From a Small Group to 200 Volunteer Hours Per Month

Moving us closer to meeting our Daring Faith "A" initiative are more than 800 ministry opportunities where our members can serve the community. Among them is Sole2Soul, Saddleback’s homeless ministry that has grown from a small group handing out socks, to now five weekly outreach events and over 200 volunteer hours per month.

In an effort to show God’s love, Sole2Soul serves the community’s poor through prayer, interaction, quality time, and basic supplies such as warm socks—the namesake of the ministry. The idea started in 2012 when members from a small group felt prompted to serve the homeless, especially after several in the group shared their own stories of living on the streets. By the third week of their discussions, the group decided to put words into action by handing out socks to the homeless in Laguna Beach.

Their mission was to develop Christ-centered relationships with the homeless and direct them to a church family. After two years of dedicated visits to the homeless, the small group met with Local PEACE leadership to share what God had done through their ministry. Before long, it became another avenue to serve in the PEACE Plan and help assist people in need—the “A” initiative of our Daring Faith goals.

Admittedly, Jim Black who helped launch Sole2Soul says he was hesitant to bring the outreach to Saddleback. “I was protective of the church,” he explains. “We were walking into homeless camps, and sharing the love of Christ, and I just didn’t know if that was a family-friendly opportunity to serve.”

Little did Jim know that God had much bigger plans for Sole2Soul. From homeless camps to the Laguna Beach shelter, the core team noticed that few people would spend quality time with the homeless and actually get to know them personally. Shortly after operating under the Saddleback umbrella, they began connecting with the homeless over board games, Bingo, arts and crafts, and outdoor sports. They focused on friendship inside the shelter, and offered to share God’s Word outside.

“The shelter staff realized we weren’t shoving the Gospel down their throats,” recalls Jim. “So they let us move the Bible study from the parking lot to inside the shelter.

Once they built that trust, they watched God expand the ministry to three areas: Laguna Beach, Doheny State Beach, and the River Bed in Santa Ana. Today, 20 volunteers regularly serve at five weekly outreaches in these locations.

This steppingstone toward finding hope in God has led to multiple salvations, baptisms, and people joining Celebrate Recovery, Saddleback Church, and other local churches. The long-term vision is to engage as many volunteers in deep relationships with the homeless as possible, while eliminating the stigma associated with the poverty-stricken community.

“There are so many of incredible stories of transformation,” says Jim. “We get to take the journey with them, see them find housing, and discover new life through connection and friendship.”

To learn more about this life-giving ministry, click HERE.