Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church, located at 2700 Montrose Ave., offers Learning Works Charter School, a drop-in center for homeless students that gets kids on the edge back in school so that they can graduate. A flexible independent study approach works. The church’s mission with Learning Works is to help “couch-surfing” kids with nowhere to go have an excellent place to get some necessary goods and hang out for food, tutoring, laundry, showers, and positive adult company.   

Learning Works would love cash to help purchase phones for the kids for school purposes, diapers, and gift cards (groceries, gas, Target, etc.). During Christmas time, there is a special tree where people can choose an ornament that includes a child’s name, age and what they might want. Folks can wrap a gift for the child that is delivered to the Learning Works in time for Christmas.

Food donations to the Bailey Center the UMC church in Tujunga and to the ECPAC Friends in Deed House in Pasadena have been one of the church’s missions for a number of years. When COVID hit, the community need for the Bailey Center multiplied. Throughout the pandemic, a special donation drop off day where anyone could drop off goods for Bailey Center and/or Learning Works and someone in the congregation would ensure that they get to the right place on the right day. Earlier this month, the donation day will be once a month on the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. During that time, the bin will be located in front of the main church doors. The Bailey Center needs canned goods, tuna, pasta, peanut butter, cereal, and soup. No chocolate or other food that could melt. It also will accept cash and any extra plastic or paper bags! 

The Sierra Service Project (SSP) hosts volunteer groups for week-long service experiences in rural, urban and Native American communities throughout the Western United States. The church’s youth group and a few adult members of the congregation have repaired homes with SSP on Native American reservations as well as in South Central Los Angeles. As a congregation a day of service with SSP has been held in Watts, and there are plans for a future mission trip for CV United Methodist youth. 

SSP is a great way to learn about the people served, connect with God and connect with local youth and the congregation. The youth and members of the congregation have gone or worked for SSP and will share it has been a life changing experience that they highly recommend. SSP is an experience like no other, and is so rewarding and enlightening. 

For more information on the mission, what they do and possible ways to serve, visit sierraserviceproject.org.