Mount Olive Neighborhood Ministries

Mount Olive is called to minister to the needs of those in our neighborhood. Under the leadership of our Neighborhood Ministries Coordinator, Donna Neste, we run a number of programs that reach out to those among us who need a helping hand.

Chicago-Lake Legal Clinic

A free legal clinic is held at Mount Olive on the first Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. until Noon. The lawyers in this clinic serve those who need legal assistance for landlord/tenant, domestic, immigration, and other problems. This is a walk-in clinic and clients are served on a first-come-first-served basis.  Legal services are provided by attorneys from Gray Plant Mooty, Minneapolis.

Diaper Depot

Inaugurated in September 2005, the Diaper Depot provides diapers at low cost. Diapers are one of the most critical needs for low-income families, and are not readily available from local food shelf programs. Open every Tuesday except for the first one of the month from 4:30-6:30 p.m., and every Thursday from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., September through May. The Diaper Depot is closed during the summer months.

Bible for Big Kids

Bible for Big Kids is a Mount Olive program for neighborhood youth in middle through high school. During the school year we meet every Thursday from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. We start with a pizza supper than have a Bible lesson. Later in the year we create one or two plays that are acted out and filmed, in which we use situations that incorporate the Bible lessons we learned.

Neighborhood Action Committee

Mount Olive Neighborhood Action Committee (MONAC) works to change unjust public policy or policies that adversely affect the neighborhood. Lobbying efforts are also made to strengthen and sustain legislation which benefits the vulnerable in our society.

Community Meal

MONAC serves a nutritious Community Meal on the first Saturday of each month, beginning at Noon. This provides the Mount Olive congregation an opportunity to get in touch with its neighbors. This meal is an important time when members of the church and neighborhood residents can come together and address community concerns. In addition to being a wonderful time of fellowship, the meal also provides members of the congregation an opportunity to engage in volunteer service to the community.

We usually serve between 80-150 people at each meal. The meal is served free-of-charge.

Way to Goals Tutoring Program

Our Tutoring program offers one hour of one-on-one tutoring, plus a half-hour of group activities for students in grades 3-6. The Tutoring sessions are held every Tuesday evening from 7-8:30 p.m., beginning the first week in October and continuing through the end of May.

Adult tutors are recruited and trained from the membership of Mount Olive as well as from outside the congregation. Each September, registration forms for Tutoring are distributed by teachers in all of the schools in the central-city community.

Jobs After School (J.A.S.)

J.A.S is a program for kids in our neighborhood aged 9 through 14. In this program, they work, doing simple tasks under adult supervision for 4 to 6 hours per week in the summer, and 2 hours per week after school during the academic year. For this work they receive a stipend. JAS not only gives area children something constructive to do for a couple of hours a week, it also teaches them responsibility and good work habits which will serve them well into adult life.