Start a Buddy Break
Our goal is to make it easy for you to begin and sustain this much-needed outreach to VIP kids and their families.
Buddy Break can be customized to fit your church’s size and facilities, and we will be here to assist you every step of the way. As we begin our partnership together, Nathaniel’s Hope will provide:
- Leadership to help your church effectively reach out and minister to VIPs and their families.
- Ongoing support, training, and resources for your Buddy Break Coordinator
- Program, structure, promotional tools, forms, processes, and volunteer training
- Help in recruiting volunteers
- Tools to help recruit medical/nurse/other professional volunteers to be present at your Buddy Break
- Special needs education to your entire congregation to bring understanding and inspire them to open their arms to the VIP community
- Free newsletters, ongoing training, and forums to keep your volunteers energized and committed
- Resources to put your church on the frontlines of ministry to those with disabilities
- Promotion for your program to the families in the community to bring new people to your church
- Policies and procedures to help ensure safe and fun Buddy Breaks
- Affiliation with the developing national Buddy Break network
- Buddy training to equip your volunteers
For your church, it starts with a few committed people who have the heart and vision to reach the VIP community. To make Buddy Break a successful outreach, we ask you to:
- Work with us to educate your congregation about this community and how to best reach and begin to integrate VIP families into your church
- Raise up a volunteer or church staff member to coordinate the Buddy Break program along with a person to be an assistant coordinator
- Open up your church facility on specific days—preferably with class rooms close to a large meeting room
- Require your volunteers to attend mandatory Buddy Training 101
- Conduct background checks on all Buddy Break volunteers
- Provide supplies needed for crafts, activities, and games
- Provide opportunities for your congregation to learn more about the disability community in partnership with Nathaniel’s Hope
- Recruit Buddies to volunteer
- Inform your insurance company about Buddy Break
- Gather signed and notarized release forms from all VIP families and Buddies
- Follow established safety policies and procedures
- Financially support the ministry of Nathaniel’s Hope as a missions outreach
Where are the current Buddy Breaks?
This monthly respite program is held in partnership with churches in various locations around Florida. New locations will be added to this website as they are started.
Take the first step NOW to start a Buddy Break!
Contact us and we will arrange for you to visit and tour a current Buddy Break.
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