Community Services

Why Center of Influence: Community Services Ministry?

To serve as the hands and feet of Jesus by extending His radical compassion to the refugee, the elderly, and the less fortunate, both in and around the Glendale church. Our Community Service ministry is rooted in the promise of Matthew 25:40:

"Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me".

"For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was naked and you clothed me…"

Matthew 25:35–36

Our Services

Emergency Food Boxes: We provide pre-packaged Food boxes designed to sustain families and individuals through times of financial crisis.

• Boxes Include a balance of shelf-stable proteins, grains, and vegetables to ensure nutritional security for the whole family.
• This service is available to both our church family and the surrounding community, ensuring that no one should have to choose between paying rent and buying groceries.

Homeless Outreach: Our mission is to serve a beacon of hope for those experiencing homelessness by providing tangible relief and spiritual encouragement.

• • Essential Supplies: We distribute "HOPE bags" containing new socks, underwear, and seasonal blankets and coats to protect against the elements.
  • Nutritional Support: Our team provides hot meals, bottled drinks and water directly to those on the streets or in local encampments.
  • Dignity Kits: We provide hygiene items like soap, toothbrushes, and sanitizers to help our unhoused neighbors maintain their health and self-esteem.
  • Spiritual Food: Along with physical aid, we share Adventist literature and offer prayer to provide a "message of God's hope" to everyone we encounter.

Honoring Our Elders: We are committed to ensuring our seniors and home bound neighbors remain vibrant, connected, and safe members of our church family.

"Even to your old age, I am He, and even to your gray hairs I will carry you"

Isaiah 46:4

• • Accessibility & Safety: To help our members age with dignity, we provide accessibility equipment such as walkers, shower bars and chairs (based on current availability).
  • "Love Your Neighbor" Workdays: Our youth and adult volunteers coordinate seasonal yard clean-up projects, helping with raking, weeding, and minor outdoor maintenance to keep homes safe and beautiful.
  • Compassionate Visitation: No one should feel forgotten. Our visitation teams conduct home-bound visits, bringing the warmth of the church directly to your living room through prayer, conversation and shared fellowship.

Welcoming the Sojourner: Our Refugee Support Ministry focuses on the critical transition from "arrival" to "home", providing the foundational stability families need to begin their new lives in our community.

"The Foreigner who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself...."

Leviticus 19:34

• • Home Furnishing Assistance: We help turn empty apartments into warm homes by collecting and distributing donated furniture and household essentials. We provide beds, tables and kitchenware (based on availability) to families starting with nothing.
  • Settlement Support: Beyond physical items, we assist both in church members and community neighbors in navigating their new environment, offering a community of kinship to those far from their original homes.
  • A "Table of Welcome": We believe that providing a place to sit and a bed to sleep in is the first step in showing the unconditional love of Christ to our newest neighbors.

If you are in need of any services listed above, please contact the Glendale Church office at (623) 934-3295 0R Mindy Paluszewski at gostellyes@gmail.com.

Want to Donate?

• • Monetary Donations: Funds can be donated via Adventistgiving.org and click the link for Center of Influence or mark a Tithe Envelope "Center of Influence".
  • Food Items: Non-Perishable food items such as granola bars, Gatorade, and water bottles.
  • Hygiene Items:  Travel-sized soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and feminine products.
  • Clothing Items: New socks (most requested) and seasonal winter items like beanies or gloves, seasonal summer items like hats and sunscreen.

All donations listed above can be brought to the Glendale Church lobby counter. 

ALL other donations such as furniture, appliances, and beds - PLEASE CONTACT MINDY PALUSZEWSKI AT gostellyes@gmail.com to discuss options for drop-off or pickup.

Want to Get Involved?

Contact Mindy Paluszewski - Email click (here) - to share your passion and get involved in this ministry.  

Need More Info?

If you have any questions, please contact Mindy Paluszewski - Email click (here)

Additional Resources

SDA Community Services