Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. —Luke 6:20-21
As followers of Jesus, we know the joy of giving ourselves away. Serving connects our faith to community and brings us into God’s transforming work. Plymouth has many chances to serve in our broader community and in our own church. Take a look through these opportunities and find a time to give yourself in love.
Volunteer Opportunities
Plymouth Church + School Winter Blood Drive | January 16
Plymouth Church and Plymouth Church School are planning to host a blood drive, in conjunction with New York Blood Center, on January 16. Donating blood is easy. It takes only about one hour of your time and each donation can save up to three lives. Your donation can help cancer patients, accident victims, people undergoing surgery, women during childbirth, people with sickle cell disease and many more. Contact Lesley-Ann with any questions.
Toiletry Collection for VOCAL-NY | January 2-16 | Donation Bins at the 75 Hicks Street lobby
During MLK Service Day, on January 19, our youngest team will be assembling toiletry kits for VOCAL-NY. From Jan 2-16, we will be collecting travel size supplies to fill those kits. Drop your donations in the bin at the 75 Hicks Street lobby.
Toiletry wish list:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shaving cream
Shampoo
Soap
Lotion
Razor
Washcloth
Deodorant
Water bottles
MLK Service Day | Monday, January 19
In honor of Dr. King’s birthday, our church will spread out across the city to serve in teams with amazing organizations working toward MLK’s beloved community.
This year we will be working with:
Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries
Ruth’s Refuge
St. Joseph's House
At the same time, at Plymouth, we will be assembling toiletry kits for VOCAL-NY and hosting our winter clothing distribution.
Plymouth Shelter | February 2026
Each year, Plymouth opens its building during one of the coldest months of the year to provide our neighbors a warm, safe place to stay overnight. This year we will host up to 8 men overnight throughout the month of February.
Starting February 1, the shelter will be open Sunday through Thursday nights in Hillis Hall. We will need volunteers to open (greet our guests and orient the cooks and overnight volunteers), cook dinner (deliver a hot dinner to Hillis Hall), and stay overnight.
The shelter is one of Plymouth's longest standing missions whose success has been assured by all the dedicated Plymouth volunteers. Contact Nancy Trott with any questions.
Be a Worship Usher
Our worship depends on the hospitable presence of our ushers. They welcome us to worship, collect the offering, and make sure everyone is taken care of. Will you consider serving as a Sunday morning usher too? Sign up to be an usher one Sunday this fall by following the link or reaching out to Lesley-Ann.
Service for the well-being of others is an important way to act out our faith. Plymouth is proud to be partnering with these organizations listed below who work towards hunger relief, housing, education, and more. Click on the tiles below to explore the various ways to volunteer!
Apply for a Grant
The Christian Help Committee at Plymouth Church works to further God's mission by transforming the lives of people, primarily within our local community, but also at national and international levels. Current priorities include, economic empowerment, racial justice, anti-trafficking, housing, hunger and food insecurity, immigrants, families/youth, seniors in our community, disaster relief and education.
Grant applications for 2026 can be submitted starting November 1, 2025. Please have all your materials in by the deadline, January 31, 2026. Awards notifications will go out after our May 2026 annual meeting.
The Christian Help Committee nurtures relationships with outside partners and supports those partners through a variety of ways. The committee also works to engage congregants in Christian giving as volunteers, often in coordination with our grant recipient partners. Applicants should elaborate on how our Plymouth members could contribute with hands-on help toward their organization's mission, and provide a point-person contact for volunteer coordination.
Other Plymouth Ministries
Housing Resources
New York City is experiencing a housing crisis with residents unable to meet their basic needs. If you, or someone you know, are seeking information on shelters, food pantries, free meals, public showers, legal services and more, please click on the following guide provided by Coalition for the Homeless.