for the "Food Bank" at Iglesia de la Comunidad Presbyterian Church in Highland Park. Donations of healthy, non-perishable food items can be dropped off outside the SMCC office at any time. Monetary donations via cash, check (written to "SMCC"), or online are always welcome (please designate "Food Bank").

The monetary donations are used to purchase additional food, rice and beans which are delivered to Iglesia once a month. For a hands-on experience, join the Mission Outreach Team at one of our "bagging" sessions where we prepare the rice and beans for delivery. Dates to be announced.

Want to get involved or have questions? Contact Janet Jones here. Learn more at: hpidlc.org

For over 130 years Union Rescue Mission (URM) has helped men, women, and children experiencing homelessness get off the streets and find their way home.

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• Every Spring, the Mission Team partners with URM to hold a clothing and household items donation drive. Stay tuned for more information!
• In mid-June, you can join members of the Mission Team and our 'SMCC Steppers' as they participate in URM's Annual 5k Run/Walk at the Rose Bowl.
• To learn more about URM's work in the local community, you can visit their website here.  

Be a part of the solution! Union Station Homeless Services has been serving the greater Pasadena area for almost 50 years. As the lead agency coordinating homeless services in the San Gabriel Valley, they serve a region with a combined population of over 1.5 million across more than 36 cities and communities. Our mission is to help individuals and families end homelessness and rebuild their lives.

How to Get Involved:

• On the second Sunday of each month, the Mission Team provides a hot meal to the residents of Union Station. Grab members of your small group or friends in the courtyard and sign up to prepare and serve dinner to those less fortunate! If you have a group interested in providing a meal, click here to learn more and view our online sign-up sheet. You can also visit the Mission table in the Courtyard on Sundays and sign-up in person.
• To learn more about Union Station and other volunteer opportunities, you can visit their website here.

Dr. F.S. mentors and trains believers who come to Christianity from a Muslim background. With a PhD in Islamic Studies from a prominent seminary in the U.S., Dr. F.S. equips her students to spread the Gospel as pastors and lay leaders in the Church. In France, there are now over 10,000 converts from Islam to Christianity and over 100,000 in Algeria where Dr. F.S. is recognized as the 'mother figure' of the Church. Often meeting in underground fellowships, Dr. F.S.'s teachings are centered on providing biblical training to these new leaders, and addressing the significant cultural and social challenges former Muslims encounter as they become Christians.

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• To learn more about Dr. F.S. work, please contact the Mission Team.

FID is an interfaith community assisting homeless and low-income families in Pasadena for 125 years, providing:

• The Bad Weather Shelter: in winter offers emergency overnight shelter and hot meals.
• The Food Pantry: like a grocery store, clients can choose healthy food, including fresh produce and meat.
• The Women’s Room: a day shelter, with showers, laundry facilities, food, and case-management services.
• Homeless Prevention Services: guidance and financial assistance for folks facing eviction.
• Street Outreach: working with chronically homeless individuals providing permanent, supportive housing.

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• Friends in Deed is always looking for volunteers! There are many opportunities available on a weekly basis. Learn more at: FriendsInDeedPas.org
• Every Summer, the Mission Team participates in their annual School Supply and Back Pack Drive. Shop on your own or click here to view our specially created Amazon Wishlist to make a direct donation!
• Connect with Friends in Deed or make a donation here.

ICTHUS is a Christian organization focused in Central and South America. Through ICTHUS, young people (ages 4-17) are prepared for service and leadership through programs delivered by pastors and lay leaders of local churches. The goal is to help them become eventual leaders in their communities.

ICTHUS ministry endeavors to develop Christian character through weekly meetings and activities like summer camp and service projects while emphasizing God – Neighbor - Self.

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• Connect with ICTHUS International or make a donation here.

Ministry of Hope is based in Malawi, Africa and works to provide hope and a future for orphaned and vulnerable children in rural villages. Through their community based care programs, over 6,000 children receive physical and spiritual nourishment. Educational scholarships provide tools to escape the cycle of poverty. Their mobile medical clinic reaches regions in need. Savings and loan programs strengthen entire communities and, their crisis nursery rescues and cares for orphaned and abandoned babies.

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• Ministry of Hope Video?
• Learn more about Ministry of Hope and their programs by clicking here.

My Refuge House, based in Cebu, Philippines, is a place where every person's story is worthy of hope, love, and transformation. MRH journeys with the survivors, their families, and the community that has been impacted by the commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and sexual abuse. MRH provides comprehensive care for up to 18 survivors ages 9-21. Accredited through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, MRH has grown throughout the years to focus on three areas of impact: prevention, restoration, and reintegration.

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• My Refuge House holds an annual fundraising night every spring, look to this page for more information regarding their 2024 Calendar.
• To make a donation or learn more about their work, you can visit their website by clicking here.

As the only Presbyterian Chaplain on staff at LAC+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, Rev. Gibbs Zehnder provides direct emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and staff in times of crisis and life changes.

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• Every Spring, the Mission Team gathers volunteers to build 'Case Kits' that can be donated to LAC+USC and others in need.
• You can participate in LAC+USC 'Acts of Kindness' call by creating and donation handmade blankets every December.
• To learn more, inquire about volunteer opportunities or make a donation, email Elizabeth.GibbsZehnder@gmail.com.

In every Indian rural village, there are orphaned and vulnerable children who are at risk of child labor, trafficking or child marriage. Restoring Hope provides a chance for children to grow and attain a life filled with faith and love, wholeness, and dignity as well as education – helping the entire village overcome the cycle of poverty.

Restoring Hope creates an atmosphere of love and belonging in a family setting, where orphaned and abandoned children receive care and nurturing by a biological family member with the support of the local church community. Holistic restoration of children who have experienced tragedy is the mission of Restoring Hope.

Learn more at their website.