Missions: Close to Home
Mission, for us, is about reaching beyond our community and loving our world. Find out more about how we support local, regional and international missions, and our annual Mission Conference.
Food Pantry
WRPC provides bags of groceries on Fridays between 10:00 am and noon for area residents in need.
Since 1977, WRPC has served our hungry neighbors in the name of Jesus Christ. More than 50 volunteers serve in various capacities, including taking inventory and ordering food, picking up and delivering groceries from the grocery store and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, filling grocery bags, and picking up and repackaging “Day-End Dough-Nations” from Panera Bread, greeting and giving out bags of groceries.
Blessing Box
The Blessing Box, or “little pantry,” contains easily prepared food items, hygiene items, small toys and other items that a person in need can pick up for free any day, any time. And when the box is empty, it is refilled by community members who have the means to give.
The box is located at 1401 Prospect Drive, outside a house the church owns. It’s available 24/7 and convenient for those who can’t accommodate the limited hours of some food pantries.
Anyone from the community is welcome to drop off items in the box anytime. If the box is full, items can be brought into the main office of the church during daytime hours.
Those who are interested in receiving or building a blessing box can contact the church at (423) 247-5121.
SMILE (Simple Methods in Loving Everyone)
Smile is a clothing “closet” designed to meet the immediate material needs of foster children. Many times, kids come into care with their few items in trash bags. They may or may not have proper clothing, shoes, etc. It can take months for foster parents to get an allotment from the State for their needs. Additionally, many times foster families send what they collect for their foster kids with them when they are reunited with their biological families and start over every time they get a call. Imagine needing an entire wardrobe for any size child at a moment’s notice. You can help! Smile Clothes Closet is located in the basement of WRPC’s Prospect House. Call (423) 491-5891 to donate or inquire about items needed.
Family Promise of Greater Kingsport
WRPC works with Family Promise (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network) as part of a coalition of churches to provide temporary housing, meals and mentoring to homeless families with children.
Since the beginning of this ministry, WRPC has used its facilities to shelter, feed and love families who are without housing. Several times a year, we turned our fellowship hall into living quarters for the Family Promise families, with volunteers hosting and providing meals for our guests. Recently, we transitioned to a support church. In this new role, we partner with a host church by providing meals and volunteers.
Meals on Wheels - Kingsport
Meals on Wheels provides hot, nutritious meals and a friendly face to isolated, incapacitated seniors and other homebound citizens.
We welcome Meals on Wheels volunteers to use our kitchen to prepare meals daily. Many of our members serve in various volunteer capacities, including meal preparation and delivery.
Kingsport Homeless Ministry
The mission of the Kingsport Homeless Ministry is to raise awareness in Kingsport's faith-based communities concerning homelessness issues. The ultimate goal is to provide a facility offering housing and the full spectrum of support services for our homeless neighbors in Kingsport, Tennessee. The new facility, Grace House, should open in 2023.
Waverly Road Child Care Center
The Waverly Road Child Care Center provides safe and nurturing care for children age 6 weeks to 5 years old.
The Center has been operating in our church building since 1952. We provide the space and utilities, scholarship assistance, Bible teaching and various supplies. WRCCC is a Tennessee 3-Star Rated Center (highest possible).
Cora Cox Academy
As early as 1984, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill authorizing the establishment of an alternative school for students who were having disciplinary problems. In 1992, the General Assembly mandated that one alternative school be established for each local school district to serve suspended and expelled youth.
Cora Cox Academy is a Kingsport City Schools alternative learning program for students who are unable to attend their regular school for a variety of reasons. Students benefit from supportive and positive adult interactions and Waverly Road Presbyterian Church has supported Cora Cox Academy in a variety of ways.
Members of the Circle of the Word and others deliver birthday cards and treats for the students and staff during their birthday month. In partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Kingsport, refreshments or meals are served once each month of the school year to the staff in appreciation for their work. Over the years, WRPC has provided hygiene items, snacks, financial donations, and other items as needed.
Cora Cox Academy also partners with our Food Pantry. Once each month of the school year, students fill grocery bags for distribution on Fridays when our Food Pantry is open. This is an example of how the students learn to give back to the community through service.
Kingsport City Schools Homeless Education Program and Family Resource Center
During November each year, the Waverly Road Presbyterian Church Food Pantry partners with WQCR-FM 88.3 and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee to offer Thanksgiving meals to families in need. Boxes of food are distributed through the Kingsport City Schools Homeless Education Program and Family Resource Center to families they serve.
WRPC also provides financial assistance to purchase food for Kingsport City Schools students who have been identified as most in need. Our donation is combined with food collected during school food drives to supply a box of groceries for the families during Winter Break when school meals are not served.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee Food for Kids Backpack Program
WRPC’s partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee helps to feed hungry children by providing financial assistance to the Food for Kids Backpack Program. Once each month during the school year, bags of food are sent home on Friday with identified students in Kingsport City Schools and Sullivan County Schools to eat over the weekend.
Oasis of Kingsport
Oasis of Kingsport is a day center where all women can find peace, safety, happiness and empowerment in the midst of trouble, difficult times, or in desperate situations. WRPC has financially supported this center, which ministers to low-income and/or homeless women by providing a safe place for them to gather, do laundry, take classes, study the Bible, etc.
