OurStewardship
Churches plan 5-month season of volunteerism
Monday, March 08, 2010
More than 250 San Diego churches are joining forces with evangelist Luis Palau to host a “season of service” — a series of volunteer opportunities designed to fill some of San Diego’s most pressing needs.
The season will last from April until September, concluding with a festival in Mission Bay on Sept. 11-12th.
Organizers hope to get 50,000 volunteers over the five-month span. Palau has previously hosted similar events in Portland, Ore. and Little Rock, Ark.
“It has the momentum to be a lot stronger and the high impact events will be new here in San Diego,” said Chris McFarland, director of San Diego City Fest.
It will kick off with the first of five “high impact events” on April 24th, with the Sleepless in San Diego event at the NTC Promenade in conjunction with the San Diego Rescue Mission.
The first Season of Service was launched in Portland, Oregon, in 2008 and produced 109,000 service hours and engaged 25,000 community volunteers. San Diego’s season will focus on service events in five areas — homelessness, hunger, schools, military, and mentoring.
Organizers worked with the Mayor’s office to select the areas of need, and all of them can accommodate high volumes of volunteers, McFarland said.
San Diegan’s interested in volunteering can visit SanDiegoCityFest.com for a list of events.
The Season of Service will culminate with a two-day festival showcasing top contemporary Christian artists, action sports demonstrations, and a Family Fun Zone featuring VeggieTales characters. The festival will be free.
San Diego CityFest is currently looking for donations to cover its $2 million budget.
Luis Palau runs a ministry in Portland, Ore. He has spoken in person to more than 25 million people in 72 countries.
Palau said that volunteerism is a way for believers in Christ and non-believers to work alongside on something they agree on
(0) Comments | Leave a comment
How can we make San Diego a shining example in volunteerism, community stewardship, historical preservation and improving the city for the next generation?
Editor-in-Chief Jack Crittenden discusses how we can make San Diego a shining city, and how to team with self-reliant people who help their neighbors in need and take active steps to preserve their heritage, environment and family.
Jack Crittenden
Crittenden is a fourth-generation San Diegan with grandparents that were very active in the historical preservation of the city. He has a degree in public administration from USC where he specialized in urban planning, and a law degree. He has been an editor for 20 years, and founded OurCity in 2009.
Upcoming Events
Help make a difference and sign-up to volunteer at one of the upcoming events. The more the merrier.
Volunteer Today
View volunteer opportunities by community
Projects supplied by Volunteer San Diego. For opportunities countywide, visit www.volunteersandiego.org.