First Universalist Housing Ministries


New Project with Habitat for Humanity
Brush with Kindness: A First Universalist Housing Ministry Project

From serving meals at Simpson Housing to collecting socks for the sock drive, and from knitting hats to volunteering at Project Homeless Connect, members of First Universalist have supported numerous homeless and affordable housing issues.  On July 31, there is a new opportunity to make a difference.

Brush with Kindness is a neighborhood outreach program of Habitat for Humanity that offers painting, landscaping, and minor repair to low-income homeowners.  Brush with Kindness enables the volunteers to connect with one family to improve their homes while also improving a block and a neighborhood.

Please consider joining us on Saturday, July 31, as we — members and friends of First Universalist — work together on a home in need of repair in Minneapolis. It is a whole day event from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  You can come for part of the day or stay the whole day.

For more information or to sign up contact Chuck Coskran at chuck4199@aol.com or at 612-202-9322, or contact Debra Rodgers, debra@firstuniv.org or at 612-825-1701 x106.

Outreach to People who are Homeless

There are three ways First Universalist Church reaches out to our neighbors living in homelessness:

  1. We provide home cooked meals and fellowship at the Simpson Shelter on a bi-monthly schedule.   
  2. We also collect socks and other clothing to contribute to the residents, and have donated towels and glassware to support shelter operations.  One of our members has responded to the shelter’s continuing need for overnight volunteer staff and describes it as an especially rewarding outreach experience.  
  3. We conduct a recruitment drive two times a year to provide volunteer hosts/guides at Project Homeless Connect, a city-wide gathering of agencies and programs designed to help homeless people gain access to essential services.

For more information contact:  Barb Melom at (612)925-3459 or bjm@visi.com.