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Outreach
Outreach programs at First United Methodist Church "help Christians respond to God’s call to serve their brothers and sisters who are in need through gifts of money, time, talent, and love." Below are some of the outreach missions the people of FUMC serve.
For more information on our outreach effort, please contact Outreach Coordinators Scott and Jessica Patton at 801 583-3327 or missions@firstmethodistslc.org.
Annual Guatemala Mission
November 6-14, 2010 we will be traveling to Guatemala with a medical anddental group as well as a small construction team. We will work on an addition to a small medical clinic in San Antonio and we will be traveling to several remote villages around Mazatenango to provide desperately needed medical and dental care to the people there.
We are looking for additional team members who are doctors, nurses, pharmacist, dentist, dental assistants, physician assistants and any other medical personnel interested in volunteering.
We are reaching out to the congregations of our team members as well as the community at large to help supply us with the things we will need to provide care. We hope to fill 30 large duffle bag with medicine and other supplies. If you feel called to help support this humanitarian mission we would welcome your donations of money or any of the following supplies:
* Ziplocs (snack, sandwich, and gallon size)
* Bandaids and gauze pads; Ace wraps
* Advil (or generic), tablets or liquid
* Tylenol (or generic), tablets or liquid
* Aspirin
* Dimetapp
* Cough syrup (adult or children)
* Benadryl (or generic), tablets or liquid
* Sudafed (or generic)
* Visine eye drops
* Nasal spray
* Throat lozenges
* Tums and Rolaids
* Simethicone (eg. Gas-X, Phazyme)
* Mylanta or Maalox
* Preparation H
* Pepto-Bismol (tablets)
* Colace, Fibercon, Senekot, or other laxatives
* Antibiotic ointment (eg. Bacitracin, Neosporin)
* Diaper rash cream
* Hydrocortisone cream
* Hotel-size toiletries (especially soaps, lotions)
* Vitamins for adults and children
* Toothbrushes/toothpaste
We will also need a large supply of prescription medications. If you are a physician and are able to donate any prescription medications or other critical items (blood pressure cuffs, glucometer, otoscopes, etc.) you would be assisting us greatly. Please contact team leaders Scott and Jessica Patton at missions@firstmethodistslc.org for details about what types of donations we need.
The Clara Foundation - Sewing Institute and Clinic
The Clara Foundation began as a dream of the family of  Salt Lake City, UT residents Rev. Inayat and Miriam Akhtar. While visiting family in Pakistan they noticed that there were very few educational and vocational opportunities for women and girls in the rural Christian village from which they came. Girls frequently married older men and were widowed at a young age with limited financial means. But the Akhtars felt that if girls could receive training in sewing they would be better equipped to support themselves and their families. They were able to find a sewing instructor and set-up a small program in 2005 in a village home to train a few girls. The following year the Akhtars purchased a small parcel of land on the outskirts of the village that they envisioned as the location for an educational campus in the future. Then in 2007 a generous donor through First United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City made it possible to begin construction on a multi-room facility. Rev. Akhtar traveled to Pakistan and personally supervised construction and in 2008 the Clara Foundation (named after Rev. Akhtar’s aunt Clara Mall, a Pakistan-trained nurse living in Utah) celebrated its grand opening.
The Clara Foundation is currently educating both Christian and Muslim girls and women. Local support has been good and village leaders are excited at the prospect of expanding  the programs of the school. The Clara Foundation envisions expanding its educational programs beyond sewing to other vocational areas. Boys could also be educated in the evenings separate from the girls in keeping with local customs. And in 2009 an addition was built under the supervision of nurse Clara Mall which will someday house a permanent medical clinic to fill a need for basic, affordable health care in the village.
The Clara Foundation is a non-profit school that relies on the support of volunteers and donors for operation. If you feel moved to support our efforts in Pakistan you may make a tax-deductable monetary donation through our primary supporting congregation, First United Methodist Church of Salt Lake City, UT. Be assured that 100% of your donation will go directly to the school and clinic since all administrative work is donated. Please make out checks (designate “Clara Foundation”) to:
First United Methodist Church
203 S. 200 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
If you have any questions please contact
Rev. Inayat and Miriam Akhtar at 801 364-1298 or 1st UMC.
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