Go local

Local Ministry Partners
CV Community Resource Handbook

Serve people in our community

Food Pantry 

Our Food Pantry provides non-perishable goods to individuals struggling to make-ends-meet. 

Donate Food: Collect your favorite food items and place them in the bin by the main doors. When donating, please avoid expired cans and boxes, and avoid restaurant sized cans or bulk packaging.

Needed donations include:

  • Cereal, oatmeal, and pancake mix
  • Rice and pasta (no bulk pkgs.)
  • Canned fruits, vegetables, and hearty soups
  • Macaroni & cheese, ravioli, and spaghetti Os
  • Snack items for kids’ lunches
 

Assist with Grocery Distribution: Help on Mondays from 3–5pm sorting donations, helping with Fresh Market preparations,  and visiting with guests as they come to pick up their groceries.

Volunteer with OutREACH Ministries

Tuesday Meals 

Due to Covid this ministry is temporarily suspended. Please contact our Mission Partner Harbor House for volunteer opportunities with the Homeless. 

Our Tuesday Meal Program works in tandem with Harbor House’s Meal and Shelter Program. We provide a meal every Tuesday night throughout the year. We strive to not only meet the physical needs of the hungry, but also work to build relationships that bring dignity, joy, and the hope of Christ to every individual.

Volunteers may choose from a wide range of activities:

  • Soup Makers: make 10 gallons of homemade soup 1x per month.
  •  Milk Ministry: donors provide 4-8 gallons of milk on a rotating basis (about every other month).
  • Lunches of Luv: teams of individuals provide about 80 sack lunches. This is a great activity for families, small groups, or work teams. Most teams volunteer 1x per month and Calvary covers the cost of the lunches.
  • Dinner Setup, Wait Service, Visiting, and Cleanup: volunteers serve between 4:30-7:30pm as their schedule permits as well as help with kitchen duties and serving guests while also enjoying the company of the guests.
  • Children’s Activity Table: Tuesdays 6 – 7pm. Provide craft projects and activities for our younger guests. (Requires background check).

All volunteer opportunities except Lunches of Luv are temporarily suspended due to Covid 19.

Fresh Market

Our Fresh Market offers fresh produce, meat, and other perishable items from local vendors to individuals in need while building friendships that lead to a deeper understanding of the hope and faith we have in Christ.

Volunteers may choose from a variety of activities:

  • Food Pick Up: Saturday-Tuesday, times vary. Pick up groceries from local vendors and bring to Calvary. Some lifting is required.
  • Market Day Setup and Drive-Through Handout Stations:: Tuesdays 9:30am –1:30pm. Arrange produce, then assist guests with shopping and loading groceries into cars. 
  • Visiting & Praying: Tuesdays 10:30am – 12:30pm. Visit with guests with the intention of being a blessing. Pray with them as requested.
  • Market Cleanup: Tuesdays 11:30am – 1:30pm. Help clean-up and put away all Market supplies.
Volunteer with OutREACH Ministries

Angel Threads

Due to Covid  19, we are not able to accept clothing donations. 

 Angel Threads Ministry serves individuals, families, and organizations in need of “like-new” clothing. If you have an eye for fashion, enjoy sorting and organizing, and enjoy building relationships with others, then this ministry is for you! 

 At this time, we recommend donating clothing to the Ventura County Rescue Mission (they pick up), Salvation Army,  James Storehouse,  or Forever Found (the latter two accept like-new trending fashion for teens)

Currently, a limited amount of volunteers meet twice a month to sort clothing, and to assist guests who have personal shopping appointments.

Blanket & Sewing

Blankets and Sewing Ministry

Due to Covid 19, Blanket & Sewing Ministry is temporarily suspended. 

Our Blanket and Sewing Ministry creates no-sew tie blankets, easy-sew sundresses, and shorts. Blankets and clothing are donated to local area partners and mission partners abroad. 

  • Fabric Prep Events: Volunteers cut fabric for blankets, sundresses, and shorts on the first 3 Tuesdays of each month from 6-9 pm.
  • Monthly Fellowship Meetings: Join the fellowship and fun as we make tie blankets. This “quilting bee” type event includes updates on how God has used the donations to bless those in need.
  • Seamstresses: Sewing project packets are picked up and made at home. Then returned to Calvary when completed. 

Handyman Ministry

Our Handyman Ministry exists to help elderly, disabled, low income and house-bound individuals in need of minor household repairs and projects. 

Needs include: household projects and repairs, plumbing and electrical work, minor carpentry and painting. 

If you are handy and have a desire to use your skills to serve others, this is the ministry for you! When you sign up, you will begin to receive occasional emails with specific need requests. You may choose the projects within your “wheelhouse” by replying to the email. The Handyman Volunteer Coordinator will then reach out to you with more detailed information and scheduling.

Volunteer with OutREACH Ministries

The Winter Shelter

Due to Covid 19, Winter Shelter is temporarily suspended.  Please contact our Ministry Partner Harbor House if you are interested in serving our community’s homeless population. 

Our Winter Shelter is a safe, warm place for the homeless to spend the night from December through March. This ministry is critical in assisting individuals struggling with life-dominating issues and in sharing the hope and love found in relationship with Christ. 

Opportunities to chaperone and volunteer are typically set up on a rotating basis.

  • Overnight Chaperone: Tues. 7pm – Wed. 8am. Two to four chaperones work together to provide coverage during the night. A sleep schedule may be used so that every person has the ability to sleep during the night if desired. We ask volunteers to commit to at least one Tuesday per month from December – March.
  • Breakfast Club: Wednesdays 5:30 – 7:15 am. Teams of 5 volunteers prepare and eat a full breakfast with our overnight guests.
  • Shelter Breakdown and Cleanup: Wednesdays 6:30 – 7:30am. Assist with picking up mats, bagging laundry and general clean up.
  • Sheet Washing: Pick up 1 to 2 bags of sheets (about 6 sets of twin sheets). Launder and return the sheets to Calvary by the following weekend.

Senior Serve

Our Senior Serve Ministry builds friendships with Conejo Valley area seniors by sharing the love of Christ through acts of kindness.

Friendship Volunteer: Encourage those who feel isolated or abandoned and who otherwise might not hear or feel the love of Christ. A friendship volunteer spends between 1-2 hours per month visiting and helping a senior with small tasks. Monthly visits could include:

  • gardening and yard work
  • meal preparation
  • transportation to and from errands/appointments
  • light housework (laundry, dusting, vacuuming)
  • sorting and disposing of no longer needed household items

Calls and Cards: Bring joy to our area seniors by making regular “check-in” phone calls and sending occasional letters or cards.

Volunteer with OutREACH Ministries

Disaster Recovery

Volunteer Opportunities

The Disaster Recovery Help Group is a volunteer ministry organized to meet the immediate and long-term needs of people impacted by disasters. These serving opportunities can range from light cleaning or providing meals to helping people move into their new homes. The needs vary greatly. 

When you complete the ONLINE FORM, you will be added to the Disaster Recovery Help Group and will begin to receive emails detailing new opportunities.  You may choose to serve on those projects that are of interest to you by clicking the “I’ll take it” tab.  

Disaster Recovery Help

If you or your family have been impacted by a disaster and are in need of assistance, please email help@calvarywestlake.org. 

Serve With Disaster Recovery

Donations

There are seasonal projects that seek out donations as well as year-round efforts such as the Food Pantry and Angel Threads.  Monetary donations are gladly accepted.  If you are interested in any type of donation, please contact missions@calvarywestlake.org or 818.575.2270.

Staff Contact

Trish Carruth 
Community Outreach Director 
trish.carruth@calvarywestlake.org  
 818.575.2271