The Faith and Service Task Force of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network strives to strengthen the relationships between Volunteer Centers and faith-based organizations and to develop a more deliberate approach to engage faith-based volunteers in service to their local communities.

What is the Faith and Service Task Force?

In April 2005 the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network formed the Faith and Service Task Force in response to a growing interest and need for Volunteer Centers to work with faith-based organizations.

The Faith and Service Task Force is made up of nine Volunteer Center leaders from across the United States, who work to effectively engage faith-based organizations in volunteering. By doing so they develop models that other Volunteer Centers may follow to engage faith groups in their own communities.

The staff at the Points of Light Foundation works with the Task Force to help organize meetings, guide projects and provide resources to support their work.

What does the Task Force do?

Initiatives the Faith and Service Task Force have taken include the following.

Strategic Planning/ Coalition Building

• Strategic planning meeting convened Faith and Service Task Force and national faith-based leaders
• Monthly conference calls

Workshops/Events

• Faith and Community Institute
  • 2005: led tabletop discussion about capacity building with faith organizations
  • 2006: On advisory board for two workshops
• National Conference
  • 2005: “A Leap of Faith” workshop – materials created and distributed to workshop participants
  • 2006: On advisory board for workshop

Research/Resource Development

• Survey for Volunteer Centers: found Volunteer Centers that want to partner with faith-based organizations
• Volunteer Management Training Series: In the process of assisting in research for VMTS Faith Module
  • Interviewing congregations to understand what training faith-based organizations want and need
  • Supporting module development with knowledge sharing

On the Local Level

• Volunteer management training courses for faith-based organizations
• Days of Service Projects
• Disaster preparedness training and planning
• Disaster recovery
• After school tutoring and activities

What can the Task Force provide?

• Experience in working with faith-based organizations
• Models for engaging faith groups
• Skills for networking
• Resources
• Partnerships on a national and local level

Faith and Service Task Force Members