FOOD Missions    |    Missions serving CHILDREN   |    HOUSING Missions

Ready to get involved? Sign up at: WAYS TO SERVE page

AMAZON WISHLISTS for ITEMS NEEDED: 

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Mission of the Month: for AUGUST 2026
Soup's On!

Soup’s On is a food ministry that runs out of Roberts Park United Methodist Church in downtown Indianapolis. It serves a warm meal and hospitality every Sunday to anyone experiencing food insecurity or hunger. Our family loves volunteering at Soup’s On! It’s a great, meaningful volunteer opportunity that anyone can participate in, regardless of ability, mobility, or age.

The guests we serve, our fellow volunteers, and the organizers running Soup’s On are a true joy. Now in its 27th year, Soup’s On started with just one church member handing out sandwiches after Sunday services. Today, various congregations, groups and families volunteer to prepare and serve the warm meals. When CUMC serves, we also provide a sack lunch for guests to take away for further nutrition. Additionally, thanks to a matching grant in October of 2025, CUMC helped expand the ministry to serve a takeaway meal every Wednesday also.

If you haven’t volunteered at Soup’s On, what are you waiting for? I know the unknown can feel intimidating, so let me share what the experience is like. You can meet either at Carmel UMC or downtown at Roberts Park UMC, right off Mass Ave. Parking is easy and located right in the church lot!

Once you arrive, you’ll meet the team, unload food and donations, and help prepare for the day. Setup jobs are available for all skill levels, including rolling silverware, setting up chairs, cleaning tables, and prepping food.

When meal service begins at 12:00pm, there are roles for everyone: announcer, ticket receiver, a guest counter, food server, dishwasher, and more.

It can be hard to find a volunteer opportunity that works for the whole family, fits a busy schedule, and lets you serve as the hands and feet of Jesus while connecting directly with the community. If you’re on the fence, give it a try - we’ll have fun together, I promise!

Written by Stephanie Zircher

CUMC serves four times a year. Our remaining dates this year are Sunday Aug 30 and Sunday November 8. If those dates don’t fit your schedule, Soup’s On welcomes family volunteers other weekends and on Wednesday evenings.

Additional ways to support Soup’s On:

• To-Go meals & Supplies: Help pick up bananas, assemble PB&J sandwiches, help residents at Independence Village assemble lunch bags.(sign up button below)
• Pantry Donations: Donate essential dignity items to stock the Soup’s On Pantry. See the Amazon list link here, or the button below, in addition to any throw blankets, and good used condition backpacks.
• Plarn Mats: Help weave plastic yarn (plarn) mats to keep our neighbors without homes warm & insulated during this upcoming winter.

Ready to get involved or have questions?

Contact the missions team at missions@carmelumc.org

Sign up to bring items, prepare meals, or serve at the first button linked below, or browse the AMAZON WISHLIST and ship items for our Soup's On guests by clicking on the second button below.

      The CUMC Food Pantry serves about 300 families each month. We partner with local churches, school organizations and members of the community to serve healthy food to HAMILTON COUNTY RESIDENTS. Please bring: a photo ID and proof of residence, such as a utility bill or rental agreement, with you when you visit the food pantry.

      Since 2022, St Christopher's Episcopal Church, Carmel Christian Church, Cornerstone Lutheran, and Noblesville First UMC, have donated bounty from their own gardens to the CUMC Food Pantry. Orchard Park Presbyterian Church donates all of the eggs given to guests of the pantry.

If you are interested in volunteering in the Food Pantry, fill out the form at THIS LINK. If you have never volunteered at the pantry, please sign up for a Newbie Shift for training before you volunteer as a Guest Shopper. Newbie Shifts are every Tuesday night 5-7pm and Saturday 11am-1pm.

You can also email foodpantry@carmelumc.org

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement food for anyone in need of support. To learn more click here.

Soup's On joins Roberts Park UMC in downtown Indianapolis to serve meals to the hungry and homeless of downtown Indy on Sundays each week. Meals are provided from 12-1pm. Personal hygiene items are also available. CUMC serves several times per year. Contact Natalie Oehler at nataliejoehler@gmail.com about volunteering to serve. Read more about 'Soup's On' on page 13 of theAugust 2025 edition of THE CONTACT - (click here) ... and past information can be found on page 5 of the July 2023 edition of THE CONTACT - (click here)

If you would like to make the SINGLE LAYER TIE FLEECE BLANKETS that are used in the Bags of Hope mission, find the instructions at this link: https://carmelumc.org/mt-content/uploads/2023/09/blanket-instructions.pdf 

They need over 500 blankets each year!

BAGS OF HOPE

Most children in foster care enter with nothing of their own. Bags of Hope provides foster children with their own mongrammed duffle bag filled with books, blankets, toys and a few item that will hopefully bring them joy.

More Info HERE.

CARMEL COAT CLOSET

Carmel Coat Closet serves students at Carmel Clay Schools. We serve our school district by connecting directly with the schools in their community and the counselors or social workers to reach kids that need a coat not only at the giveaway, but also on a school-level until winter is over.

More Info HERE.

carmelumc.org/coats 

SALVATION ARMY:
ANGEL TREE

      This is our fifth year working with the Salvation Army for the Angel Tree Program. Our CUMC leaders are Beth Lotti and Margaret Kettle. They led the Christmas drive in November and met with the Salvation Army to map out the Family Life Center (FLC) and the volunteer slots for set-up and the event on December 6!