We have a large variety of people who volunteer in the community and are volunteers of boards of nonprofits. Church members volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. On the national level, the church belongs to the National Council of Churches, which has many programs. Joe Carbonaro, minister of single adults and communication at Paramount Baptist Church, and Danny Fulton, resource manager at Paramount Terrace Christian Church, said their churches have benevolence funds for helping the poor. The churches also fund missions, and Fulton said his church's worldwide mission project is the second-largest budget item, at nearly 11 percent.
Many Baptist churches give money to international ministries.
Carbonaro and Fulton said it's not unusual for people to walk into their churches and ask for help with rent, food, utility bills, gasoline and more. Robert Barton, president of the Amarillo stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said local bishops make decisions about helping the needy. Bishops assist members of their own congregations before trying to help others, he said. Church members fast once a month and donate the value of two meals, which funds each congregation's welfare program. Barton said members commonly donate time and money to local charities and can give to a worldwide church fund that aids humanitarian efforts overseas.