learn

Everything Welcome does is designed to support communities responding to poverty.  We believe that all volunteer opportunities are a time when we can reflect on what we have to give, how we are giving it and how we can unlearn the ways that we are contributing to poverty in our world. 

In addition to our meal programs, some of our unique programming is designed to support individuals and communities who are interested in learning about how they can make a difference in their world:


Just Lutheran: A multimedia online DIY (do it yourself) guide to enable Lutheran congregations to respond to poverty. Sponsored by the ELCA Hunger Project.  http://justlutheran.blogspot.com

Community of Travelers: Weekly interactive worship experience, since 2010, that has transitioned to online webcasts featuring activities, liturgy, prayers and songs that correspond to the lectionary text for the week after posting. Innovative projects include: Bible Study that Doesn't Suck (TM), The Gospel According to Pop and the Lady Gaga Mass.  This project is in partnership with St. Aidan's Episcopal Church in San Francisco. 
 
Urban Pilgrimage: Welcome's newest project to provide educational opportunities, certificates for trainings in urban ministry, curriculums for youth groups, pilgrimage opportunities, mentoring for groups and individuals and teleconferences. This project is a partnership with SF CARES and the Faithful Fools Street Ministry.

Vanguard Revisited: 
Vanguard Revisited is a project in partnership with the GLBT Historical Society, that enables homeless queer youth to creatively interact with a group the history of the street hustlers who lived in San Francisco's Tenderloin District in the late 60's.  This project will create a magazine, book, exhibit and nationwide speaking tour to highlight the poverty and issues that affect queer street youth.

Somatic Trauma Care:
This one-on-one support for homeless and formerly homeless individuals enables them to gain the skills they need to heal from the trauma that causes and comes from life living on the streets.  Designed to help individuals live fuller more independent life, participants in our trauma care often find they are then able to utilize other services and opportunities to improve their health, education and ability to participate in community.

Urban Share Community Gardening:
The Urban Share Community Gardening Project transforms unused church properties into community gardens to grow free produce.  Welcome has created community gardens at Bethlehem Lutheran in West Oakland, Shepherd of the Hills in Berkeley and St. Paulus and St. Mark's Lutheran churches in San Francisco.  More than 2,400 pounds of food have been harvested from these gardens since February of 2010.

The Free Farm: A community farm created on the ashes where St. Paulus Lutheran Church used to be before it burned down in the early 90's.  Since its creation in 2010, more than 8,593 pounds of free food have been harvested and given away to it's neighbors.  This project is in partnership with St. Paulus Lutheran Church, SF CARES, the Free Farm Stand and Produce to the People.