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Christian Volunteer Opportunities in Chicago
It's been a difficult few years for most Americans...and citizens of the world in general. The pandemic has brought financial and health challenges to many families. Natural disasters have left thousands around the United States without a home. Inflation is eating up pay raises and savings, and retirement pensions and savings are buying less and less each month. For many that means relying on charity to help them feed, clothe and even house their families.
And that's just in the United States. Overseas, war in Eastern Europe, Northern Africa, and throughout the Middle East has brought the unimaginable. Entire neighborhoods and even cities have been erased from the map; millions have been forced to seek refuge in nations foreign to them.
In the Old Testament, the Bible tells us “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” (Proverbs 14:31). In the New Testament, the Book of James, the Bible says, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead". Clearly, it is God's will that we help those less fortunate than us, to the best of our abilities.
Christian Volunteer Opportunities here in Chicago
There are a myriad of volunteer opportunities in the greater Chicago area for those interested in helping others. Just a sampling of these include...
- Calvin Christian School is a private Christian-focused PK-8 school, located in South Holland. The school is currently seeking a volunteer to work as admissions assistant for the coming school year. Calvin Christian School, 528 E 161st St, South Holland IL 60473;
- This non-profit offers numerous programs designed to help the people who live on the South Side of Chicago and share God's love. The Center is in need of volunteers for multiple positions. The Agape Center of Chicago, 1142 W 111st St, Chicago IL 60608;
- This non-profit organization, founded by the Chinese Christian Union Church, supports the more than 30,000 Chinese living in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood. They provide English language education, job and citizenship assistance, help with immigration issues, and generally help people adjust to life in the United States. Current volunteer opportunities here include adult ESL tutoring and youth after-school tutoring. Pui Tak Center, 2216 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago IL 60616;
- UCA was founded in 2014 to fill a void in Christian education in the South Holland/Lansing area. The school, now in its fourth academic year, serves children from grades 9-12. UCA is currently looking for a volunteer lunch supervisor. Unity Christian Academy, 16341 South Park Ave, South Holland IL 60473;
- This large non-profit organization seeks to improve the quality of life for Chicagoans with educational, health and wellness, jobs, and housing programs. Chicago Cares engages 1000s of volunteers each year, in capacities ranging from working on community gardens and distributing food in area food pantries to repairing bikes to give to underprivileged kids. The organization, founded more than 30 years ago, is "the City of Chicago’s number one provider of corporate volunteer activation", according to the organization's website.
- One of the oldest Christian charities in the United States, the Salvation Army states its mission as "meeting human needs wherever they may be, without discrimination". The Chicago branch extends its reach into a five-county area and has more than 100 community centers and extension units. The Chicago brand of the Salvation Army currently has 32 volunteer opportunities. Salvation Army, Volunteer Resource Department, 5040 N Pulaski, Chicago IL 60630;
Of course, this is just a partial list of the many Christian volunteer opportunities in the greater Chicago area. Look on your church bulletin board or contact your church office to learn more about how you can help bring God’s influence to the city of Chicago.
The Importance of Volunteers
Volunteering in the community has never been more important. To just give one example of the current need, more than 14 percent of American households are food insecure, according to the US Department of Agriculture. That means they aren't sure where they are going to get their next meal.
Numerous Christian charities around Chicago and other parts of the country that help fill this need and others simply wouldn't survive if they had to pay for labor. They rely on volunteers to staff food pantries, deliver food to elderly or ill residents and work in community gardens to raise fresh produce. And, that's just to address hunger.
Another way to look at volunteering is as an extension of tithing (donating 10 percent of your income to charity). If you are able to tithe, that's great. That's what the Bible tells us to do and that's what we strive for as Christians.
However, the reality of today's economy is that for many families, that 10 percent is just not possible, at least on a regular basis. Volunteering your time has a monetary value. And, even though you're not getting paid, it's not unreasonable to look at volunteering as donating your time (at x amount per hour) to charity.
About Chicago Church
Chicago Church actively supports Christian volunteering. We are an established church, part of the International Churches of Christ (ICOC), with seven locations throughout the Chicagoland area. We keep a full schedule of worship services and events focused on cultivating spiritual growth and community. We'd love to have you join us.
To learn more about Christian volunteer opportunities in the greater Chicagoland area, visit our website here. Help us make the world a better, more generous place to live for those in Chicagoland and beyond.
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