GO and love: Metroplex
Sometimes it’s in a soup kitchen, a rest home, a homeless shelter, or a widow’s front porch. Sometimes it’s dealing with a crowd of people, sometimes it’s face-to-face with one person. We take seriously God’s command to help those in need, and while we’re at it, we’ll be blessed by those we help.

GO and love: Regional
Perhaps in Ohio – perhaps in another state – when nature causes destruction or need creates desperation, we want to help heal the hurt and repair the damage. We leave the relative safety of our own neighborhoods to serve those in need – and earn the right to talk to them about Jesus’ love.

GO and love: World
Whether it’s Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico, or Tajikistan, we journey to other countries to invest in the lives of others. We go as students and servants – not experts or heroes. We humbly work to build, repair, or supply homes, churches, and medical clinics, and see that victims are comforted, children are reached, and lives are changed for Christ.

Felt needs we’ll seek to meet:

We don't start by asking where we want to serve - we start by figuring out the needs. What are people facing? What needs may go unmet? Once we know the needs, we can begin to formulate a strategy for meeting them.

Food
Hundreds and perhaps thousands of our neighbors go to bed hungry every night. Lost jobs, mental illness, substance abuse, disabilities – all are causes of hunger. It’s the same throughout Ohio, and throughout America – not to mention Second and Third World countries where millions go hungry and many die of starvation. We can help feed the hungry.

Clothing
People of all ages and walks of life can find themselves in need of clothing at one time or another. Warm clothing for winter, cool clothing for summer, business clothing for job interviews, work clothing for employment, and replacement clothing after a crisis such as a house fire or flood are some of the needs of our community. We can buy new clothing, collect donations, clean and spruce up used items and meet the needs of our neighbors here at home and around the world.

Coats, Gloves, Hats, and Blankets
Winter time brings cold weather. It’s tough on people who don’t have adequate coats, gloves or blankets to keep warm; it’s deadly for the homeless or those who cannot afford to heat their homes. Most people have enough to share; we provide what shelters need to meet their clients’ needs, and help Sylvania Schools when they discover families in need.

Housing
The numbers of homeless in our area continues to grow; the numbers of homeless in Ohio and America is reaching astounding figures. Second and Third World countries are seeing a rise in homeless people living in the streets, gutters, sewers, and trash dumps of their cities. People need shelter in harsh weather, temporary housing until times get easier, and/or affordable permanent housing when the time is right. We’ll help build where we can, renovate what we can afford, and assist with lawn mowing, house repair, maintenance, yard clean-up, and home beautification for the disabled, the elderly, and those without means for keeping up their home, so they can actually keep their home - period!

Interpersonal Relationships
Families are fragmented, marriages are disintegrating, parents are finding it increasingly harder to raise their children – people need help. Drugs and alcohol are not the only destroyers of relationships – in today’s world we can add job loss, busy schedules, finances, and more. Through family life seminars, workshops, as well as mentoring and counseling, we hope to bring answers to hurting relationships in Sylvania.

People are far away from God
Sharing the love of Jesus by meeting needs and building relationships of trust and integrity, and inviting them to share our lives make the love of Jesus seem real and attainable. We work and serve to earn the right to talk to people about Jesus; we learn to talk about Jesus by serving with our whole heart.

There may be others, but these are the needs with which we'll start. Check out some of the initial ways we plan to serve our community, nation and world. . .

ONGOING PROJECTS

Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission / Rebekah’s Haven
Cherry Street Mission / Sparrow’s Nest
Various life choices bring the homeless to the doors of area Missions, but Matthew 25:35-40 motivates us to help them in any way we can. We bring food and clothing and the basic necessities of life to the Missions, and the Missions provide meals and shelter as well as the Good News to those in need. For us, it’s low-commitment with high-impact. Drop-off boxes in the church provide the place for weekly collection of food and clothing; deliveries are made regularly to the Missions most in need; and monthly “stake-outs” at area stores help include the community in collecting these needed supplies.

Hannah’s Socks
Hannah donated her socks to a man who didn’t have any – now we follow this young girl’s example and donate warm socks for those without. Collections at Quarry Ridge are year-round, but ramp up during the fall and winter months.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
When disaster strikes, we must be mobilized to respond. Quarry Ridge maintains a ready and watchful group of responders willing to meet the needs of our own community or to travel to other American cities to engage in evacuation, coordinating temporary shelters, food preparation, search and rescue assistance, recovery assistance, debris removal, and more. The CERT Team will be trained in first-aid, life-saving techniques, and search and rescue procedures. We will seek to be mobilized and used by Samaritan’s Purse, the Salvation Army, the Church of God – Anderson, Homeland Security, Sylvania Township, the Red Cross and other agencies.

SEASONAL PROJECTS

GO Sylvania
Every year in mid-May, the Quarry Ridge family, together with our friends and families and led by our own “GO HOME” crew, form an army of workers to go transform neighborhoods, paint schools and churches, clean-up, and help repair homes and help make a difference in our city and township.

School Angels
Each year at the beginning of the school year, supplies are needed by children and the teachers of our neighborhood elementary and middle schools. Quarry Ridge works with the schools to meet specific needs for students who are doing without, and then lends a helping hand to fill classroom supply needs for teachers. Being involved in their lives reminds them of the love of Jesus, and entering their lives in helpful, loving ways creates inroads for sharing the Gospel down the road.

Thanksgiving Food Drive
In addition to our ongoing food drive for area missions, when the Thanksgiving holiday rolls around we help families in need by providing Thanksgiving Food Boxes; you can fill the entire box, or bring specific items to help fill other boxes. Then, come help us deliver the boxes to families in need and bless them during the holiday.

Christmas Food Drive
Help families in need by providing food for Christmas Food Baskets which are given to bless families in need. Sorters, boxers, and drivers will get our baskets together and delivered in time for Christmas.

PERIODIC PROJECTS

Meal Preparation and Serving at the Missions
At least once a quarter we supply all the ingredients for a full meal for the entire shelter. Sometimes we go and prepare the food and serve it. By lovingly and willingly providing these meals we send the love of Christ to a lost and hurting world of homeless adults, youth and children.

GO HOME Crew
The Sylvania Township knows of many people who are sick, disabled, or disadvantaged in some way and are unable to keep up their lawns, home repair, fencing, weeding, etc. Without outside help, they can receive daily fines, and ultimately could lose their home – all for the lack of maintenance and repair. Our “GO HOME” crew is available to go out and help these folks keep their home up – so they can keep their home, period!

Habitat for Humanity – Maumee Valley
We believe decent, affordable housing for everyone is something God cares deeply about. Hang drywall, paint trim, hit a nail. Help build homes and relationships with low-income families on Saturdays. No prior construction experience is needed (but if you’ve got it, we’ll take it).

GO Gulf Coast
Join with other Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps volunteers to help repair or replace homes in the hurricane-ravaged area of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. We will send one crew each year, and still this project will be ongoing for many more years to come. We must not forget those who suffered so much and are still without adequate homes and essential services.