Amigos Days

A project of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Amigos Days is a ministry that enhances the relationship between suburban and inner-city churches. Each year FirstChurch helps repair an inner-city Dallas church facility or nearby home where the owner is incapacitated or unable to pay for repairs. For more information contact Rick Billings. 

Family Promise

Founded in 1988, Family Promise offers hands-on outreach within church facilities. As an Interfaith Network Church with Family Promise of Collin County, FirstChurch provides space 3-4 times each year for 3-4 families or up to 14 people (all pre-screened for safety) to live for a week under the same roof while job hunting, receiving training and seeking other assistance. FirstChurch members and other hosts provide meals, help with homework, stay overnight or set up and break down bedrooms and family rooms before and after each week. For more information contact Laura Jeffers.

God's Food Pantry and Plano Food Pantry

FirstChurch collects non-perishable food each week and delivers it to God's Food Pantry and the Plano Food Pantry. FirstChurch also recruits volunteers to pick up donations from local food stores and deliver them to the homebound on behalf of God's Food Pantry. Volunteers also sort and repackage bulk dried foods. For more information contact Linda Irby.

Habitat for Humanity

FirstChurch supports the South Collin County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Most recently, FirstChurch sponsored and participated in the 2011 Habitat for Humanity Women Build, helping to construct a new home in the Douglas Community of Plano that was dedicated to the family in January 2012. No experience is necessary to participate in a Habitat build. Participants receive on-the-job training in everything from framing a house to hanging sheetrock. For information on an upcoming build, contact Pat Thompson, Michelle Schroeder or Staci Witten. 

Plain-O Helpers

Senior Christian handymen providing assistance with minor home maintenance and repairs - focusing on health and safety issues - to seniors (55 and older) and handicapped clients in and around Plano. Services are provided at no charge. For more information contact Bill Downs. 

Plano Santas

This city-wide effort serves up to 500 disadvantaged families cleared by the Assistance Center of Collin County. Individuals and classes at FirstChurch adopt families to provide Christmas presents. Santa provides 30 days of food, which FirstChurch delivers to families on the Saturday and Sunday before Christmas.

Project Transformation

A non-profit Christian organization affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Project Transformation uses the energy of college students to provide community-oriented programs for children and youth in low income neighborhoods. Interns share the love of Jesus Christ by helping children in grades K-5 with reading, language and communication skills. FirstChurch supports the Project Transformation Summer Camp program in June and July by funding the salary for an intern and providing reading volunteers, meals for interns and families, books, snacks and other supplies. For more information contact Shelley Hanley.

Quilts for Kids

Images by Lucila

Formed in March 2000, Quilts for Kids has made and given away more than 1,000 quilts, hats and throws to hospitals and clinics, and has a goal to make 250 quilts each year. New members are always welcome, and donations of fabric and batting are appreciated. Quilts for Kids meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month (with a summer hiatus in June, July and August) in Room 206 from 9am to noon. For more information contact Sue Hunter.

Shoe Ministry

FirstChurch and seven other Plano provide shoes for disadvantaged children thru The Assistance Center of Collin County. For more information contact Mary Schallenberg. 

School Supplies

FirstChurch supports Resurrection Lutheran Church in providing school supplies to disadvantaged children. Supplies and cash donations welcome. Contact Mary Schallenberg for more information.

Shoe Bank

Separate from the Shoe Ministry (above), which provides shoes for school-age children, the Shoe Bank collects new and gently-used athletic shoes for men, women and children. Finding a need among the homeless, the program was begun in 1989 to put shoes on a few hundred homeless men living in downtown Dallas. Today the Shoe Bank provides shoes for more than 20,000 people locally and abroad. The drop box at FirstChurch is located just inside the east entrance. Contact Bill Marquard for more information.