Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton, IL supports a variety of local, regional, and international organizations, enabling individuals to live their faith through prayer, hands-on work, financial support, donations of needed items, companionship, presence, and/or systemic change. In addition to these missions, many of which arose from the interests and passions of our congregation, we support other causes of the United Methodist Church that allow us to combine our offerings with those of other United Methodists, nationally and globally, to enact change around the world.
Educate a Girl/Change the World
Provides life-changing education around the world to lift up girls, their families and their communities.
Feed My Starving Children
Provides low-cost, nutritional meals to hungry children throughout the world.
Fundaniños Guatemala Mission and Teaching Fund
Provides support of Fundaniños Orphanage near Guatemala City.
Habitat for Humanity Builds houses in partnership with low income families.
Heifer Project International
Offers families a way to become self-sufficient through the gift of farm animals.
ILJ (Immigration Law and Justice) Network
Immigration legal service organizations committed to justice.
Red Bird Mission School, Kentucky
The only K-12 Christian school in this area of Appalachia provides high quality education regardless of students’ ability to pay.
South Sudan Voices of Hope
Efforts to provide humanitarian support for this war-torn region.
Bridge Communities A transitional housing program focused on the achievement of self-sufficiency.
Christmas Sharing A community-wide program of outreach to families and individuals in need.
CROP Walk Raises funds to support hunger needs locally and internationally.
ESSE (Ecumenical Support Services for the Elderly) Provides on-site daycare and meals to seniors.
Immigration Law and Justice for Northern Illinois (formerly NIJFON) A ministry that welcomes immigrants by providing free or low-cost, expert immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
JUST of DuPage A ministry to the incarcerated men and women at DuPage County Jail.
Midwest Shelter for Homeless Vets
This non-profit agency, located in Wheaton at 433 S. Carlton Ave., Wheaton, provides housing, supportive services, and community outreach to help homeless and at-risk veterans and their families achieve self-sufficiency. An easy way to help them is to shop their Amazon wishlist. Items you purchase will be delivered to MSHV.
Outreach Community Ministries Provides mental health and social services for children, families, and seniors.
PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) Area churches provide hot meals and overnight shelter for the homeless.
PRC (People’s Resource Center) Serves thousands of DuPage County families each month, with a food pantry, clothing bank, and educational programs.
Radical Time Out Ministers to former prisoners and their families with a meal and Bible study.
Tutoring Helps elementary school students in Wheaton with basic math and English.
United Voices for Children A coalition of congregations, agencies, groups, and individuals in the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church that speaks and acts on behalf of children, youth, and families in need.
World Relief Our "Good Neighbor" team helps families integrate into our
community.
2026 Styrofoam Recycling Dates
Sundays, Jan. 11, April 19, July 19 and Oct. 18, 8:45–10:30 a.m., South Driveway
Can you
help one time or more for
collection or driving duties? If so, please contact Elaine McCluskey through
the Church Office.
If you miss the date, feel free to drop off Styrofoam at Dart Container
Corporation, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.
Love in Mission
Sundays,
Jan. 11, 18, 25, 10:10 a.m., Anderson Room
Join us in adult Christian education as we
explore three missions supported by Gary Church and discover how each one is demonstrating
courageous love to our neighbors.
- Jan. 11: Clara Freitas and John-Marc Bilezikian will share the latest about the People’s Resource Center and answer your questions.
- Jan. 18: We will learn more about Educate a Girl / Change the World and hear from Kenneth Elisapana, executive director of South Sudan Voices of Hope.
- Jan. 25: Mindy Inman, director of volunteer services, and Alvin Marquez, executive director, will present information about Outreach’s efforts for the community and how you can get involved.
This Gary Church mission began in 2021, with the goal to provide scholarships to help educate girls and young women around the world. Educate a Girl has grown so much over the years, that the mission now has its own page on our website. Click here for all the details, including videos from scholarship recipients.
If you know you'd like to contribute, click the button below:
Contribute to Educate a Girl / Change the World
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2-6 p.m., Activity Center or Commons
Each pint donated can save up to three lives. The need is constant, and every pint is precious. Register here. Walk-ins also welcome.
In 2025, our blood drives collected enough units to save as many as 171 lives! Blood drive dates in 2026: Feb. 4, May 6, Aug. 19, Nov. 18.
RTO meals need financial donations
Volunteers from Gary Church prepare and serve meals for Radical Time Out, a mission that ministers to former prisoners and their families. They need financial donations to purchase groceries. If you can help, go to garychurch.org/give.
View the video below for more information.
Help Habitat for Humanity in Spring 2026
“Everyone
deserves a simple, decent place to live.”
—Millard Fuller, Habitat for Humanity Founder
Help Habitat for Humanity
Dates to be determined in 2026, Lafayette, Indiana
For more than 20 years, Gary Church has partnered with the Habitat for Humanity
affiliate in Lafayette, Indiana to provide quality affordable housing. If you
would like to participate in a rewarding short-term mission experience, please
consider joining us in Lafayette this fall to build homes. It is less than a 2 1/2 hour drive from Wheaton, so come for a day or
all four. No previous experience and no tools are required.If you’d like to help, contact Lois Davisson
through the Church Office. Please also consider a financial donation.
Watch the video below to learn more about Habitat for Humanity and the work Gary Church does in Lafayette, Indiana.
Support ESSE
Ecumenical Support Services for the Elderly (ESSE) provides adult day care options that promote the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of older adults and their families. Click here to learn more about ESSE.
Gary Church members can help support ESSE by volunteering in activities such as:
- Playing music (ESSE has a piano on site)
- Assisting staff with games, arts and craft projects
- Reading
- Bringing your pet
- Showing slides/videos of your vacation trips
- Bringing younger children for a visit
- Providing 20 homemade treats
Contact the ESSE Wheaton/St. Paul Lutheran Church office at 630-260-3773 to schedule your activity. ESSE also relies on donations to supplement the minimal fees paid by their clients, so please consider donating directly to ESSE by clicking on the link below:
http://www.esseadultdaycare.org/donate.html
Thank you for your continued support of the ESSE mission. See the video below for more information:
This ministry provides free one-on-one help with homework and basic English and math to low income elementary students in the area. We partner with World Relief to help students in need. Consider offering an hour from your week to tutor children from our community. Although we try to keep tutors and students paired, we understand that you cannot be there every week. The children are a joy and glad to get your attention. There is some preparatory training required, and we have some experienced educators to provide support as needed.
Tutors and students meet on Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m. during the school year. If you have questions, contact Jeff Bray through the Church Office. Register here.
Help World Relief
Helping some of our newest neighbors
World Relief is a refugee resettlement non-profit that started in Wheaton. Last year they brought over 900 refugees from around the world to the Chicago area. These legal immigrants have gone through a multi-year extensive process before being cleared to come to the United States. World Relief has a record of getting these families, most still learning English, in place in our community and bringing them to self-sufficiency in under six months.
To broaden Gary Church’s support of World Relief we are launching two efforts:
- Provide welcome kits to help World Relief set up an apartment for incoming families. Use this sign-up form to let us know you can provide items for welcome kits. Here's a list of needs. If you’d like to contribute financially, go to garychurch.org/give.
- Expand our Good Neighbor Team effort to ease families’ adjustment to life in our area. A group of 4–8 people help a family integrate into the community. If you are interested in learning more about Good Neighbor Teams, please contact Jeff Bray through the Church Office.
Please watch the e-news for more details about Gary
Church’s World Relief efforts. And, watch the video below.
Volunteer for Common Ground garden
Gary Church has plots at Atten Park in Wheaton this year to harvest produce for Outreach and the People’s Resource Center. Can you help with planting, weeding, watering and harvesting? Contact Fred Wayland through the Church Office.
Additional current needs
Items needed for DuPage PADS
DuPage PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) provides temporary shelter for the unhoused. Here's a list of their current needs. If you can help, donate items in the bin in the Commons.
Volunteer at the
People’s Resource Center
Wednesdays, 2:45–6
p.m., 201 S. Naperville Rd.
The PRC needs volunteers to help with food distribution. Volunteers will stock shelves, pack boxes of food, assist shoppers and direct traffic. Volunteers must be 13 years or older, able to lift a watermelon and comfortable remaining active during the shift. Fill out a volunteer application at peoplesrc.org/volunteer.
PRC needs food and personal care items
The People’s Resource Center continues to see increased visits to its food pantries. Some of the items needed are rice, dry pasta, peanut butter, and personal care items like diapers in sizes 5-7, bar soap and toothpaste. Tuna and soups are always welcome. Due to overwhelming donations of clothing, the PRC is taking a break from accepting clothes for now. Thank you to all for your donations! If you have food to donate, please feel free to leave it in the bin in the Commons.
Help people in the Holy Land
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is working with local partners in Israel and Gaza to provide help with everything from relocation and food to trauma counseling and telemedicine services. You can donate to UMCOR through garychurch.org/give.
