We always welcome new volunteers to join our team of cooks for The Night Ministry bus.  Volunteers meet at church between 5 and 5:30pm to cook. The staff will meet you at the church at 7pm to talk about the goals of the Youth Outreach Team, youth homelessness, and the plan for the evening. Together, you’ll head over to the distribution point (near the corner of Belmont and Halsted just a few blocks from the church).  We then head to the distribution spot and serve the meal until a little after 10:30pm. Coming for just part of that time is fine.

We’re confident that you’ll enjoy time spent in the company of your fellow church members and the satisfaction of helping our most vulnerable neighbors. Contact secondunitarian@att.net to let us know in advance when you are available.

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What’s Cooking?

Volunteering for the Night Ministry Youth Outreach Team

November, 2008 Anvil Newsletter Article by Tim and Jane

In weekly e-mails and orders of service, you’ve probably noticed requests for volunteers to help cook and serve dinner for the Night Ministry’s Youth Outreach Team. Especially now that we’ve had some experience with the program, we want to tell the congregation more about our involvement with it. And, while a terrific group of people has already come forward to volunteer, we want you to consider lending your time and talents to serving our neighbors.

Second Unitarian has long supported the Night Ministry, which emphasizes, among other efforts, outreach to and services for homeless youth in Lakeview.  While a fairly small percentage of all young people identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, nearly half of homeless youth are GLBT.  Unfortunately, many of them flee situations where they are bullied by their classmates, scorned by their religious communities, and rejected or abused by their families.  Seeking a more tolerant community and a network of friendship and social support, many of them arrive in Lakeview homeless. Even if they find a supportive community, their age and homelessness leave them vulnerable in many, many ways.  Among its other services to these homeless youth, the Night Ministry enlists neighborhood groups to supply and serve dinner twice a week from its Youth Outreach van. This is the program we have chosen to support, and we have committed to finding volunteers for a couple of dinners in each of the next several months.

Once I became a member of Second Unitarian, I found myself in a situation that may be familiar to many of you. I shared the congregation’s commitment to social justice, but it was difficult actually to demonstrate that commitment while meeting all of my other obligations. Although I was eager take on a project, it’s difficult to do that when workloads fluctuate from month-to-month.

This Night Ministry project is perfect because it’s really very simple. If you can commit to one of the scheduled nights, one of us will contact you about one week before that night to figure out what the group will cook and serve. Although there’s no set menu, we should provide 4-5 gallons of soup, approximately 200 simple sandwiches, and some basic items like crackers, pretzels, cookies, candy, or fruit. Volunteers have generously supplied food items. If that poses a difficulty for you, please don’t let it prevent you from volunteering. Let us know what, if anything, you can bring, and we’ll work it out with you.

We’re confident that you’ll enjoy time spent in the company of your fellow church members and the satisfaction of helping our most vulnerable neighbors.  Please e-mail secondunitarian@att.net or call 773-549-0260 x11 if you are able to volunteer.

Last Updated Dec 1, 2009 - LT