Neighborhood Missions
We are a church of the neighborhood and we seek to be the church where no one loses hope. FBC Saratoga Springs’ local missions focus on three areas: homeless students and homeless adults, families subjected to domestic violence, and migrant workers at local dairy farms and racetrack.
Homeless Neighbors
Homeless Students - There are over 100 students in the local school district who are considered homeless (i.e. without permanent residence). FBC Saratoga, working with the local schools, makes available to these homeless students, and other students in need, with essential clothing items: underwear, shirts, socks, pants, and winter coats.
Preparing clothing for distribution at the schools.
Homeless Adults - FBC Saratoga is a few blocks from the city’s only homeless shelter. Residents of the shelter or street homeless persons are in contact with FBC Saratoga or by sporadic attendance at our worship services. We provide food, clothing and shelter to homeless individuals. We have learned that we are equipped to deal with a few homeless adults at one time rather than to attempt to minister to a larger group. Through our interactions,we have assisted people in obtaining their own apartments, employment, and becoming part of the fabric of the church.
Abused Neighbors
Victims of Domestic Violence - We have engaged in a partnership with the local domestic violence support agency, Wellspring of Saratoga Springs. Through those engagements, we identified two needs that FBC Saratoga Springs is able to support. First, we now supply all the bedding (sheets and pillow cases) needed for Wellsprings’ shelter. We began this effort using a small amount of grant funds and are sustaining this local mission with congregational donated bedding collected as part of our worship services. Second, FBC Saratoga Springs created “Welcome Home Kits” for the domestic violence victims moving from the shelter into their own apartment. Each kit contains the essential items to start a new home setting. For example, each kit includes dishes, drinking glasses, flatware, pots and pans, baking sheet, dish towels, cleaning products, personal care items, sheets, garbage can, etc. These kits have eased the burden of these victims as they transition to a new living environment.
Enjoy our video on the Purple Purse Challenge.