Explore Ways to Serve

We believe that when we work together, we can create meaningful and lasting change in our community. With the support of our dedicated staff, passionate volunteers, generous donors, and steadfast partners, we are able to confront the most pressing challenges facing our neighbors. We provide hot meals and essential groceries to promote healthy, reliable nutrition, and our collective efforts continue to bring hope and support to underserved areas throughout Southeast Queens. Join us in this uplifting journey of compassion and resilience—together, we can build a brighter future for all.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Diverse Ways to Give Back

At First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, our mission reaches far beyond the pantry and kitchen. We host a variety of vibrant community programs throughout the year that rely on the energy and dedication of volunteers like you. We are always looking for a diverse range of helpers, and male volunteers are especially needed to support our various outreach efforts. Whether you enjoy organizing large-scale events, advocating for community wellness, or simply sharing a meal with neighbors, there is a place for you here.

Help us bring our community together through our signature events:

  • Annual Prostate Health Fair: Assist with a decade-old tradition of providing vital health resources and advocacy.

  • Summer Barbecue & Street Festivals: Join the team that brings joy to our neighborhood with food, music, and fellowship.

  • Fall Festival: Help us celebrate the season and create a safe, fun environment for local families.

  • Christmas Tree Lighting: Help us spread holiday cheer and light up the neighborhood at our annual community celebration.

  • Summer Vacation Bible School: Share your faith and creativity by mentoring youth through a week of learning, crafts, and fun.

  • Pop-Up Food Pantry: Lend a hand at our mobile distributions, bringing fresh groceries and essential support directly to underserved areas in Southeast Queens.

volunteer

We are always looking for a diverse range of helpers, and male volunteers are especially needed to support our various outreach efforts.

Community outdoor event in a park with people dancing, tables with items, and a stage set up in front of a brick building under large trees.

Food Pantry

Tuesdays, 10am – noon

The Food Pantry is an important community resource that aims to reduce the severe hunger that exists in our community. When we began in 1993, we served almost one hundred families. Today, the need has grown and so has our service, which is now helping to feed over 300 families a month. The patrons of our food pantry represent the many different faces of hunger in America—from the families of the working poor to senior citizens who are raising grandchildren, and from immigrants who do not qualify for government benefits to the recently unemployed, and many who live in transitional housing.

2024 Impact statistics:
31,888 persons served in one year.
15,874 adults, 8,163 children and 7,581 seniors.

volunteer
Two women wearing masks talking in a storage room with metal shelves filled with food and grocery items.

Soup Kitchen 

Wednesdays, 5:30pm

Each week a team of dedicated volunteers prepares and serve a healthy and tasty 3-course meal for all who come hungry. Many of our patrons are giving back by serving as volunteers in our food pantry. This is an exciting aspect of our program to see people receive and also willing and able to give back to help others. Volunteers are essential to keeping the Food Pantry well-stocked, the Soup Kitchen running efficiently and decreasing the wait time for dinner patrons.

Partnerships with St. John’s University students and other churches have helped us meet the growing need for food in the Queens community.

2024 Impact statistics:
5,905 persons served in one year.
4,358 adults, 627 children and 920 seniors.

volunteer
Line of people standing in rain on a city street holding umbrellas, some wearing hooded jackets and rain boots, with houses and trees in the background.
Four people standing on stairs inside a building, with a sign indicating the location of restrooms upstairs and additional signs for health screenings.
Group of healthcare workers, including nurses and a doctor, surrounding a man donating blood in a medical setting.
A group of people sitting and talking in a community center or school gymnasium, with some standing in the background. Two people are seated in the foreground, engaged in conversation.
A large indoor community event or health fair taking place in gymnasium with many people sitting and standing around tables, with some engaging with staff at a registration table covered with a red cloth.
A community blood donation event taking place in a room with wooden floors and bookshelves filled with books. Multiple donors are seated at tables, with healthcare workers assisting them, including one preparing a donation at a table and another inse
Four women standing behind a table at an outdoor event, with one woman holding a drink, in front of a brick building and plants.
Three women smiling and posing together at a community event, with trays of food or supplies in front of them and a banner with the flag of Guyana in the background.
A firefighter demonstrating CPR on mannequins during a public health event with children and adults under tents decorated with balloons and banners.
A community outdoor event with a small stage set up against a backdrop featuring colorful squares with motivational words like "Dream," "Love," and "Live." People are dancing and socializing on a paved street, with some sitting, a woman in a pink shi
Women serving food at an outdoor community event during the day, with a First Presbyterian Church signage and Jamaican flags in the background.
A woman shooting a basketball near a bounce house at an outdoor fall festival event with people and tents in the background.
People attending an outdoor community event on a city street, with a white tent displaying 'health first' logo, a table with flyers, and a group of diverse individuals socializing and waving.
Three women standing and smiling at a street market during the day, with tents and vendors in the background, and trees overhead.
A woman in a yellow shirt smiling and gesturing with her arms at a community event or fair, with tables covered in papers and pamphlets, and multiple people in the background under trees.
People standing in a line outside a building with a brick facade and white columns, possibly waiting for a community event or food distribution under tents.
Five people, three men and two women, are gathered around a barbecue grill outdoors, cooking and smiling. One man is flipping sausages on the grill, and the group appears to be enjoying a barbecue gathering.
People wearing masks and aprons standing behind an outdoor food and drink stand with labeled trays of hot dogs, snacks, and bottled drinks. They appear to be preparing and serving food at an event.
People waiting in line at an outdoor food festival or market with tents, tables, and food vendors, some wearing masks, and a chef with a hairnet and mask in the foreground.
Group of four young adults posing together indoors, two men and two women, at a community event or conference, standing in front of a blue display board with photos and text.
People at a table with informational brochures and registration materials, interacting with a man at an indoor event.
A smiling woman with dark skin and dreadlocks wearing a white coat and pink shirt, standing in front of framed posters on a beige wall.
People participating in a discussion at a table covered with flyers and documents, in a room with wood-paneled walls and a floral arrangement in the background.
Group of five diverse healthcare professionals, with one seated in blue scrubs and four standing behind, smiling in a conference room with medical supplies on the table.
People standing in line and gathering around under a white canopy tent outside of a building, engaging in a community event or festival.
Medical professionals and volunteers working together in a library to provide vaccinations, with tables of supplies, bookshelves, and people wearing masks.
Six women standing around a table with food, some wearing navy blue shirts with a logo and text, one woman in a red apron, all smiling or posing, in a room decorated with balloons.
Community gathering in a decorated hall with high ceilings, large windows with golden curtains, and a balcony. People seated at tables covered with white and blue cloths, wearing masks, and listening to a speaker at the front.
Five people standing together in front of a red door inside a building, smiling at the camera. Two women on the left are wearing blue shirts with a church logo, a man and woman on the right are dressed casually, and there are handwritten notes on whi
Medical staff and nurses in scrubs and masks working at a vaccination clinic, administering shots to patients and preparing medical supplies.
Four people standing at the base of a staircase, smiling at the camera. One person is sitting on the stairs, wearing glasses and a black sweater that says 'good trouble', another person is leaning on the staircase railing, and two other individuals a
Group of people, mostly women, standing behind a table with drinks and food, at a celebration or gathering, with a banner and a flag in the background.
Two women in a commercial kitchen preparing food. One woman, wearing a green shirt, hat, and gloves, is talking to another woman in a white apron and hairnet. There are trays of food and kitchen utensils around them.
Two women working in a commercial kitchen, wearing hairnets and gloves, preparing food at a counter with aluminum trays covered with foil.
Two women are slicing watermelon on a table with additional watermelons and a knife. They are in a kitchen or food preparation area.
People working together in a kitchen, preparing and packaging food, with shelves, refrigerators, and a bulletin board in the background.
People working at a food service booth under a white canopy, with boxes of supplies on the table, outdoors with a building and greenery in the background.
Group of women at an outdoor event, some carrying packages and standing near tables with boxes and earthware containers, under a canopy with trees in the background.
People at an outdoor event under a tent, sorting and distributing snacks like chips from large cardboard boxes, with a grassy area, trees, and speakers in the background.
Four men standing next to a barbecue grill under a blue canopy, cooking burgers outdoors. One man is wearing a black apron and gloves, holding a spatula, while the others are smiling and wearing casual shirts.
Two smiling women, one wearing a straw hat and a Hope in Action t-shirt, the other wearing a red t-shirt and a red cap that says NYC, standing next to boxes of canned goods, in a community service setting.
People shopping for groceries in a store aisle, with shelves stocked with packaged foods and a large bin of packaged produce in the foreground.
A woman in a blue sweater, leopard print hat, and face mask is stacking plastic bags of oranges in a store. There are plastic bags of apples in a red basket and hanging on a shelf nearby, with other shoppers in the background.
Two women in masks and jackets stand in front of metal shelves filled with bulk food items in a storage or warehouse setting. One woman points at the shelves while the other reaches for a package.
Two women wearing masks and gloves talking near a large container of packaged salad greens inside a storage room or warehouse.
Two women wearing masks and winter clothing standing in a grocery store aisle, engaging in conversation. One woman is holding a shopping bag, and the shelves are stocked with various boxed and packaged food items.
A group of women, wearing face masks, line up inside a store, possibly shopping for groceries or products on shelves.
Group of women wearing matching blue t-shirts and white pants, walking in front of a brick church building with a sign that reads "First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica," and a banner that says "We're breaking new ground... Tree of Life Center," durin
Community event outdoors with people dancing and socializing in front of a historic brick building, surrounded by trees, tables, and event booths.