Local Ministry Partners
House of Bread Food Pantry: The name Bethlehem literally means “House of Bread”. At BFUMC, we not only want to feed people spiritually, but also physically, by meeting the needs of hunger in our community. House of Bread distributes food boxes on the 1st Saturday of the month from 9:30 -11:30 AM. For more information on how you can serve, click HERE.
Little Free Food Pantry: There is a small house outside the classroom hallway that houses food for people in need of a meal. Whether families with kids or people passing through with dogs, the pantry is open to everyone. Take what you need, leave what you can! For more information on donations and volunteers needed for this ministry, click HERE.
Barrow County Cooperative Benevolence Ministries (BCCBM) is a Christian volunteer organization that helps those in need in Barrow County. Monthly food distributions, a daily food pantry, Thrift Store & clothes closet and Church of the Month are some of the assistance they help with. Their monthly food distribution is the third Thursday of every month. BFUMC is church of the month each March and we are responsible for volunteers for the daily food pantry in June of each year.
- Ways to get involved right now with BCCBM:
- You can get involved with the Thrift store & Clothes Closet by sorting clothes, cleaning, organizing. Help is also needed immediately to help check people out at the front desk. Volunteers are needed Monday – Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. All money raised from the Thrift Store & Clothes closet funds Church of the Month which helps people in need with their utilities, medicine, gasoline, clothing & food.
- You can also help with the monthly mobile food distribution, daily food distribution, Food 2 Kids & Feeding Families.
- Donate clothing, household items, furniture, really anything to the Thrift store & Clothes Closet located in downtown Winder at 45 E. Candler St. Winder 30680
BFUMC & Bethlehem Elementary School Partners: Opportunities to mentor students, volunteers for school festivals, serve teachers and staff on teacher work days, clothing donations for emergency clothes closet, etc.
Barrow Ministry Village partners with churches and community leaders in Barrow County to raise awareness, pray, and provide supplemental support for foster children and families in the Barrow community. Barrow Ministry Village bridges the gap in services providing hope and healing to a community of struggling individuals and families. Their focus is professional Christian Counseling and Foster Family Support. They offer a food pantry & clothing closet for their clients.
Blood Drives: BFUMC hosts several blood drives each year.
Northeast Georgia Homeless Veterans Shelter: The Northeast Georgia Homeless Veterans Shelter is an organization that offers transitional housing and a comprehensive array of support services to homeless Veterans and their families. Supportive services include vocational and career development, life skills training, counseling services, and help with obtaining veteran’s benefits. These services allow our Veterans to transition back into the community as healthy productive citizens.
Peace Place, Inc.: is a domestic violence program that serves survivors of family violence in Banks, Barrow & Jackson counties. They offer emergency shelter, transitional & scattered site housing, outreach & legal advocacy, safety planning, educational presentations, & children’s services.
Come Alive Ministries is a pregnancy care center offering help and hope to women facing an unplanned pregnancy in the Barrow County area. They endeavor to equip women to take care of their children and make wise choices that save and improve the lives of many children every year.
Back to School Bash: During July, school backpacks and school supplies are collected and donated to help families in need have the opportunity to receive school supplies for their children before the start of the school year. Families are able receive the backpacks by attending the annual Back to School Bash in July sponsored by Barrow County Family Connection.
Hope Connects Foster Care Family Network: Hope Connects hosts a foster care meeting once a month for all the Foster & Adoptive families in Barrow County! These meetings help the foster families get their CEU hours for the year, connect with other foster families and offers a couple of hours of respite for the foster parents. BFUMC hosts, provides the meal, and cares for the children when Hope Connects comes to Bethlehem First UMC.
The Tree House, Inc is a non-profit organization, whose mission is to strengthen communities by reducing the occurrence and impact of child abuse through counseling, educating, supporting and nurturing children and families in Barrow, Banks, and Jackson counties. Bethlehem First UMC supports The Tree House by collecting needed items for the children and counselors.