Justice at Glenn

How can we transform the world? By answering the call to: 

You are invited to come join this journey! Contact justice@glennumc.org or Rev. Brent Huckaby to be in contact with our Justice team.

Upcoming Events

After the Vote: Understanding and Repairing a Divided Nation

Wednesday, November 6, from 3:00pm - 5:00pm at Candler School of Theology

Candler’s James T. and Berta R. Laney Program in Moral Leadership will host a forum featuring three distinguished speakers who will lead the conversation on the U.S. presidential election, the path forward for American democracy, and the role of faith communities in healing the country’s divides. Laney Professor in Moral Leadership Robert M. Franklin, Jr. will moderate.

Panelists:

  • Andrew Young, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, former mayor of Atlanta, civil rights leader, and associate minister of Atlanta’s First Congregational Church

  • Joseph Crespino, senior associate dean of faculty, divisional dean of humanities and social sciences, and Jimmy Carter Professor of History at Emory University’s College of Arts and Sciences

  • Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science and director of Emory’s James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference

A forum reflecting on the election, the path forward for American democracy, and the role of faith communities in healing the country’s divides. To register for this event, please follow the link here.

Hurricane Relief

We continue to surround in prayer all those affected by recent hurricanes. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is supporting relief efforts.  To give to UMCOR via Glenn Church, click here.  Additionally, the Glenn Church Good Samaritan fund has already been used to support several local needs for emergency relief for food and utilities bills for those affected by the hurricanes. Give to the Good Samaritan fund here.  

Snack in a Backpack

Thursdays | Youth & Activities Building | Sign up here
Snack in a Backpack provides food to children who are at risk of hunger on the weekends. The program currently serves approximately 400 children, including 40 children in refugee families. Contact Deborah Marlowe for more information.

“The Sum of Us” Book Study

Thursdays, October 17 thru November 7, 12noon | Zoom

Join Rev. Brent for a four-week discussion of “The Sum of Us” by Heather McGhee.  This book takes a personal, in-depth look at what we all lose when we buy into the zero-sum paradigm - the idea that progress for some of us must come at the expense of others - and the benefits we gain when people come together across race to accomplish what we simply can’t do on our own.  Discussion will be over zoom Thursdays at noon beginning October 17th.  Contact Rev. Brent with questions or to RSVP.

The Glenn Justice Team Donation Calendar 2024

See the full donation calendar here:


Glenn Snack in a Backpack

Glenn’s Snack in a Backpack ministry provides food on Fridays during the school year to children who are at risk of hunger on the weekends. In Georgia, one in 7 children go to bed hungry; and children are most vulnerable on the weekends without access to school meals. During the past year Snack has...

•  served approximately 400 children a week including students at Hope-Hill, Perkerson and SL Lewis elementary schools as well as students at GVP (Global Village Project) and additional refugee children in the Clarkston area.

• distributed more than 16,000 bags of food and received more than 60,000 lbs of food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank 

• included fresh fruit in the bags for each child

•  engaged volunteers of all ages to set-up, recycle, pack and load bags into vehicles on Thursdays; make school deliveries on Fridays; place orders with the Food Bank; developed weekly packing plans; unloaded Food Bank deliveries on Thursday mornings; shopped at the DeKalb Farmers Market and grocery stores for fresh fruit, produce and other items unavailable at the Food Bank; monitored inventory; and much more!

Come join us! Sign up here. For more information about the program and how you can be involved, email dmarlowe@emory.edu.


Atlanta Habitat for Humanity needs your empty aluminum cans!

Through our Recycling For Good initiative, in partnership with Novelis, we use the funds from recycling aluminum cans to build affordable housing. It takes 3 millions cans to build one house – please help us reach this goal by donating your aluminum cans! Your cans directly support our mission of creating access to quality, affordable housing throughout Atlanta.

You can drop off your empty cans, at your convenience, in the trailer in our parking lot, located at 824 Memorial Drive SE Atlanta, GA 30316. When you enter the parking lot from Memorial Drive, the recycling trailer is immediately to the left. Thank you for supporting Atlanta Habitat! IMPORTANT NOTE: please throw the cans into the trailer loose. NO BAGS/TRASH LINERS PLEASE.



Ongoing Weekly Outreach Opportunities

Women’s Community Kitchen (WCK) Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays, 9:30am-12:30pm

Intown Cares Food Pantry Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9:30am-1pm

Snack in a Backpack Thursdays, 3-5pm

Service Save-the-Dates

Habitat for Humanity Build  2025 dates TBA Contact: Jennifer Scott Ward.

Wesley Woods Mother’s Day Offering  May 2025, Give here.

Trinity House  October 15, & December 17. Contact: Diane Bryant.

Lost and Found Youth (LnFY)  Second Thursday of every month 11:30-1:00pm. Contact: Joan Lord. 

August Sunday Service (all ages) August 2025 Contact: Susan Pinson.

Branan Towers Summer Picnic  June 2025 10:30am-1pm. Contact: Diane Bryant.

Connecting through Service 

We seek to create personal connections by being present with people who are struggling and suffering in a way that affirms their humanity and dignity.

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. — Matthew 25:35-36

Glenn has a long history of connecting with the community to work to alleviate suffering.  Opportunities to connect are available for individuals, families and small groups. 

 

Snack in a Backpack 

Thursday shifts ranging from 3:30-5:30pm, Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, Youth & Activities Building | Sign up for a volunteer shift here!

Snack in a Backpack provides food on Fridays to children and families who are at risk of hunger on weekends. The program serves over 400 students from three schools and 66 refugee families which represent over 350 family members. These families have children who attend Global Village Project, a school for refugee girls, and Inspire, an after school program for refugee children. Volunteers gather on Thursday afternoons at Glenn’s Youth and Activities Building (YABB) located at 1669 North Decatur Rd. to setup, pack food bags and load food into vehicles for delivery to the schools on Friday mornings. Volunteers are needed throughout the week to shop, deliver food to schools and upload food band deliveries at Glenn. Glenn financially supports Snack in a Backpack and provides hundreds of Glenn and community volunteers. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate. For more information contact Deborah Marlowe or sign up here.

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity

For the last 30 years, Glenn has partnered with other churches to build a Habitat House. Each House requires 10-15 volunteers for seven Saturdays, plus a food crew to provide lunch. Volunteers at all skill levels and ages are welcome. No experience is required! Glenn financially supports the annual build and provides a crew for the build. Watch for this year’s date! For more information contact Jennifer Scott Ward.

 

Branan Towers/Foundation of Wesley Woods

Part of the Wesley Woods Senior Living Retirement Communities, Branan Towers is a HUD-subsidized residential community in East Atlanta serving older adults with extremely low incomes. Glenn has supported Branan Towers for decades providing financial support, volunteers, resident engagement and in-kind donations. Glenn initiated and supports an essentials closet for the residents to provide for needs that their income does not stretch to cover.  These items range from incontinence supplies, nutritional supplements, soap, toilet tissue, toothpaste etc. The most important contribution is the time and emotional connection to the residents. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome at the holiday parties, summer cookouts and craft and game days. Glenn financially support the Wesley Woods Mother’s Day offering and for the needs of the residents through the essentials closet. For more information contact Diane Bryant.

 

Hope Atlanta-Women’s Community Kitchen (WCK) 

The WCK provides more than 20,000 meals each year to women and children who are hungry.  The meal is provided at Cascade Midtown on Ponce de Leon Ave. The Women’s Community Kitchen is not just a place to get a meal, but it is also a safe environment for the women to access resources and educational opportunities. 30-40 women and children are served each day. They are in need of volunteers Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30a.m. - 12:30 p.m. to help prepare and serve the meals. Glenn financially supports the WCK and volunteers can sign up individually or as a group.  For more information contact Diane Bryant.


Intown Cares 

Intown Cares works to prevent and reverse homelessness and hunger in Intown Atlanta. Intown provides a homeless outreach program that uses a Housing First approach as well as a variety of programs to address food insecurity.  Glenn supports Intown through food and goods drives, delivering groceries, making hygiene or snack kits, and with financial support.  Intown operates a food choice pantry on Saturdays and Tuesday mornings from 9am to 1pm. For more information contact Jennifer Scott Ward. Volunteers can sign up here.

 

L’Arche Atlanta 

At L'Arche Atlanta, people with and without disabilities are welcomed with open arms. L’Arche builds communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities share friendships and care. They do this through community events and small group activities. Their two homes are located in Decatur on Clairemont and Mead Roads. Glenn supports L’Arche financially and there are many ways to get involved as a volunteer. For more information contact Ann Rushing.

Libertad 

Team Libertad is an Atlanta-based agency that values compassion for people seeking asylum in the United States who have been detained and released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These people are on their way to the homes of sponsors, friends and family across the United States. Team Libertad strives to offer a welcoming presence and helpful hand to those dropped-off at the Atlanta airport after a stay at Georgia’s Stewart Detention Center. Team Libertad has welcomed thousands of asylum seekers from 14 nations.  Glenn helps to recruit volunteers to meet the new arrivals. Team Libertad is supported by Glenn’s Alternative Giving catalog and by sponsoring collection drives for much needed items for the refugees when they first arrive in Atlanta. For more information contact Diane Bryant.

 

Lost-n-Found Youth 

Lost-n-Found Youth provides support for Atlanta’s unhoused LGBTQ+ youth, ages 18 to 25. Its ambitious goal is to end homelessness among this group. The organization supports a youth drop-in center, where lunch is served daily, and two transitional houses for 16 youth, where breakfasts and dinners are available. Glenn’s prepares and serves Lost-n-Found’s clients with a monthly hospitable hot meals and makes grocery runs to help stock the transition homes’ pantries. Glenn supports LnFY through Glenn’s Alternative Giving Catalog and by volunteers preparing and serving monthly meals. For more information contact Joan Lord.

 

Trinity House/Big Bethel-Trinity Community Ministries 

TH/BB is a residential 36 bed program that empowers men experiencing homelessness and addiction to reclaim their lives and return to their families and communities as mentors and leaders. Trinity House provides housing, meals, case management and connects the men to benefits, job training and counseling.  Glenn provides financial support to TH/BB and prepares and shares a bi monthly meal with the men. Glenn provides the meal for the men on the 3rd Tuesday of the even months. Various groups from Glenn prepare and enjoy the meal with the residents. We are currently in need of a group to provide the June meal. For more information contact Diane Bryant.

 

Trinity Table-Trinity UMC 

Trinity Table is located at Trinity UMC in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Trinity Table is the only consistent source of free food in the downtown Capitol Hill neighborhood on Sundays. Glenn UMC has partnered for more than 30+ years with Trinity Table to provide a hospitable hot meal and a to-go bagged meal to the homeless. In addition to serving meals every Sunday, a clothes closet is available that offers items of clothing, as well as items such as hygiene kits and cold weather gear. The last Sunday of every month a mobile shower trailer comes to the church parking lot and provides showers for the guests through the nonprofit Hope Thru Soap.  Glenn financially supports Trinity Table and one Sunday a year Glenn prepares and serves the hot meal and Glenn’s youth pack and distribute to-go meal bags. This year Glenn’s Alternative Giving Catalog collected funds to provide waterproof sleeping bags for those living on the streets. For more information contact Diane Bryant.

 

Wellroot-Transitional and Independent Living 

Wellroot, formerly the Methodist Children’s Home, provides foster care services to hundreds of abandoned and neglected children each year.  As many of these young people, ages 18-21, move out of foster care they are left floundering with no family or support to help them move to the next healthy stage of their lives. The transitional and independent housing program provides 24-hour support as well as housing to each youth. Residents in the Transitional Living Program need greater levels of support and assistance, while residents in our Independent Living Program are nearing their full transition out of care. Wellroot offers financial literacy, tutoring, personal development, career development and education about nutrition and health. As part of both programs, they guide residents through the process of earning their high school diploma or GED and offer assistance entering college or trade school. Glenn through their Alternative Giving Catalog provides financial support to purchase cold weather gear and hygiene supplies. Volunteers are being recruited to help provide meals and daily living essentials to their residents.  For more information contact Diane Bryant.

 

Collaboration with Outreach Partners

All of the areas of Glenn: children, youth, young adults, adults and older adults work to support and collaborate with the Justice Teams outreach partners. The following are just a few examples of how Glenn works together to meet the needs in our community. 

SOUPer Bowl of Caring

The children at Glenn annually collect canned goods and financials donation in soup pots on Super Bowl Sunday to be distributed to help tackle hunger. The financial donations support Snack in a Backpack and the canned goods are donated to Intown Cares.   

VBS Offering

Each year Vacation Bible School takes up an offering that aligns with the theme of VBS and the offering is giving to support one of the Justice Teams Outreach partners. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration

Every year the Glenn youth in collaboration with the Scouts and Midtown HS plan and enjoy an afternoon of food, songs, crafts and the reading of MLK’s I Have a Dream speech at Branan Towers.

 

August Sunday Service Projects

Every Sunday in August during the Sunday school hour a service project is designed to engage all of the ages in the church in support of several of Glenn’s outreach partners.  To name a few projects in the past: collected back to school items in support of Snack in a Backpack schools, assembled snack meal bags for the homeless to be distributed through Intown Cares, collected essentials for Libertad to distribute to new asylum seekers and refugees coming to Atlanta, assembled disaster response buckets for Global Ministries. 

 

Glenn participates in several special Sunday offerings each year that benefit our Outreach partners. The following are a few examples: 

Mother’s Day offering to benefit the Wesley Woods senior living communities- This offering funds financial assistance for meals and housing to residents who have the gift of a long life but may have outlived their resources.  

The Housing and Homeless Offering of the North Georgia Conference of the UMC- The offering supports the shared work of providing safe and affordable housing across North Georgia. One hundred percent of the offering goes to fund much needed grants for ministries serving those that are experiencing poverty and homelessness.  The grants provide for housing, food pantries, rental and utility assistance, clothing closets, and other services to our neighbors in need. Glenn participates in this offering on an annual basis.