Heart4Schools aims to make relationships with local schools, teachers, staff, and students.

For Stony Fork Church, one of their main efforts in their partnership with Mount Holly Elementary School is teacher and staff encouragement. As part of this initiative, they arranged to have the Coffee Bus from Knowledge Perk in the parking lot when teachers and staff arrived for school. They were offered the coffee and pastry of their choice. Several members from the church family were on hand to greet, build relationships with, and encourage the teachers and staff.

They were able to connect one-on-one with teachers, as well as pray for the personal needs of those they met. Even after the Coffee Bus, members continued to follow up with the prayer requests and offer assistance when needed.

Similarly, River Rock Community Church sponsored a coffee truck for a local middle school, with the goal of serving the faculty and staff during a teacher work-day in hopes of building relationships with the school as a whole. During their time on the campus, they hung out in the parking lot and spoke to teachers as they waited for their drinks. They asked questions about their school year, the biggest challenges they were facing, and if there were specific needs that could be met. Members felt they learned a lot about the teachers and their needs.

“By providing this coffee truck, we learned so much and we have now been invited back to serve in other capacities, including stepping in to help support a couple of Christian clubs they have on campus for students,” one volunteer said. “The door is now open for us to build on this relationship and share the love of Jesus with the faculty and students of the school.”

Cornerstone Baptist Church partnered with Little Orbits Mini Donuts and Crema Coffee Shop to have a donut and coffee station for the faculty and staff at Thornwell Elementary School. They served all teachers, office staff, cafeteria workers, and custodians. For the church members, this was a special experience. They were able to build on existing relationships and form new ones. Additionally, they handed out needs and prayer concerns cards to teachers to fill out. “Our church was able to have one-on-one conversations with the staff, sparking new relationships. The teachers were more than appreciative and so very thankful for this service,” a volunteer said.