History
How We Started
For over 20 years, CROS Ministries’ Caring Kitchen program had provided hot meals and social services in the Delray Beach community. Due to the economic growth and changes in downtown Delray, the Caring Kitchen program restructured from a full-service facility and scaled back services to only provide lunch and homebound delivered meals in 2017. This left a gap of providing the much-needed social services for the homeless in the community. As part of the Caring Kitchen Transition Committee, Kathleen Megan and Judy Fenney, led a group of diverse faith-based groups and congregations in Delray to provide social services and referrals as a collaborative in filling this gap.
The Delray Beach Interfaith Committee for Social Services held its first meeting on November 15, 2017, at St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Nine congregations including The Avenue Church, Cason UMC, St. Paul’s Episcopal, St. Matthew’s Episcopal, First Presbyterian Church of Delray, Church of the Palms, St. Vincent’s Ferrer Care Ministry, and Resurrection Life COGIC were in attendance. Also in attendance were the Delray Beach Police Department’s Community Outreach Team, Family Promise, and CROS Ministries’ Caring Kitchen.
The initial meeting proved successful as a list of community needs were immediately tackled. A mailing address and weekly mail distribution program for the homeless was established by the Interfaith Committee. A partnership with Family Promise provided student interns who provided office hours in the Delray Beach Library to offer social service assistance and referrals to those in need.
In 2018, a mobile shower truck program was established in Delray Beach by the Interfaith Committee through LiveFresh PBC. The shower truck provides homeless individuals with a fresh shower, personal hygiene, and essentials.
In January 2019, A six-month pilot program was approved by the Delray Beach Commission to have weekly shower truck services, operated solely by the Interfaith Committee at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. By June 2019, the Interfaith Committee became an established 501c3 and the Delray commission provided final approval for continuous shower truck operations on site.
Have More Questions?
Our Mission
The mission of the Interfaith Committee is to work in collaboration with congregations, civic groups, and agencies to advocate, serve, and empower the homeless to achieve self-sufficiency.
How To Get Involved
Donate
Please consider making a financial donation to help support our efforts in assisting the homeless in our community. All monetary donations are used exclusively for the Interfaith Committee’s program operations, supplies, and expenses.
The Interfaith Committee is operated by volunteers. No officers or members receive any compensation other than for any out of pocket expenses they may incur.
Current Wishlist: Back packs, men’s boxer briefs, men’s shorts & jeans (sizes 32, 34, 36)
Volunteer
We are currently accepting volunteers to assist us in many areas of need:
Sorting clothing donations
Shower truck intake desk
Shower truck prep, sanitizing, and maintenance (must be able to lift 10 or more lbs.)
Clerical and record keeping
Picking up/dropping off towel service and donations
Special events volunteer
Follow
The committee meets bi-monthly at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Delray Beach.
We welcome all regardless of ability, age, background, ethnicity/race, faith, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. The committee believes that, in a diverse world, we are stronger when we are inclusive. Our doors are open to all who have a heart for the homeless in our community.
To stay updated, follow the Interfaith Committee for Social Services on Facebook and Instagram.
