Glen Mar Church » Ways to Serve the Community during the COVID-19 Crisis

Looking for ways to help your community during the COVID-19 crisis? We are conducting the following activities while doing our best to comply with safe practices and social distancing guidelines.

Please only participate in these activities if you feel comfortable doing so. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, or have high-risk health conditions, dry cough, fever over 100.3 F., shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and/or new loss of taste or smell, please do not participate. If desired, ministry leads and volunteers may request a copy of our Mission Activity Health Procedures During COVID-19 Crisis by emailing missions@glenmarumc.org.

Help Baltimore Students With Their Education

The College and Career Prep program would love donations of computers and money to purchase hard drives and software to help youth in Baltimore with their education.

Learn How You Can Help

College and Career Prep is currently making sure that youth in Baltimore have computers and internet access for e-learning. This is particularly important now because one of Glen Mar’s partners in Baltimore, Little Flowers Early Childhood & Development Center, is expanding its after-school program to all-day e-learning for about 100 elementary-age children, who will need the equipment to access daytime e-learning with their schools.

Donated money will be used to buy hard drives and software needed to rehab surplus donated computers and new ones if there are sufficient funds.

Send a check made out to Glen Mar Church/College and Career Prep to Glen Mar Church, 4701 New Cut Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043.

Questions? Email collegeprep@glenmarumc.org to volunteer.

Donate Christmas Gifts via Wish Upon a Star program

Glen Mar is once again providing Christmas gifts and donations of gift cards for clothing, toys and food to about 30 families in need living in our area. Find out how to contribute on our Wish Upon a Star page.

Mask-Making Efforts for Those in Need

Glen Mar continues to make homemade face masks to help those in need. Kits containing ready-to-sew materials can be provided to those who wish to sew. Help with ironing is needed from those who do not sew. To help out or get more information, please see below or contact mask@glenmarumc.org. Donations of mask-making supplies are needed. Please see below for a list.

NOTE: If you feel unwell or think you have been exposed to COVID-19, please do not handle the mask materials. While we are not delivering a sterile product, we want to do all we can to protect the recipients.

SAFETY NOTICE: Do not leave a young child unattended with a mask.

Collection Information

All masks and materials are transported in sandwich bags. Please separate masks by Adult or Child.

Drop-off and pick-up is available on our coordinator's porch. Hand sanitizer or wipes are provided. Contact mask@glenmarumc.org to get her address.

Mask Making Directions

All masks must have this type of fabric:

Use 100% pre-washed woven cotton
Use non-shiny ribbon/fabric head ties

Any mask pattern/style/size is welcome, including masks for children. If you like, use the directions below. You will need both the assembly line directions (skip to Step 4) and Hopkins directions. NOTE: Do not use the labels found in the directions. Instead, separate masks by adult or child.

Make Your Own Mask for Personal Use

If you don't have a sewing machine, try one of these easy-to-make options using a T-shirt or cotton fabric you have at home (cotton sheets and pillowcases, bandanas, tea towels, tablecloths or other cotton fabrics work well too). If you are unable to purchase mask-making materials, you may pick up a mask-making kit for a mask for yourself. Please see Collection Information above to make arrangements.

Donate Materials

The following materials are needed. Please see Collection Information above to arrange donation.

Thread, any color
Elastic – Up to ½ inch through ¼ inch or narrower
Grosgrain ribbon (1/4-, 3/8-, ½-, or 5/8-inch wide)
Pipe cleaners or chenille stems

Please direct questions to mask@glenmarumc.org.

Additional Opportunities to Serve

Donate Supplies to Homeless Shelter

Howard County's only homeless shelter, located in Columbia, has ongoing needs for their residents. Please see the Grassroots Shelter Needs List.

Donate Winter Accessories and Holiday Items to Homeless Shelter

Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center is collecting winter accessories and holiday items for its residents. Please see the Grassroots Donation Drive List for details.

Donate Food, Supplies, and Grocery Gift Cards to HEHHC Families

All of the Help End Homelessness Howard County families would be grateful for donations of food and household supplies. When you live on a low income, you do not have the money to stockpile for emergencies, and that is the situation our families currently are in. If you are interested in donating food, household supplies, or grocery gift cards to these families, one of our volunteers is willing to deliver them to the families we serve. Limited pick-up is available, or you may order online and have the items delivered to our volunteer's house. Please contact hehhc@glenmarumc.org to make arrangements.

Help Prepare Houses or Donate Furnishings to HEHHC

Help with painting and small repairs is needed for new HEHHC properties to make them move-in ready. Also household items and furniture are needed once a property is ready. If you would like to volunteer to help ready the house, or if you would be willing to take the lead to coordinate the volunteer efforts, or if you have items to donate, please email HEHHC@glenmarumc.org.

Drop off Food to Local Organizations

Food collection on Fridays at Glen Mar has ended, but you can still donate food to local organizations by dropping it off to them directly. Please see our Food Donation Information handout for details.

Drop off Food and Supplies at Day Resource Center at Set Times

Help the most vulnerable in our community by dropping off food and supplies at the Day Resource Center, 10390 Guilford Road, Suite A, Jessup.

Please visit www.daycenter.org for a list of needs and days/times to drop off. NOTE: No clothing donations are being accepted at this time. Please see their home page for COVID-19 updates.

Contact our Mission Board

Do you have questions, or know of another opportunity? Contact missions@glenmarumc.org.

Youth & Mission Trip participants: Please find our Volunteer Forms here.