Christ Church gets new charitable partner

Christ Church of Longboat Key recently welcomed Melina Zarzycki-Harris of Bring on the Ministry to talk about how parishioners can help the homeless and underserved through a new charitable partnership. 

Pastor Julia Wharriff Piermont, and several congregants, came to the church’s community area after the 10 a.m. service Sunday to hear about the charity. The church likes to highlight a charity every month, and this month, they focused on their new partner. 

The partnership came about when Wharriff Piermont walked into Holy Cow ice cream shop on Anna Maria Island, which is run by Zarzycki-Harris and her family, and noticed signs of the many ministries that are a part of the charity and introduced herself. From there, they were off and running. 

Bring on the Ministry is a nonprofit that strives to help the homeless and underserved in the local community. The charity came from a beginning of faith, compassion, and a drive to do good, according to its website. 

Photo by Carlin Gillen

“I always say my best friends are (found) in the homeless, and that is the truth. I prefer to spend time with them than doing other things. But I also knew that there were critical needs that were being missed along the way,” Zarzycki-Harris said. “So in 2018, I went on a kind of simple mission that I just wanted to get to know people.”

The underserved can face many obstacles, such as filling out applications, learning how to use public transit, and learning how to work with a computer. 

That is why Bring on the Ministry adopts a very hands-on approach, as volunteers will accompany clients to appointments, or aid them with applications, getting donations and, most importantly, getting to know them and understand their story. 

Photo by Carlin Gillen

Wharriff Piermont is excited to introduce this charity and give parishioners the opportunity to make a change.

“One thing that excites me about bringing on the ministry is because it’s so new and so unique," she said. "People will be able to bring their own professional expertise and say, ‘OK Melinda, I can help somebody know how to go to a dentist.’ They can go with their own personal experiences and apply it where it’s needed, and that’s the uniqueness of this.”

Visit BringOnTheMinistry.com to donate and learn more about how to get involved.