Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Our Mission:
To be a caring community accompanying people on their journeys out of hunger and homelessness.
Our Vision:
In our community nobody should have to go to bed hungry, and nobody should have to sleep outside.
Our Values:
We are living in Christ-centered service in the United Methodist tradition. As an organization and as individuals, we ground our work in:
- Compassion
We approach our work with an ethic of love and care. - Dignity
We see people first, before problems. - Inclusivity
We strive to eliminate barriers and welcome all. - Justice
We work and speak up in support of fairness. - Responsiveness
We listen to our community and adapt to changing needs. - Solidarity
We bring people of varying backgrounds together in goodwill, and with common cause.
We need volunteers to join us! There are two ways to get involved in the Mission’s work: at the services we offer at our physical site at 801 W 1st St or by joining our community outreach efforts.
Volunteer at 801 W 1st Street
The first step in becoming a volunteer at the Mission is to take a tour and see the ins and outs of all our services. Then you can decide where you would like to give your time. The tour lasts about 30 minutes. Registration is required.
Contact our team at questions@firststreetmission.org or 682-376-8479
Register
Volunteer in Community Outreach
The Mission is actively working to expand its reach in the community beyond our physical location. Our newest program just does that. Healthy Homes Outreach is an opportunity to visit a neighbor at their home. These are vulnerable members of our community who will treasure these interactions.
Once per month, volunteers deliver groceries and build relationships with the families they choose to meet with. Individual volunteers and families are welcome!
Deliveries are made on the fourth week of each month, on a weekday, at a time that is convenient for the volunteer. 4th Sunday delivery may be available as well.
Sign up below to let us know that you plan to be there.
If you have questions, contact our team at questions@firststreetmission.org or 682-376-8479
Our Services
First Street Methodist Mission is located two blocks north of the church. Devoted to serving people in need, First Street Methodist Mission provides emergency food, clothing, infant formula, limited financial assistance, and case management services in an atmosphere of respect and compassion.
Taking action to help meet the need for outreach in Downtown Fort Worth, this dynamic ministry offers vital assistance to its guests and opportunities to its special volunteer community that sees work at the Mission as part of their calling to be God’s people in the world.
First Street Methodist Mission’s roots began in the early 1950’s when the First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth recognized the need for outreach at a downtown housing community. From this point, the church began a variety of programs designed to minister to this local community. In 2006, the Mission was officially named First Street Methodist Mission and became its own 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
Over the next several decades, the services of the Mission expanded to assist both the homeless and those with a residence in Fort Worth and the surrounding communities. Services to the homeless include sack lunches, a monthly clothing bank visit where they receive a hygiene kit, socks and underwear in addition to pants, shirts and jackets. Once per year guests receive a coat. The Start-Up Kit program provides household items for people moving from life on the streets into supportive or transitional housing programs.
Services for individuals and families with a home include grocery services and a monthly clothing bank visit. Infant formula services are available to anyone who needs assistance with infant formula and other nutritional items for infants under twelve months.
Virtually all monetary donations go directly toward funding the programs and client services of the Mission. Overhead costs such as utilities and building maintenance are provided by the First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth. The Mission is staffed by an all-volunteer workforce of a diverse mix of more than 200 volunteers who work to serve a wide variety of programs and services.
Contact:
Elizabeth Becker, Director, First Street Methodist Mission
First Street Methodist Mission | 817-335-6080
Food Pantry
First Street Methodist Mission provides food assistance for families and individuals, both those with a residence and those experiencing homelessness.
Grocery Services Español
Wednesdays & Thursdays | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm | Florence Street Door
Grocery services are not restricted by zip code or in any other way–all are welcome to visit the pantry once per month! It may be helpful to bring identification but it is not required. No other documentation is needed. Our neighbors experiencing homelessness are also welcome to receive groceries at this time.
Sack Lunches for Our Neighbors Experiencing Homelessness
Tuesdays | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesdays | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
W 1st Street Door
Sack lunches are served to individuals who are homeless on a first come first served basis. On Monday and Wednesday guests are able to receive a meal and join us for a cup of coffee or lemonade. Each person who is homeless is able to receive one sack lunch per service day.
Infant Formula
Wednesdays & Thursdays | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Florence Street Door
Infant Formula is provided to parents and caretakers of infants who are 12 months of age and younger two times each month. Guests are eligible to receive infant formula and other nutritional items based on the age of the child. Diapers and clothing are also available one time each month depending on availability.
The Mission distributes a basic milk based infant formula. If a child needs a specialized non-milk based formula, then the parent or care taker needs to provide us with documentation from the child’s doctor that states which formula the child needs and how long the child needs that formula. We ask that all Infant Formula clients apply for WIC services.
Food 4 Kids
Select Sundays | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
One in four children come from families that live with food insecurity. Food 4 Kids is a ministry of First Street Mission that sends food home every weekend of the school year for 275 elementary aged children at T.A. Sims, Clifford Davis, Milton L. Kirkpatrick, Castleberry, and Charles Nash Elementary schools to relieve fear and worry about where their next meal will come from. Groups of 10 are encouraged to come to First Street Mission on select Sundays for one hour between 9:00 am and noon, September through May to help pack take-home food kits for children experiencing food insecurity.
Clothing Bank
Clothing Assistance and Hygiene Kits
Tuesdays | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesdays | 2:00 – 4:00 pm
W 1st Street Door
Life on the street comes with certain challenges; one of which is shoes with holes worn in the soles. When you don’t have adequate clothing and shoes, not much else matters. This essential service needs more men’s jeans, rain jackets, and blankets. Help us gather these items!
First Street Methodist Mission’s Clothing Bank is accessible to men and women who are homeless one time each month. Mission guests are able to select for themselves clothing items and other seasonal items like coats from the clothing racks.
Men and women who are homeless are also eligible to receive a hygiene kit once per month, the kit includes travel size soap, shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush, and razor and two bandages along with a new pair of cotton socks or underwear. Hygiene kits are available to our guests who are homeless on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Home Start-Up Kits
Case Worker Referral Only
Start-Up Kits provide a small number of household items to previously homeless men, women, and families who have moved into permanent supportive or transitional housing programs. The Start-Up Kit program is a case worker referred program. To make a referral for a kit, contact the Mission by phone, fax, or email to request the Start-Up Kit referral form.
Start-Up Kits include: bath towel, wash cloth, dinner plates, bowls, drinking glasses, coffee cups, forks, spoons, knives, paring knives, can openers, sheet sets, blankets, plunger, broom and dustpan, shower curtain/rings, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, razor, deodorant, bar soap, Comet, dish soap, sponges, dish towel, laundry soap, pots, skillet, and toilet paper.
Housing
The Outreach Specialists work to connect with people who are living in camps and on the streets to show them the path to housing. Their work includes directing these neighbors through the documentation process, providing encouragement and hope, and making sure they connect with other resources and service partners they need during the transition period.
Donate online or send your check to First Street Methodist Mission at 801 W. 1st St., Fort Worth, TX 76102.