The Synergy Soccer League is currently using the fields at Lighthouse. Their mission is to ‘offer players hope and opportunity that transforms and empowers their lives’. Through the recreational league, they hope to bring the community together with the goal of offering opportunities for spiritual and youth development. They aim to accomplish this through the relationships built between coaches and players and by presenting weekly ‘life lessons’. On a much larger scope, a goal is to use the league as a ‘feeder’ system to the higher level club soccer programming they offer for which there is considerable mentoring/youth development components.
Practical ways your group can serve:
- Coaches and assistant coaches
- Field preparation. Every week they need to put the goals out and take them down before and after games, pick up trash, and about every other week (or as needed) line the fields with paint.
- Giving weekly 5 – 7 minute, age-appropriate ‘life lessons’ to the teams at practices (Monday and Tuesdays, either 5:30 or 6:30).
- ‘Adopting’ a team, which would involve getting to know the parents, maybe host a year-end party, and generally looking for ministry opportunities with the families in that team.
Grace Pregnancy Resource Center
Grace Pregnancy Resource Center empowers young women to make life affirming choices and hopes to help protect the sanctity of human life in Nashville. Since opening in 2006, they have helped save 160 babies from abortion! While they rejoice for these spared lives, they are committed to becoming even more effective. They provide abortion consultations, adoption referrals, pregnancy tests, prenatal and parenting classes, post-abortion support, sexual integrity training, agency referrals, and material assistance. They are planning to begin offering ultrasounds in the summer of 2010. All their services are free and confidential.
Practical ways your group can serve:
- Prayer partner
- Office assistance
- Fundraising
- Client advocate
- Sidewalk counselor
- Host a baby shower
- Diaper drive
Homeless Education Resources and Organization (HERO)
The HERO program works within the Metro School System. Whenever a child transitions into homelessness while attending a Metro School, the HERO program steps in to make sure as much of that child’s life can stay normal as possible, such as not having to change schools based on what shelter they must go to, or if they move in with friends or relatives outside their current school zone. HERO makes sure they have transportation to and from school, clothes that meet school dress codes, food, and other forms of social assistance if needed. HERO and Second Harvest Food Bank currently have many, many food and hygiene boxes that need to be delivered all over the Nashville area.
Practical ways your group can serve:
- Delivering food and hygiene boxes
- More ideas to come!
Thriftsmart
Thriftsmart exists to provide value to customers, opportunity for employees, and benefit charities by operating the best thrift stores in the world and promoting thrifty living– all for God’s glory.
Practical ways your group can serve:
- Donate clothes
- Volunteer at a local store
