SMM volunteers and donors,
Sadly, after a 20-year relationship, SMM is no longer partnering with Christian Service Center Winter Park. Christian Service Center Winter Park was a division of Christian Service Center Orlando (CSC). CSC decided to narrow their focus to provide more extensive assistance on a fewer number of programs. As a result, they closed the Winter Park Center in May.
Many of you know Gwenell Hall, the social worker at CSC Winter Park. She was often present on our campus assisting with our outreach projects. She has taken a new position at Winter Park Neighborhood Center for Families and we wish her well.
In spite of the changes, SMM remains firmly committed to serving those in need in our local community. A little-known fact is that there are more homeless people in the east Winter Park/436 Semoran corridor than in downtown Orlando. However, there are no agencies with a sole focus on this geography. Our parish also has a significant outreach presence in West Winter Park and Eatonville who will also continue to be served.
SMM has been in discussions and planning sessions since May. We are now finally equipped to announce the re-commencement of outreach services out of the Redeemer Lutheran Church location on Aloma Ave. near 436, (home of the former WP CSC). This is a dual partnership between the two churches and will operate with staff and volunteers from both. Redeemer has expressed the same commitment to serving those in need that we have at SMM.
Please read on for a synopsis of our initial start-up efforts. Once they become self-sustaining, plans are to expand services into other complementary outreach opportunities.
Infrastructure
The current facility is very worn. A refurbishment project is underway under the direction and funding of Redeemer. Once this is complete, we will fit out the location with appropriate storage, equipment, computers, telephones and start-up supplies to provide to those in need. This will all occur over the next 4-6 weeks.
Serving the Homeless
The distribution of food and necessities for the walk-up homeless population will be housed in our shared location but administered solely by Redeemer staff and volunteers. SMM will continue to donate items that are appropriate for the un-housed.
Redeemer is working on providing their parking lot to host portable showers and other needed services on select weekends throughout the year. SMM will have the opportunity to provide and serve hot meals at that time.
Serving families with infants and toddlers
The diaper program, formally called Baby Basics, and more recently administered through CSC will continue. It will be supplied by and staffed with SMM and potentially Redeemer volunteers. This will serve families with children in diapers up to size 6 for a period of up to 3 years. In our last distribution, we gave out over 4,500 diapers. We will continue to ask for diaper donations to support this program.
Food Pantry
We will provide bags of food for our local neighbors who are under severe financial strain. SMM will provide a start-up supply of food and will continue to support this effort from our weekend pantry collection. A major food drive will take place in 2025
Utility Payments
Since there will not be a full-time case manager, utility payments will continue to be administered by the main office at CSC downtown, with periodic assistance provided by SMM for nearby residents.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Stores
Clients of the new center will be eligible to shop at both of the Stores.
Referrals
The new center will be equipped to provide customized referrals to other agencies that can provide specialized or more comprehensive services than are possible through the scope of our work.
Additional Services
Once operations are running smoothly, we will look to expand our services to include clothing, training services and other necessities, all to be determined based on need.
As a start-up operation, we will be seeking donations of various office and storage items, and shortly, we will distribute a list of specific items that are needed.
If you would like to volunteer in any capacity at the new center, email [email protected]. PLEASE REMEMBER that we are gauging early interest and will respond back to you in the next 3 weeks or so, once we obtain a critical mass of volunteers. At that time, we will schedule an informational meeting, sign-up volunteers and offer a short training session.
Once the space is fitted out and we have volunteers and supplies, the doors will open!
We look forward to the shared discipleship with our new partner Redeemer, and hope that you will become involved in this much needed and tremendously rewarding outreach effort. Thank you.
Deacon Scott Lindeman
Director, Christian Service
