Serve
Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church is blessed to be a strong, constant presence both in our own community and across the world in Zambia. The congregation played a vital role in the founding of the Community Assistance Center (CAC), Los Niños Primero, and Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb as well as the Garden Presbyterian School in Lusaka, Zambia. More recent endeavors include the Covid 19 Fund (2020-2022), providing more than $100,000 in support to our ministry partners to help meet the added challenges of the pandemic.
Congregants participate in Monthly “Shopping for Outreach” Communion Offerings providing items needed by organizations in our community, as well as our Holiday Giving Tree and “Stuff the Bus” for Thanksgiving Meals.
Seasonal Monetary Offerings go to organizations supported by the Presbyterian Church (USA), and we seek to meet needs that arise locally and internationally. We have supported Afghan Refugees through Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, the Student Food Pantry at Columbia Theological Seminary, and Ukraine, Turkey and other Relief Efforts through the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).
Our Ministry Partners
Community Assistance Center (CAC)
The Community Assistance Center (CAC), founded on the MVPC campus in 1987 and housed here for its first 18 years, is now located in two buildings at 1130 Hightower Trail (business office and client services) and 8607 Roswell Road (food pantry and thrift store) in Sandy Springs as well as two smaller satellite locations in Dunwoody and south Sandy Springs.
CAC’s goal is to prevent hunger and homelessness by providing our vulnerable neighbors in the greater Sandy Springs/Dunwoody area with basic assistance such as food, clothing, and rent/utilities while actively engaging clients to work toward greater self-sufficiency.
MVPC supports CAC with three Communion Offering Collections a year to stock the Food Pantry. For more information, including volunteer opportunities, please go to ourcac.org.
Family Promise
Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb, a nonprofit network of interfaith organizations, works together to end homelessness, one family at a time. Our network brings the faith community together to help homeless families regain housing, independence, and dignity in a time of need.
For a week in March, two weeks in the Summer, and a week in December, we host families at our church who would otherwise be homeless. A variety of volunteer opportunities is available including physical, on-site assistance (provide meals, host during dinner hour and overnight, set up and take down before and after each session) and helping to “stock the pantry” with food for breakfast and lunch. We also provide needed items and financial support for their Day Center.
Los Niños Primero (“Kids First”)
Since 2001, Los Niños Primero has provided educational support for underserved, Latino preschool students, youth and their families. Programs are offered in Sandy Springs, Roswell, and Hapeville, Georgia. Los Niños Primero prepares children and families to flourish in the public school system through a rigorous summer academic program and year-round Saturday school sessions. Leadership and civic engagement programs are offered to youth and adults. losninosprimerousa.org.
Summer camps and Saturday school are hosted on the MVPC campus, and each summer we celebrate Los Niños Primero Sunday, where staff and children from the summer program and their families are invited to worship with us.
Sandy Springs Education Force
Sandy Springs Education Force designs and implements free supplemental programs to engage, support and encourage economically disadvantaged public school students in Sandy Springs to excel academically, finish high school and then continue to a vocation or to college.
MVPC provides school supplies for the Teacher Supply Closet, monetary support, storage space and volunteers for programs.
Pictured here: Mount Vernon Presbyterian was collectively recognized as the Volunteer of the Year 2024 by the Sandy Springs Education Force! Pictured are church members accepting the award on the church’s behalf. 2023-2024, we helped sort more than 14,000 books for children which were then given out to area students.
www.sandyspringseducationforce.org
AMIS (Atlanta Ministry with International Students)
AMIS is the French word for “friends” and symbolizes AMIS’ mission to promote cultural and global understanding through friendship and hospitality with international students and scholars in the greater Atlanta area. MVPC Members participate in their Amigo Friendship Partner program where they befriend a foreign college or grad student for a year or host one in their home during Christmas vacation. MVPC also provides annual financial support.
CLIFTON SANCTUARY MINISTRIES
Clifton Sanctuary Ministries provides shelter, healing, and support for men seeking to overcome homelessness. Clifton is a Presbyterian-affiliated ministry and is the oldest house-of-worship shelter in Atlanta, operating 365 days a year.
In addition to preparing and serving dinner each 3rd Sunday of the month, MVPC provides financial support and donations (sandwiches/sack lunches, gently used clothing, and paper products/cleaning supplies) throughout the year.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S HOUSE
The International Women’s House was established to provide shelter and support services for refugee and immigrant women and their children who are the victims of domestic abuse and now also serves young women who are the victims of sex trafficking.
MVPC provides financial support, donations of household goods and cleaning supplies, and holiday gifts for the children and their moms.
Stirred-Up Ministries
Stirred Up Ministries serves at-risk youth in inner-city Atlanta through summer sports camps, family counseling and empowerment, and mentoring and tutoring throughout the year. Their mission is to walk with these youth and to show them they are loved, they are worthy and have a reason to hope for the future.
MVPC provides financial support throughout the year and food for Thanksgiving baskets distributed to vulnerable families.
VA Domiciliary
The Domiciliary Care Program is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) oldest health care program. The Domiciliary has evolved from a “Soldiers’ Home” to become an active clinical rehabilitation and treatment program for male and female Veterans and domiciliary programs are now integrated with the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs. In Atlanta, the Fort McPherson Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program is a 61-bed residential rehabilitation treatment facility. MVPC collects needed items during monthly Communion Offerings for the domiciliary.
https://www.va.gov/homeless/dchv.asp
Garden Presbyterian Church and School and
Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) Lusaka, Zambia
Through its long-time affiliation with the Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE), MVPC has supported various programs in Zambia including FaithWorks Schools, two crisis nurseries, and the Family Preservation and Empowerment Program. Through our church’s annual Outreach Budget, funding is provided for teachers’ salaries at the Garden Presbyterian School, and generous church members personally provide scholarships for students to continue their education through high school and college.
