First Congo provides numerous opportunities to serve others locally and afar. Read below to learn about immediate volunteer opportunities, which change frequently, as well as ones that are ongoing. For additional information or if you have any questions, contact Meredith Onion at meredith@wscongo.org or call 708.246-1900.
VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITY
TEEN PARENT CONNECTION DONATION DRIVE
April 13-27
Donations are needed for Teen Parent Connection and can be dropped off in the Light Court.
SEMI-ANNUAL WOMAN’S SOCIETY RUMMAGE SALE
Spring Sale
Times vary for set-up, sorting, sale, & clean-up, Education Building & grounds.
Our semi-annual all-church Rummage Sales are Woman’s Society’s largest undertakings. Sales of the proportion to which these have grown wouldn’t be possible without the generous support and involvement of all of our church members. Over 250 people come together each October and April to help Woman’s Society. Sale profits are then shared with non-profit agencies close to home and around the world as well as the First Congregational Church of Western Springs.
Our next sale will be April 29 and April 30 from 5:30pm-8pm.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer, click below:
Email Jeannette@wscongo.org to volunteer to help.
WALK FOR HUNGER WITH BREAKTHROUGH
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Ready to join the fight against food insecurity? Our 4th annual Walk for Hunger is just days away, and we need your help to raise awareness and funds to end hunger in Garfield Park and beyond. By walking with us, you’ll earn a $24 donation for our Fresh Market Food Pantry, which distributed over 392,000 pounds of food last year alone.
Walk for Hunger Details:
Time: 9 a.m. check-in. The walk begins at 10 a.m. Afterwards, we’ll have food, music, and opportunities to learn more about our work!
Location: The walk begins at the Breakthrough FamilyPlex (3219 W. Carroll Avenue). We’ll walk a total of 1.1 miles.
VOLUNTEER TO GIVE BLOOD
May 16 from 9am-2pm
Blood is in desperate need and First Congo will hold a blood drive on May 16 from 9am-2pm. Please schedule your appointment today!
OFF THE STREET CLUB
THIRD THURSDAY SAVE THE DATES:
April 17th – Celebrate the 70’s Dance Party
May 15th – Carnival Close-Out
DONATIONS NEEDED
We are currently collecting donations for Off the Street Club’s summer camp, Camp Mathieu, located in Wheaton, IL. There are two ways to donate:
1) CAMP CLOSET: Most of the children who arrive at Camp Mathieu do so without all of the essentials – think toothpaste, soap, sheets, swimsuits, towels etc. Because of generous donations made towards the Camp Closet, kids can get what they need to be comfortable and enjoy summer camp!
CLICK HERE for the OTSC Camp Closet Amazon Wish list. Please note we also accept gently used items, which can be dropped off on the porch of 3910 Lawn Avenue, Western Springs, IL 60558.
2) SEND KIDS TO CAMP: It costs approximately $500 to send a child to Camp Mathieu. Most families on the West Side do not have the means to send their child, but through generous donations, these deserving children can escape the dangers of their neighborhoods and experience casual joy. Donations can be made HERE
As always, please contact me with any questions. Thank you!
Charlotte Wegrzyn, charlotte.wegrzyn@gmail.com
Western Springs – Off the Street Club Liason
Circle of Friendship Committee Chair
WESTCHESTER FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION TABLE
DONATION DROP OFFS AT ANY TIME
A food collection table is located at our South Entrance for items which will be delivered to the Westchester Food Pantry.
Westchester Food Pantry proudly serves the communities of Bellwood, Berkeley, Broadview, Hillside, Hines, La Grange Park, Westchester, and Western Springs.
For a list of items needed at the pantry, click below to be directed to their website.
AGING CARE CONNECTIONS
Volunteers are the lifeblood of Aging Care Connections. Only with a dedicated group of volunteers can we offer a range of programs and services every month to the more than 9,000 individuals and families we serve each year. Volunteering is a source of great satisfaction for those who participate. The following are volunteer positions available at the Aging Care Connections Office (111 W Harris Ave La Grange) with brief descriptions:
Front Desk Volunteer: We are looking for front desk volunteers to join us at Aging Care Connections! Our staff relies on volunteers to help us serve over 8,000 older adults and their families each year.
Under the supervision of the Office Manager, you will:
- Answer phones and transfer calls
- Greet and help guests walking into the organization
- Make appointments
- Be very reliable and able to commit to a weekly schedule
Qualifications:
Good communication skills
Patience, as we work with older people and people with disabilities over the phone and in person.
Outgoing
Work well with others
Schedule:
Monday afternoon: 12:30 to 4:30PM
Wednesday – 8:30AM to 4:30PM
Thursday mornings: 8:30AM to 12:30PMKEEP READING: RESPONSIBILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
BEDS PLUS – 4 hours a month!
The Linda Sokol Francis Summit Service Center Medical Respite will need volunteers to fill in the gaps of care for the residents of the center.
Volunteers will work to serve meals (using food provided), clean up, do activities with clients and sort in-kind donations. Volunteers 12-17 years old are welcome with an adult chaperone ratio of 1:1. There are three weekday shifts and two weekend shift times.
If you’re interested, please contact Pam at mcdonald@beds-plus.org.
BREAKTHROUGH URBAN MINISTRIES
Breakthrough partners with people to build connections, develop skills, and open doors of opportunity through comprehensive programs in Chicago’s Garfield Park community. For more information about volunteer opportunities, click below.
CENTER FOR INDEPENDENCE THROUGH CONDUCTIVE EDUCATION
Ongoing:
- Grounds cleanup, around building and in playground area
- Assorted mailings requiring stuffing, sealing, labeling, stamping of envelopes or newsletters
- Sewing/upkeep of therapeutic supplies (such as rolling mats, bean bags, etc.)
- Organize/plan craft projects for children with physical disabilities Seasonal
Seasonal:
- Lemonade stand volunteers in the summer
- Beginning and end of summer deep cleaning
- Assemble silent auction baskets or other fundraiser decorations (usually September)
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Samantha Bondi.
CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK
The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank is to provide dignity, stability and comfort to Chicagoans that face poverty by allowing clients to handpick an entire home’s worth of furnishings for free.
We believe everyone should be able to sleep in a bed, share a family meal at a kitchen table, and enjoy the comfort of a furnished home.
If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities or donating furniture, visit chicagofurniturebank.org.
COMMUNITY ASSISTED RIDES
ATTENTION: Drivers! If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer driver, we provide all training and have very flexible scheduling, so you can volunteer when it works for you! Please call the Community Assisted Rides office at (708) 354-9328 for complete details and a volunteer application.
COMMUNITY DIVERSITY GROUP OF LAGRANGE AREA
The CommUNITY Diversity Group of the La Grange Area (CDG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in government, civic and cultural life so that everyone in our community is represented and heard. We seek to provide opportunities for learning and growing together. Our tagline is
Advocating equity for all!
The CommUNITY Diversity Group (CDG) Arts Committee was formed to use art to build relationships with community participation.
COMPANIONS JOURNEYING TOGETHER
- Board Member: First Congregational has been so supportive of us. We would welcome one of your congregants to join our board. We have monthly virtual meetings and are a working board.
- Financial person who would serve on a committee to help with budgeting, overhauling our financial reports.
- People to help start a pen pal club at First Congregational. It can be very helpful for prisoners to be in correspondence with people in the free world.
- Someone with space in their garage to collect donated books, greeting cards and other supplies until we can retrieve them. Western Springs is often a central point between people who have materials to donate to us and our staff and volunteers who utilize those materials.
- Someone to help prepare mailings for Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project. Our volunteers who have been inside a facility would bring you the books and recorders from one Aunt Mary’s Storybook Session a month. You would download the recordings onto virtual links, which would be sent to the caregivers of the children whose parents are sending books and recordings, then take them to the post office. You would not have to front the cost of postage.
- Join our Events Planning Committee to plan and execute fundraising events.
NAMI METRO SUBURBAN
NAMI Metro Suburban offers numerous volunteer opportunities.
We welcome kind, passionate and responsible people looking to join our community of support. Our volunteer program features service positions with a variety of flexible hours to choose.
Volunteer opportunities include:
Drop-In Center volunteer positions, Education volunteer positions, event volunteers, greeters, support group volunteers, marketing materials design, translation, flyer distribution, phone call making, photography, blog writing, public presentations, and more.
NEW MOMS
New Moms believes in the strength, skills, and potential of young moms.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE VOLUNTEER OPPS AT NEW MOMS
THE NIGHT MINISTRY
The Night Ministry is a Chicago-based organization whose mission is to provide human connection, housing support, and health care to members of our community who are unhoused or experiencing poverty.
DIRECT SERVICE:
Provide hospitality and build caring relationships with guests of our Health Outreach Bus, share your time with teens and young adults at our Open Door Shelter — West Town, or connect with young people at The Crib, our LGBTQ-friendly overnight shelter.
SERVICE EVENTS:
The Night Ministry has a variety of service projects that sustain our programs including sorting donations and preparing outreach kits at our Service Saturday events. Lend your support and skills with mailings, research, and other projects at our administrative office.
PREPARE A MEAL:
Prepare and serve meals for our Health Outreach Bus and Youth Outreach Team. Provide meals for our CTA Outreach Teams. Or bring and serve breakfast or dinner to young adults at The Crib, our overnight emergency shelter.
For involvement inquiries and other questions please contact Andrew Hart, Volunteering Coordinator, by email or call 773-506-6033.
OFF THE STREET CLUB
Founded in 1900, Off The Street Club is Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club. We currently serve more than 3,000 kids in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country, West Garfield Park. We are grateful to all our supporters, including the Chicago advertising, marketing and media community.
We are a place where kids can truly find hope. Every child seeking a safe place to go is welcome to join us for games, play and mentorship.
Just like friends, we can never have enough volunteers. Check out the many ways we can use your time at Off The Street Club.
VOLUNTEERS OPPS AT OFF THE STREET CLUB
PLYMOUTH PLACE
Volunteers Make a Difference
Volunteers are trained to supplement life enrichment activities in the Healthcare Center, Memory Care, and Assisted Living residences. Giving one’s time in this way provides residents with friendship and conversation, as well as a feeling of well-being and contentment! In return, volunteers will reap these same gifts and more!
Volunteer opportunities include:
- Provide assistance with Special Events.
- Visit residents’ rooms to read, listen to music, and engage in conversation.
- Accompany and transport residents to in-house events.
- Assist in music, dance, arts and crafts activities and games.
- Use one’s computer skills to assist residents with cell phones, tablets, and PCs.
- Help maintain the upper-level gardens.
- Facilitate current events and book discussions.
- Assist in the Marketplace gift shop.
For more information on joining our volunteer program, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Jurek by phone at (708) 205-0039 or by email.
VOLUNTEER AT CHURCH
USHERS
Sundays at 8:45am and 10am
If you have a heart for welcoming people to worship and a desire to be a part of a team, consider becoming an usher. This is open to men, women, and young people! Flexible scheduling allows you to be in communication with your usher captain and serve when you are available.
Reach out to Chris Laperuto at claperuto@gmail.com to help the church with this volunteer opportunity.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Sunday mornings
We would love for you to be part of our Sunday school teaching team! We are hoping to create an inter-generational team of teachers, so we invite all who are 15-99 years old to be part of this important ministry at First Congo .
Sunday School is offered year-round during our Sunday morning worship service for children ages 3 years through 8th grade. Regardless of age, our hope is to convey to all children that they are beloved children of God. As a church family, we respond to that love in the way we care for ourselves, each other, our neighbors locally and globally, and God’s world. In our classes, we practice together all those things that loving Christians do: pray, give thanks, comfort, defend, forgive and repent, in a safe and supportive atmosphere. And of course, we learn from (not just about) the Biblical stories of people who have experienced God’s power and love in their messy lives.
The Sunday school classes use lessons from the Dwell curriculum. The lessons cover important themes and characters of the Bible. Each lesson provides an opportunity for the children to reflect and relate the story to their own lives. For more specific information, contact Jen Enriquez at jen@wscongo.org
PRAYER & CARE
There are so many ways First Congo seeks to provide care for those in need including:
- Prayer Requests
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Called to Care
- Caregiver Support Group
- Congo Cooks Meal Ministry
If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Prayer & Care Ministries, please reach out to Jean@wscongo.org to learn more about these opportunities.
MISSION & OUTREACH
The First Congregational Church of Western Springs has a longstanding tradition of outreach and ministry beyond our walls. We often refer to this as ‘faith with our sleeves rolled up!’ As articulated in our Mission Statement and our call to be Christ’s disciples, numerous individuals and groups within our congregation work to: increase our love of God by increasing our love of neighbor; follow Christ to the side of all who suffer and despair; be Christ’s messengers and advocates for justice; and, be generous and thoughtful stewards of all of God’s gifts. We invite all who wish to join us to share in the joys and challenges of this calling.
