•

2010 – January

Now till Tax time – Free help with taxes! - Click on the links to see the schedules:

Family Abuse Center Volunteer Orientation – Will be held EVERY Monday 2-3pm; Tuesday 9-10am; Thursday 5:30-6:30; and EVERY Second Saturday of the month. Exceptions include Monday January 25th, 2010. Fill out an online application by going to www.familyabusecenter.org and clicking on the “How Can I Help?” tab then sign up to come to our one hour orientation to become a volunteer. Potential volunteers must call 254.772.8999 X2232 to sign up for an orientation date or send an email to Raquel.Salinas@familyabusecenter.org. Come be a part of helping survivors of domestic violence!

Now through February 7 – Apply for Summer 2010 White House Internship Program. The Summer 2010 White House internship program application is now available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/internships . White House internships are full time, unpaid positions and participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation and housing. In addition to office duties, interns will supplement their learning experience by attending a weekly lecture series hosted by senior staff, assist at White House events and volunteer in community service projects. For a PDF with more information click here: White House 2010 Internship Program.

Now thru March 12 – Applications due for Bread For the World Hunger Justice Leader training. Two years ago, 75 young leaders came to the nation’s capital for intensive training in advocacy for hungry and poor people. Since then, they have served as powerful agents of change in their communities. Now Bread for the World is looking for the best and brightest 20- to 30-year-old advocates to join our next class of Hunger Justice Leaders. Do you have what it takes to be Hunger Justice Leader? Or do you know someone who does? Selected participants will attend an advocacy training workshop—all expenses paid—in Washington, D.C., June 12-15, 2010. Then they too will commit to going back to their communities to lead advocacy efforts. To learn more or to apply, click here: Hunger Justice Leaders.

Available now! Mission Waco Urban Youth Program CD – Free for $5 donation. Go to www.myspace.com/missionwacoyouth and http://www.missionwaco.org/mwy.html to see what is happening among youth who are often considered too difficult to reach. Youth Leader, Gabe Dominguez has guided this remarkable program to reach drop outs to get jobs, return to school, get out of gangs, and come to understand the love of God. The Youth Center (1313 N. 15th) has its own audio recording studio and after a year of work, our teens have produced their first CD. These are available for free with any donation of $5 or more to the youth program. For more information contact Gabe Dominguez by email at gdominguez@missionwaco.org or by phone at 254-753-4900 x 210.

January 14 – McLennan County Hunger Coalition (MCHC) meeting - 11:45-1:00, Park’s Family Buffet Restaurant, 4318 Bellmead Dr., Bellmead. A coalition of representatives of food pantries, feeding programs, governmental agencies, faith-based organizations, businesses, and interested individuals committed to solving the problems of food insecurity and hunger in the local area, the MCHC meets monthly, usually on the second Thursday of each month. Anyone who has an interest is welcome. For more information contact Esther Morales at 753-3545 or foodoutreach@grandecom.net.

January 15 – Heart of Texas Homeless Coalition Meeting. Time: Lunch at 11:45 AM, meeting starts at Noon. Place: Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG), 1514 S. New Road. Cost: No cost to attend. Join us to stay involved with what is going on in Central Texas to serve the homeless. Lunch will be provided. To RSVP for lunch, please call Chelle Samaniego at 254-750-5967 or send an email to ChelleS@ci.waco.tx.us.

January 18 – MLK Day of Service coordinated by The Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition. HOT UGC will coordinate gardening projects at nine different sites throughout Waco as a part of the Day of Service. Gardening activities will include preparing and planting vegetable beds, cleaning up and beautifying surrounding areas, and other projects specific to the gardening site. Each garden will be provided seed potatoes, greens transplants, onion sets, flower transplants, tools, gloves, trash bags, and other supplies needed for gardening. A healthy lunch using fresh vegetables will be prepared and served by Baylor University Campus Kitchens for participants at each gardening site. Sites: Brazos Middle School, Carver Park Baptist Church, Hilcrest Professional Development School, Lakeshore Baptist Church, Provident Heights, Rapoport Academy, Speegleville Elementary, West Avenue Elementary, World Hunger Relief, Inc. For a flyer, click here: MLK Day of Service. For more information, please contact: Bethel Erickson – Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition vista@worldhungerrelief.org or 254-799-5611.

January 18 – MLK Day at Mission Waco Featuring Dramatic Reading of Reconciliation. Time: 1:00 a.m. Place: Jubilee Theater, 1319 N. 15th Street. Cost: Free. With a combination of fictional characters and Waco’s actual history, you will be drawn into the dramatic readings of hope and reconciliation arranged by Francine Lumbard. Since genuine racial and economic reconciliation continues to be a challenge for most folks, efforts to bridge these barriers is a high priority for Mission Waco. We hope you will pass the word and come experience this dramatic reading and our discussion. Pat Bernstein, author of “The Waco Horror,” will be in attendance. For more information call 254-753-4900.

January 22 – EOAC Waco Charter School Third Six Weeks Award Ceremony. Time: 8:30am and 9:30am. Place: Gym at EOAC Waco Charter School 615 N 25th Street.

January 24 – Care Net 3rd Annual BBQ Lunch & Bake Sale. Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 PM. Place: Waco High School, 2020 N. 42nd Street. Cost: Donations accepted at the door. Care Net Pregnancy Center would like to invite you, your friends and your church or small group to their 3rd Annual BBQ Lunch & Bake Sale on the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Your presence at this event will bless and encourage us as we stand together, with many fellow believers, to honor life! There will be no program, just food, fellowship and fun! (Take-out is available). For more information visit the website: BBQ & Bake Sale. If you are interested in donating a baked good, please contact Jennifer Maynard at 254-772-8270 or Jennifer@CareNetofCentralTexas.org.

January 25 – Annual Community Youth Development (CYD) Community Meeting. Time: 5:45 pm to 8:00 pm. Place: Waco High School Cafeteria, 2020 North 42nd Street, Waco. Community Youth Development Program 76707 is a juvenile crime prevention project that focuses on youth and children who live in 76707 or go to a 76707 school (Waco High students and A J Moore Academy students are included). This annual community meeting will include good free food/supper, a discussion of the Juvenile Crime Prevention Community Needs Assessment, brief presentations by CYD Juvenile Crime Prevention Subcontractors, and perhaps some good musical entertainment! For more information or to RSVP contact John Devries by email at john_devries@sbcglobal.net or by phone at 776-1510.

January 25-30 – Advocacy Center Hotline Training. Place: 2323 Columbus Ave-Waco. Are you a good listener, do you have a warm heart, do you want to give back to your community? The Advocacy Center Hotline is for you! Survivors of sexual assault need your help immediately! Please consider giving your time to help victims of crime. Applications are now being accepted. Must be 18 years of age; pass federal, state, and local background checks; attend and complete 40 hour free training class held at the Advocacy Center. Hotline advocates, answer the 24 hour hotline and respond to both Providence and Hillcrest Hospitals with victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault. For more information, please contact Mindi Masten at 254-752-9330*103 or mmasten@advocacycntr.org. Applications will be accepted until January 22, 2010.

January 26 – Heart of Texas Crop Walk for Hunger Steering Committee meeting. Time: 5:30 pm. Place: Seeds of Hope office at 7th & James Baptist Church, 602 James (call 755-7745 or email seedseditor@clearwire.net for directions) Join us to help plan the 2010 Waco CROP walk. Three-fourths of the proceeds from the CROP walk will go to Church World Service (CWS) a world-wide relief, development, and refugee assistance ministry. One-fourth of the proceeds will go to a hunger-related charity. For more information call Linda Freeto at Central United Methodist Church: 420-2862 or LFreeto@CentralFaith.com. To visit the Crop Walk website, click here: Waco CROP walk.

January 27 – One Book One Waco Book Announcement. Time: 11 am. Place: Hoover Library 1428 Wooded Acres Drive. We will announce the Spring 2010 book and calendar of events at this time. For more information contact Alexis Weaver, Director of Community Affairs, Greater Waco Chamber by phone at 254.757.5630 or by email at aweaver@wacochamber.com.

January 28 – EOAC Waco Charter School TAKS Parent Night. Time: 5:30pm-6:30 pm. Place: Cafeteria and classrooms at EOAC Waco Charter School, 615 N. 25th Street.

January 28– Volunteers Needed! Heart of Texas Homeless Coalition Project Homeless Connect. Time: 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM. Place: Acts Christian Fellowship, 300 S. 13th , Waco. Project Homeless Connect is an opportunity for individuals in homelessness or in a state of poverty to come to a central location that will feature many local service providers. Volunteers are needed to assist homeless individuals during the event as well as to answer and assist with any questions they may have. Volunteers should arrive by 8:30 a.m. the day of the event. We will have a lunch and debriefing that will take place around 12:30 p.m. You may volunteer for the entire event, however we are happy to accommodate your schedule if you are only able to serve for a few hours at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the event. If you are interested in serving, please contact Chelle Samaniego by email at ChelleS@ci.waco.tx.us or by phone at 254.750.5967 or 972.998.8640.

January 28– Heart of Texas Homeless Coalition Project Homeless Connect. Time: 9 AM-Noon. Place: Acts Christian Fellowship, 300 S. 13th , Waco. Project Homeless Connect is an opportunity for individuals in homelessness or in a state of poverty to come to a central location that will feature many local service providers. Services such as medical attention, dental attention, job skills, training opportunities, veterans’ services, haircuts, even pet services from the Animal Birth Control Clinic will be available. Volunteers are needed for setup and tear down. Also, we will be accepting booth reservations for the event; If you serve the homeless and would like to get the word out about your services, sign up for a free booth. For more information please contact Chelle Samaniego by phone at 254-750-5967 or by email at ChelleS@ci.waco.tx.us.

January 28 & 29 – Volunteer Training for Care Net Waco. Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, must attend both days. Place: Care Net Administrative Offices, 4700 W. Waco Drive. Care Net is searching for volunteers who have a heart to minister to men and women facing an unplanned pregnancy. They have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including facilitating classes, event planning, peer counseling, office support and many others. Some volunteer positions require 12-hour Care Net training and a period of in-house training. If you are interested, click here to open and/or download a volunteer application and contact stella@carenetofcentraltexas.org. to make an appointment to bring it in, or call her at 254-772-6175.

January 29 – Learn more about the Texas Hunger Initiative, Food Planning Associations and how Waco Community Members can be involved. Time: 9 -10:30 a.m. Place: Waco Chamber of Commerce, Cooper Room. 101 South 3rd Street, Waco. If you are able to attend, please RSVP to Beth Kilpatrick by phone at 254-710-3704 or by email at beth_kilpatrick@baylor.edu by Thursday, January 28, 2009.

January 29 – “Hope for Haiti” benefit dance and silent auction featuring the music of After Midnight. Time: 7:00 pm. Place: Lake Shore Baptist Church, 5801 Bishop Drive, Waco. Cost: $5 minimum donation is suggested. This “all ages” Benefit concert and dance will support relief efforts in Haiti. All proceeds from the event will be used to address immediate needs for food, shelter, and medical assistance through World Hunger Relief, Habitat for Humanity, and Doctors Without Borders. Music will be provided by the local band, After Midnight, and by other special musical guests. The event will also feature a silent auction. For additional information, call Lake Shore Baptist at 772-2910.

January 29 & 30 – Lead Like Jesus, a Leadership Encounter Workshop sponsored by Potter’s Vessel Ministries. This is a free interactive program, based on the Leadership model of Jesus. People of faith and anyone else searching for a relevant and effective role model for their own day-to-day leadership will be challenged as never before to look at Jesus in a new and life-changing way. You will learn about the barriers to effective leadership and the power of the heart, head, hands, and habits of leading like Jesus. The first session on the 29th will start at 6 pm and go until 10 pm. The second session on the 30th will start at 8 am and go into 12:30. For more information or to register, please contact Debbie McElveen, Potter’s Vessel Ministries, by phone at 254-757-3633 or by email at debbiemcelveen@sbcglobal.net.

January 30 (New Location!) : – Beyond the Backyard (Garden Training Series – Part 1). The Why and What of Growing a Garden. Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm, followed by a potluck and garden Q&A. Place: Lake Shore Baptist Church, 5801 Bishop Dr. Cost: Suggested donation of $10 to cover material costs. Workshop Topics: Garden Basics. Mission and Purpose. Interested in learning more about growing a garden and building community? Join the HOT Urban Gardening Coalition for our first garden training series – in 6 parts. For more information, see UGC’s website: http://hotugc.wordpress.com. To register, contact Bethel Erickson at vista@worldhungerrelief.org.

January 31 (new date!) - “Hospitality, Reconciliation & Community” informational meeting about the work Georgia’s Alterna Community has been doing with undocumented immigrants. Time: 7 – 9 pm. Place: TBD. Anton Flores, from La Grange, Georgia, will be in Waco working with Hope Fellowship and giving a few lectures at Baylor. While he is here, I invite you to join us in an informal setting and learn more about his work with undocumented workers in Georgia, immigration detention issues, and Christian Peacemaking Teams. Anton is one of the founders of Alterna Community, an intentional community that holds to the principles of relocation, generous simplicity, hospitality, reconciliation, community, environmental stewardship, and nonviolence. For Alterna, relocation means living a life of simplicity and in solidarity with migrants, particularly with undocumented immigrants and with the poor in Latin America. for more about Alterna: http://www.alternacommunity.com/ . For more information contact Alexis Weaver at (254)716-0907or by email at alexis.j.weaver@gmail.com.

Act Locally: Waco

2010 – January