Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities

The Heavenly Rest family reaches out to our community by giving our professional skills, volunteer time, facilities, and available funds to help our neighbors in need. We are committed to supporting our clergy, parishioners and others who, as committed members of the body of Christ, are giving of themselves as missionaries in countless ways, both inside and outside our walls.

The Outreach Programs of Heavenly Rest

The Outreach activities of Heavenly Rest are committed to helping those in need in our immediate neighborhood and directly north in Harlem. That help comes in the form of financial support and volunteers. We support agencies that help children, the elderly poor, persons with AIDS, the hungry and homeless, victims of domestic violence, day camps for under privileged children, and more. In all, the Church of the Heavenly Rest provides over $100,000 per year in direct financial assistance to nearly 20 different organizations while encouraging parishioners to individually provide additional financial and volunteer support.

In-House Programs

In addition, the parish directly operates a number of outreach activities to meet the needs of our immediate neighborhood.

Friday Lunch Program for Seniors is a program that serves a hot meal every Friday to senior citizens from the neighborhood area. Friday Lunch operates 50 weeks of the year, feeding and providing fellowship to approximately 30 seniors per week. This included operating throughout the summer months, when volunteer servers are often difficult to come by. Learn more

Heavenly Rest Thrift provides the parish and the community with the opportunity to donate as well as to purchase gently used clothing and household items.   At least three times a year, CHR provides a thrift sale in Darlington Hall.  Volunteers sort and organize items, then sell them at the thrift sales.  Unsold goods are donated to local churches and nonprofit organizations. How can you help?  Donate your gently used items to the Church during regular business hours or volunteer to help sort items or work at our sales.  Contact the church office at 212-289-3400.

Holiday Meals Program Festive meals at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas are served to some 350 poor or just lonely persons at each meal. Fresh Start, the Riker’s Island prison chefs’ program, provides cooked turkeys for Thanksgiving. Preparing and serving these meals give CHR parishioners and other volunteers from the community first-hand experience with hunger and homelessness, as well as the spirit of hospitality these holidays represent. Learn more

Shelter for the Homeless Our shelter provides a clean, safe place to sleep for up to fourteen men and women right in the narthex of the church Monday through Thursday. We participate in a network of churches and synagogues coordinated through the Partnership for the Homeless. Learn more