Special Cleaning Kit Collection
Cleaning Kit Collection to assist United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)’s Disaster Response
Special Called Cleaning Kit Collection
VAUMC Disaster Coordinator, Rev. Bob Pihlcrantz, received a call from UMCOR requesting cleaning buckets. UMCOR Supply Depots are near to disbursing all the stored cleaning kits to areas impacted by the recent hurricanes. In another disaster, UMCOR will lose its ability to respond and share a needed resource with the affected people. In 2017, VAUMC responded to a similar call and collected 4,676 cleaning kits, estimated at $350,700, to respond to this call. The VAUMC AC Kit team proposes to hold another event in November 10, 2022.
Our goal is to collect 4,677 Cleaning kits by November. This is one more kit from our previous collection in 2017. Our goal can be easily reached if every church contributed 4 kits per church or 585 kits per district. We ask all churches in the Virginia Conference of the United as One in this opportunity to share the hope of Jesus Christ through this collection.
Grace and Peace,
Bishop Sharma D. Lewis
Collection Details
We are asking each local church to coordinate a cleaning kit drive/ assembly event. Partnering with other United Methodist Churches and utilizing bulk purchases for the items will allow each church to assemble more kits. All kits will be collected on a district level prior to November 6, 2022. Please look for more information regarding the district collection events through the district communications.
- District Level collection completed by November 6, 2022
- District to Conference Transportation Date: November 7-9, 2022
How it Works
Step 1. Local churches, Sunday School, or individual groups will announce and collect cleaning kits.
Step 2. District Collection event – Each District will decide on collection sites and dates prior to Nov. 6, 2022
Step 3. Centralizing District Collection – Each district will develop a plan to bring the collected kits to a central location. The District Coordinator of the AC Kit team will coordinate and facilitate centralized collection.
Step 4. Transportation to Conference Center – AC Kit team will recruit volunteers to pick up collected kits from districts to the center using three 26 feet trucks during Nov. 7-9, 2022.
Step 5. Packing event at the Conference Center – All collected kits need to be palletized and packed to be transported to Mission Central, PA. Using the Conference Center parking lot for palletizing Nov 10, 2022 to prepare for transportation to Mission Central, PA.
Sending Funds
UMCOR asks for $3 for each cleaning kit to cover processing and shipping.
Each church shall send one check to the Annual Conference ( #5041 )
If you prefer to make a financial contribution to enable UMCOR to purchase relief kits, please send $75, which will cover the cost of assembling one cleaning kit.
All checks (for processing and shipping, and in lieu of providing kits) should be made payable to “Virginia Conference UMC,” earmarked for “Serving Response – kits ( #5041 )” and mailed to Treasurer,
Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 5605, Glen Allen, VA, 23058
Conversation with UMCOR
Cleaning Kit Packing Instructions
One five-gallon round bucket with lid
(14.35” h x 12.19” w x 12.19” d)
- No screw lids
- May be used, but must be free from all residual product
- Advertisements on the outside are acceptable
Liquid Laundry Detergent
One 32-64 oz.
Liquid Concentrate Household Cleaner
One 16-40 oz. bottle
- No Spry Cleaners
Liquid Dish Soap
One 16-34 oz.
Pump Spray Air Freshener
One 4-8 oz.
Insect Repellant
One 6-14 oz. bottle
- Or a pack of 10-20 wipes is also acceptable
- Pump spray bottles must have protective covers
Scrub Brush
One Scrub brush
- With or without handle
Re-usable Cleaning Wipes
18 Re-usable Cleaning Wipes
- No terrycloth, microfiber or paper towels
- Remove from packaging
Five Scouring Pads
- No stainless steel or pads with soap in them
- Remove from packaging
Clothespins
36-50 clothespins
Clothesline
One 50-100 ft. clothesline
- Cotton or plastic line
Heavy Duty Trash Bag
- 33-45 gallon size
- 24 rolls
- Remove from packaging
N95 Particulate Respirator Dust Mask
Five N95 Masks
- 1-3 mm thickness
- No surgical masks
Kitchen Gloves
Two pairs
- Durable for multiple uses
- Remove from packaging
Work gloves
- One pair
- Cotton with leather palm or all leather
District Collection Information
Find your district information
Coastal Virginia District (Eastern Shore & Virginia Beach area)
Virginia Beach side: Sunday, November 6th, 12 pm – 3 pm at Memorial UMC in Va. Beach.
Accomac and Northampton Counties will be 10 am – 2 pm on October 15. We will be at Mears Memorial UMC on Second Street in Keller
Living Waters District (Farmville & Petersburg area)
- Option 1. Deliver cleaning kits on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Living Waters District Office (11605 S. Crater Rd, Petersburg 23805) beginning September 12th through November 1st.
Call (804) 732-2538 to ensure someone is at the office to accept the kits. - Option 2. Bring your kits to your Charge Conference in October (see attachment), and DS Jay Carey will deliver the kits to the District Office in Petersburg.
Mission Rivers District (Fredericksburg & York River area)
Mountain View District (Lynchburg & Danville Area)
Northern Virginia District
Five locations: Buckhall UMC, Burke UMC, Andrew Chapel UMC, Calvary UMC, and St. Paul UMC
For more information visit here
Shenandoah River District (Harrisonburg & Winchester Area)
- Option 1 – Tom’s Brook UMC
- Date: Tuesdays and Thursdays during Oct. 16-Nov. 4
- Time: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Option 2 – Drop off at District Conference on Nov. 6, 2022
Three Notch'd District (Richmond/Charlottesville Area)
Richmond Area: Virginia UM Center, Nov. 5, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
10330 Staples Mill Rd, Glen Allen 23060
Valley Ridge District (Roanoke & Staunton Area)
- Christ UMC in Staunton contact is Rev. Madison Long [email protected]
- Southview UMC in Roanoke contact is Rev. Jeff Wilson [email protected]
Resources and News
Conference Center joins the Cleaning Kit Collection
A couple of weeks ago, the Rev. Dr. Steven Summers, Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries, challenged the Connectional Ministries staff to join the 2022 Special Cleaning Kit Collection. At first, we thought, ‘what can a group of 20-30 people...
Share your bucket story
Share your stories Send the story of collecting Cleaning kits to [email protected] #vaumc #collectingtogether #everybucketcounts #UMCOR Trinity, Richmond (Three Notch'd District) By the Rev. Hung Su Lim, Associate PastorAs Trinity kicked off the fall, the whole...
Share your bucket story
Share your stories Send the story of collecting Cleaning kits to [email protected] #vaumc #collectingtogether #everybucketcounts #UMCOR Trinity, Richmond (Three Notch'd District) By the Rev. Hung Su Lim, Associate PastorAs Trinity kicked off the fall, the whole...