PROJECTS
Berkeley Landscaping—Walltown
Project: Assist Urban Hope and the Walltown community by helping landscape several properties on Berkeley Street. It would be great if you can bring a lawnmower, weed eater, hedge-trimmers, and gloves.
Who: 3-6 people, 16 years and up
Berkeley Community Garden—Walltown
Walltown’s first community garden is getting started on Berkeley Street. This project needs donations of compost, mulch, and seeds. Bring any gardening equipment and gloves!
Project: Urban Garden—Create compost/work the soil/plant seeds in small cups for re-planting in the community garden
Who: 4-6 individuals, 16 years and up
Blacknall Lunch
After a hard working morning, we will feast on a delicious lunch and enjoy great fellowship time together.
Project: Kitchen Duty—Stay at the church to help make lunch for our hungry volunteers!
Who: 6 people, 12 years and up
Blacknall Nursery
Nursery care will be provided for infants and toddlers at Blacknall for the morning. There will be opportunities to sign-up children for nursery on the general sign-up sheet.
Project: Love Kids—Come and play with our delightful children for the morning
Who: 4-5 people, adults and teenagers
Child Evangelism Fellowship
CEF an interdenominational, international organization that aims to teach children the Gospel. It has year-round Good News Clubs as well as many special activities in the summer.
Project: Child to Child—Provide, pack, and store summertime gift bags for Durham kids attending CEF’s end of school year event on May 8th
Who: Children staying at Blacknall during the GDOS & families who return early to the church
Community Garden—St. John’s Presbyterian Church
A project proposed by a Blacknall member, this is a small, fellow Presbyterian congregation in North Durham beginning a community gardening project.
Project: Down and Dirty—Help our brothers and sisters at St. John’s Presbyterian to plant seedlings, prepare beds, haul vines, chop limbs, and otherwise get ready for a community garden.
Who: 5-15 people, from little kids to octogenarians
Durham Crisis Response Center
The Durham Crisis Response Center works with the community to end domestic and sexual violence through advocacy, education, support and prevention. “Pennies for Change” is their thrift store, providing clothing for the women and children and income to the organization.
Project: Sort For a Change—Sorting donations at the Pennies for Change thrift shop
Who: 8-12 people; all ages are welcome!
Durham Rescue Mission
The Durham Rescue Mission and Good Samaritan Inn provide a way for homeless people to get back on their feet again by cultivating an environment where Christ can change the inner person.
Projects: Become a Rescue-Missionary—Sorting clothes at both of DRM’s thrift store locations and assisting with volunteer work at the DRM Men’s Campus.
Who: 15-20 people total, 5-7 per project; all ages
Genesis Home
Genesis Home is a transitional housing program that provides a safe and supportive shelter environment for homeless families who are working to reconstruct their lives and maintain safe, stable households.
Project: Home Sweet Home—Work at the Genesis Home center, both outside and inside the property
Who: 4-6 people, all ages
Habitat for Humanity
Durham County Habitat’s mission is to provide decent, affordable housing to families who cannot otherwise purchase a home.
Project: Building Hospitality – Assisting Habitat in construction of housing; the actual project will depend on the construction schedule, but we will announce it the week before.
Who: 10-12 people, 16 years and up
Housing for New Hope
The mission of Housing for New Hope is to encourage and assist homeless people and other persons in crisis to move toward lives marked by increased levels of stability, dignity, hope and independence.
Project: House the Homeless—Housing for New Hope’s Williams Square Apartments will provide twenty-four apartments for the homeless currently living on the streets, in shelters, and in other unsuitable temporary locations. For the GDOS, we will help Housing for New Hope finish the job. Jobs could include room finishing, landscaping, and grounds cleanup.
Who: 10 people; 14 years and up
Interfaith Hospitality Network – Partnership House
Durham Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) is dedicated to ending family homelessness in Durham by providing shelter and meals in local congregations, and is one of Blacknall’s two partnership organizations. The Partnership House, owned and operated by Caleb and Nisrine Pineo, provides affordable, safe, and stable housing for families leaving the IHN network.
Project: Yard Overhaul – Busting up a concrete block wall, hauling the concrete rubble to a different part of the yard, shoveling ashes/dirt into bags for disposal, hauling debris, clearing overgrown vines, bushes; weeding, mulching, and generally fixing up an overgrowing yard.
Who: 10-15 people; No minimum age, but children under 14 should be accompanied by an adult
Meals on Wheels
Provides home-delivered meals to those who are in need.
Project: Painting at the Meals on Wheels warehouse
Who: 6-10 people, all ages
Pregnancy Support Services
PSS offers help for those facing unplanned pregnancy, post-abortive recovery and counseling, and relationship support.
Project: Spring Cleaning—Painting cabinets at PSS
Who: 2 people
Reality Ministries
Reality Ministries is one of Blacknall’s two community partners—a ministry of relationship and presence, reflecting the heart of Jesus for those who are marginalized due to poverty, violence, lack of opportunity, and special needs.
Project: Real Work at the Reality Center—There are four key projects to do at the Reality Center: Extending an accessibility ramp, planting in their garden, removing steps, and sorting books. There is also a need for a small group to pick up a donated piano; a pick-up truck is needed for this project!
Who: 15 people, ages 14 and up
Urban Ministries
Every day, Urban Ministries provides food, clothing, shelter, and supportive services for our neighbors in need. UMD plays a critical role in Durham’s continuum of care network as the primary point of entry to homelessness prevention, re-housing and emergency services for a large portion of the area’s homeless and poverty-stricken population.
Project: The Family That Sorts Together Stays Together—Sorting donations at the UMD clothing closet is a family-oriented project, meaning that children can join their parents for this shortened project. After working for 1.5-2 hours, families with young children can either head to a park to play or return to the church for an additional work project.
Who: 12-16 people, all ages
Urban Hope
Urban Hope is a ministry of the Navigators, proclaiming the Gospel in the neighborhood of Walltown. UH runs a full-time summer camp, a basketball program, and a leadership program.
Project: Crafts for Campers—This project is perfect for the crafty-minded people out there. The goal is to create 12 craft projects that students can work on during the summer camp, including one example of the finished product.
Who: 2-5 people, all ages
