To request an appointment for help, please call 706-549-6693 and leave a message or stop by the Sparrow's Nest Dream Center at 745 Prince Avenue in Athens, on Tuesday at Noon.

What is 3R?

What does 3R mean? One could think of 3R as similar to a church benevolent ministry focusing on the specific needs related to reentry, recovery, and homelessness. Part of the 3R ministry will include material assistance like the following:

1. Paying the entry fee for an addiction recovery program ($100 to $500) - Often people who need recovery the most have the least resources. Providing the entry fee is a part of sponsoring or supporting an individual in recovery.

2. Bus passes ($12.50 for a book of 10) - Most people that we minister to do not own an automobile. If transportation around town is important to their job search, employment, or medical appointments, we can provide a book of bus passes. A one month bus pass for a handicapped person costs about $25.

3. Phone cards ($20) - An individual without a cell phone or home phone cannot make long distance calls to communicate with family, agencies, or employers, if the call is long distance. A phone card can be a big help in these cases.

4. Bus transportation out of town ($20 to $120) - Often we have purchased bus tickets for people to enter an addiction recovery program in another town. In a few cases we have helped people return home after release from jail or with some other need for travel.

5. Temporary storage - Our ministry maintains rental storage space that we occasionally offer to individuals on a temporary basis.

6. Medication - Situations arise in which it is appropriate for us to fill a prescription for an individual. In such cases, we are attentive to the other ministry resources in the city that specialize in medical care.

7. A meal - There have been occasions on which individuals came to the church after hours with a variety of needs. Conversation and counseling over a hot meal at Huddle House can be part of a loving ministry for someone in crisis.

3R is a means to help people in ways that are similar to how you would want to help a person in need if you encountered them in your daily life. Through 3R we encounter these situations routinely, and we utilize ministry resources to do what is needed and appropriate at that time.

3R Helping Center

Theologically, the agenda of the 3R Helping Center is to express the mercy and agape love of God to people in need. Practically, this involves helping people who seek recovery from addiction, who seek reentry from prison or jail, and who seek restoration from any type of destructive life circumstance.

Most of those whom we help come to the Sparrow’s Nest Dream Center. Some come to our regular meetings on Sunday, Monday or Thursday. Others come for food, clothes, or other assistance offered at the mission. We attempt to assess their situation, and offer counsel, information, or other assistance, as appropriate within our guidelines and resources. The goal is to lovingly help the person in a way that is redemptive and restorative. Often the assistance does not involve any financial cost. We have helped about 20 individuals financially so far this year. Some examples include:

• Young woman in transition with medication and baby supplies.

• Family in transition, assistance with moving.

• Homeless veteran with bus transportation to Augusta.

• Phone card for homeless man to maintain contact with his family.

• Fuel for older man released from jail to return to his home in another town.

• Bus ticket for homeless man released from jail seeking recovery in Atlanta.

• Temporary housing for homeless man at local pay-by-night shelter.

• Supplies (sheets, towels, toiletries) for young man entering 6 week Christian recovery program.

• Fuel for homeless man using his truck to travel to work.

• Local bus passes for several homeless and/or indigent individuals.

• Meals for many individuals either homeless or in transition to recovery or other services.

• Also, in support of the Bigger Vision emergency winter shelter that now occupies the former Jubilee House location, we are providing phone service.

• We provide phone service for the Helping Center office in the Sparrow’s Nest Dream Center.

Have you ever encountered a homeless person or panhandler on the street, or come in contact with someone in situations like those above and weren’t sure how to help? This poses a dilemma. "Should I give this person money? How can I find the information they need? In the face of such big problems, how can I help?" With our experience in ministry and the resources provided by team members, we are able to assist these individuals in small and sometimes big ways, to help them take the next step in their journey of restoration.

Send mail to landfmin4@juno.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2001 ChristWalk Ministries, Inc.
Last modified: October 01, 2008