Continue to Serve Ministry Partners

Continue to Serve Ministry Partners Hero Image Continue to Serve Ministry Partners Hero Image

The Watermark body can still serve our partners during this time – and they need our help!

With a shelter-in-place order enacted in Dallas County, it is important to consider how this impacts our body’s ability to serve through our ministry partners. Fortunately, all volunteer opportunities that involve serving and delivering food are considered “essential.” This includes visiting food service providers such as grocery stores and restaurants that prepare food for delivery or carry out.

Watermark’s Ministry Partners are also ensuring they are following the shelter-in-place guidelines (low number of volunteers at one time, etc.). Please only consider serving on-site if you are healthy and do not fall within a “high risk” category.

Fortunately, many of our partners have also shared great options for essential donations – most of which don’t involve leaving your home.

Our partners have been encouraged by each of you who have served or shared your resources. Whether you help “on the front lines” or donate, you are helping our great partners continue reaching the essential needs of our community.

Drive-Thru Grocery Store in West Dallas

Brother Bill’s Helping Hand hosts a “free grocery store” for its West Dallas neighbors on a weekly basis. They anticipate feeding 300 families each week in the coming months. But to help keep neighbors and volunteers safe, food distribution has been changed to a “drive-thru” experience. Meanwhile, with DISD and other school districts closing, children in need have no access to school lunches.

Here are ways you can help:

  • Serve in the Drive-thru Grocery Store on Wednesdays or Thursdays or help restock on Mondays. Find all opportunities and times here. (Registration required.)
  • Donate money that can be used to purchase easily distributable food items – including bread, peanut butter, jelly, lunch meat, and more.

Help Children Under CPS Care

Child Protective Services needs help providing for the families they serve during the COVID-19 crisis, since they may lack regular access to meals and vital supplies. They also ask for prayer for CPS workers, as many are not able to take off and are navigating through this chaotic time. Pray also for safety for children in our community, because in times of high stress abuse and neglect tend to rise.

Specifically, the Watermark body can:

  • Provide goods and services that bring safety or help keep a family stable and together – car seats, strollers, beds, furniture, food, etc.
  • Help connect a family to available community resources, such as a babysitting service or daycare, food pantries, local informational events, etc.
  • Provide space or connect CPS with available space for any youth that might need to be quarantined. (CPS caseworkers would provide supervision of the children but need help finding helpful spaces.)

To learn more or help in any of these ways, please email Rosie Shield, CPS Faith Based Specialist.

OurCalling reaches thousands of homeless people each year, but the organization is not an overnight shelter. Instead, they provide the homeless population with a daytime environment that offers numerous services and discipleship opportunities.

Some of OurCalling’s current challenges include a lessened volunteer base and receiving 80% less food than normal due to limited stock at local grocery stores. One-third of OurCalling’s staff and volunteers are having to stay home with kids or are absent for other reasons during this time.

Their biggest needs are:

  • Men’s clothing. Clothes can be new or gently used; underwear must be unworn. Call 214-444-8796 to schedule a drop-off time in Downtown Dallas (Mon-Fri, between 8AM and 5PM).
  • Funds to purchase food (one quality meal at OurCalling only costs about $1.25) and pay for overtime and contract help. Donate here.

Help Feed Low-Income & Homeless Individuals in South Dallas

Our friends at Cornerstone Baptist Church, just south of Downtown Dallas, continue to feed those from their neighborhood and beyond through their Cornerstone Community Kitchen. Volunteers are needed to help serve food, or you can also help immensely by providing a direct donation.

With many grocery stores (which usually donate food) temporarily out of stock, Cornerstone must purchase much more food than usual. Furthermore, the Kitchen has seen 50% more visitors this week, because some other non-profits have ceased serving food during this time.

Ways you can help:

  • Prepare and serve food in the Kitchen – sign up here.
  • Donate food and items needed in the Kitchen – sign up here.
  • Give financially – donate through the PayPal link on the CBC site.

Provide Bibles for Men & Women in Prison

Prison Fellowship is in the process of redirecting resources to meet more urgent needs in prisons – especially by providing additional Life Recovery Bibles and other biblical resources. You can help provide Bibles by donating here.

Provide Groceries and Baby Supplies for Families Experiencing Unplanned Pregnancies

Thrive Women’s Clinic and Human Coalition both serve women and men facing unplanned pregnancies, encouraging them to choose life for their unborn children. During this time, gift cards allow these ministries to provide practical help and continue to build relationships. You can also be in prayer, as this crisis requires daily changes in their ministry, as well as the lives of the people they serve.

  • Send physical grocery store gift cards ($25 or less for each card) for Thrive clients to 6500 Greenville Ave., Suite 600, Dallas TX 75206
  • Send electronic gift cards ($25 or less) for Human Coalition clients to the Continuum of Care Coordinator, Phoebe, at ppurvey@thewomens.clinic

Even though classes and large gatherings are canceled for now, For the Nations Refugee Outreach continues to do as much ministry as possible over the phone and online. They plan to upload English and Bible lessons, activities for children, and readings from The Jesus Storybook Bible each day. (Please pray that many refugees who have been considering Jesus to be drawn to faith in Him, even through this crisis!)

They want families to be able to follow along as much as possible, so For the Nations hopes to distribute children's Bibles and English books to 500 families.

You can help by donating money: