Bethlehem, PA - Central Moravian Church

Volunteer with Central Moravian Church

Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering (Women’s Shelter)

Location: Central Moravian Church, CE Building
Dates: Saturday Nights into Sunday Mornings December through March
Cost: No cost but those cooking supper or breakfast may want to donate food
Age or Skill Restrictions:

Teenagers and Adults; an understanding of and compassion for the mental health issue that many homeless people deal with is a plus

Contact: Rose Warner, 610-866-2544, Coordinator or
Pastor Lynnette Delbridge, 610-866-5661

We provide supper and breakfast and a warm, safe, and hospitable place for approximately 20 homeless women on Saturday evenings into Sunday mornings. There are several different jobs that volunteers can sign up for: setting up cots; cooking supper and/or and breakfast; signing in guests; hospitality—playing games and talking; sleeping at the shelter over night; cleaning bathrooms; breakdown and putting away equipment.

Food Bank

Location: Central Moravian Church office building.

Dates: Third Saturday of the month, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Cost: No cost to volunteer. Drivers who help pickup donations, donate the use of their cars and gas expenses.

Age or Skill: Middle School students through adult.

People with Spanish speaking skills are especially needed.

Contact: Joan Kolessar, 484-387-9260, Coordinator

Pastor Hopeton Clennon, 484-635-0400

Brief Description:

Volunteers help clients sign-in, pick out food, and carry food bags to their cars.

Cynthia’s Boutique (Clothing Ministry)

Location: Central Moravian Church office building

Dates: Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Third Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. distribution

Cost: No cost

Age or Skill Restrictions:

Depending on job, older elementary children could be helpful but mostly teens and adults.

Contact: Charlotte (Charlie) McGorry 610-392-4132 or

Pastor Lynnette Delbridge, 610-866-5661

Brief Description:

Volunteers sort and arrange donated clothing on Thursday mornings in preparation for distribution to about 40 clients on the third Saturday of the month. Because of limited space, large numbers of volunteers are not practical all at one time but special arrangements can be made for sorting and helping in other ways.

Bethlehem Interfaith Resettlement Committee

Location: The neighborhoods, schools, medical offices and home of the refugee family resettling in Allentown, PA.

Dates: All through the week.

Cost: No cost unless volunteers wants to get involved and donate items needed by family. Drivers who help with transportation donate the use of their cars and gas expenses.

Age or Skill: Mostly adults.

All kinds of skills are needed particularly people with PA Child Abuse Clearances and Criminal Background Check who can interact with four children; help with transportation particularly to medical appointments; people with educational skills who can help family learn English; people who can take children out for activities and play; people with building skills to assist in up-keep of apartment; people who can help find employment for father.

Contact: Louisa Frey, 484-547-3136 or

Jim Whildin, 610-392-6092 or

Pastor Hopeton Clennon, 484-635-0400

Brief Description:

Helping a six member refugee family find employment, settle into life here in the Lehigh Valley, learn English and new banking system

Cooking Mission at New Bethany Ministries

Location: New Bethany Ministries, 202 E 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015

Dates: 1st Monday, 1st Friday, 3rd Tuesday and 5th Thursday; Hours 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Cost: No cost to volunteers. Food provided by New Bethany.

Age or Skill: Anyone who can safely work in a kitchen in a team of 3 to 4 people.

Contact: Gretchen Parseghian (610-759-0340)

Brief Description:

Make salads, butter bread, slice up desserts and help prepare the main dish. Help serve the lunch meal to clients at New Bethany Ministries.

Cooking Mission at Victory House

Location: Victory House, 314 Fillmore Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015

Dates: A variety of dates are available.

Cost: Volunteers purchase food for a meal that will feed approximately 25 to 30 men.

Age or skill: Anyone that can work safely in a kitchen with a team of 2 to 4 people.

Contact: Terry Delph, 610-965-5756

Brief Description:

Plan menu, purchase and prepare food for dinner meal for 25 residents at Victory House. Victory House is a residential facility for formerly homeless men. The residents clean up after the meal.

Moravian Meals on Wheels

Location: Home kitchens and the roads and streets of the Lehigh Valley.

Dates: Variable on an “as needs” basis.

Cost: Volunteers provide the food they cook although some gifts cards and funds are available for cooks to purchase groceries. Volunteers who deliver meals donate the use of their cars and gas expenses.

Age or skill: Anyone who can safely cook and/or drive.

Contact: Dorothy Stutzenberger, 610-865-5956

Brief Description:

Volunteers cook for church members and members of the larger community who are experiencing a temporary difficulty that makes it hard for them to shop for and/or cook their own meals. Prepared food can be taken directly to the person in need or taken and frozen in the church freezer located in Nitschmann Hall. Requests for meals go to Coordinator Dorothy Stutzenberger who arranges for a volunteer to deliver the meals.