Local Outreach

At the very core of the church that is Parkway Heights, is the desire to spread God’s grace out into the community. Whether it’s dressing up and decorating a trunk during Trunk or Treat at Woodley Elementary School or bagging rice and beans at Edwards Street Fellowship Center to feed the hungry of Hattiesburg, Parkway Heights responds with gusto! Our local outreach efforts include:

Breadbasket

BreadBasket is a food ministry that provides food assistance to approximately 2,250 individuals annually. It is a coalition of several local churches, started by our friends at Westminster Presbyterian Church, that works together to assist families in need. Each church involved hosts BreadBasket on a rotating schedule. When hosting, we answer the telephone calls for assistance each morning, and then individual volunteers pack the BreadBasket bags for each family and meet the recipients in the church parking lot.

Edwards street fellowship center

Enrichment programs for boys and girls in impoverished circumstances, a food pantry that serves almost 1,000 families per month, a free medical clinic for those in need—these are the cornerstones of the local Edwards Street mission that began more than 30 years ago with an after-school tutoring program. Members of Parkway Heights support Edwards St. in many ways. You can find our members leading Bible studies, packing food boxes, working at the front desk, serving in the thrift store and more.

fieldhouse for the homeless

The picture of homelessness in Hattiesburg is not pretty. The numbers are staggering. Fieldhouse for the Homeless, since its inception in September of 2013, has assisted in moving hundreds of men, women and children off the streets and into safe and secure housing. Parkway Heights partners with the Fieldhouse by leading worship there and providing a meal once a month. We also support in various other ways when opportunities arise.

Hattiesburg high school partnership

Our partnership with Hattiesburg High School began in 2017. We feel that this partnership has the potential to truly impact young people during one of the most crucial stages of their lives. Through this partnership, we have hosted celebration and encouragement events for teachers and students and assisted in various ways.

Meals on Wheels

The Meals on Wheels mission began in 2005. This program delivers meals to elderly and disabled individuals each Monday and Thursday. Since its inception, the program has served hundreds of individuals. This outreach has partnered with Christian Services to provide the meals, but the personal visit and smile from the driver feeds the soul as well. Volunteers are always needed to serve on a regular or substitute basis.

Woodley Elementary school partnership

Parkway Heights’ partnership with Woodley Elementary School brings together families in the community, the students and teachers at the school and members of our congregation. Our goal is to build relationships with students and teachers—relationships that make a positive difference. Our involvement takes many forms, from helping with school supplies and uniforms, to volunteering in the classroom and serving as science fair judges, to supplying backpacks filled with food for the weekend. The needs are great, and the partnership is continually adding projects and events to support and encourage.

Additional community support

Other ways we are serving in the Hattiesburg community include: