H.I.S. INTERNATIONAL MISSION | INDIVIDUAL HELPS MINISTRY
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
H.I.S. Individual Helps Ministry
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2, KJV
Document owner
H.I.S. International Mission
Program
Individual Helps Ministry
Effective date
September 3, 2026
Version
1.0
Approval
Pastoral Council or authorized ministry leadership
1. Purpose
The Individual Helps Ministry provides short-term, practical support to approved individuals who are handling daily life without adequate personal support. The ministry serves with dignity, prayer, sound boundaries, and responsible stewardship.
Program boundary This program serves individuals. It is separate from Partner Ministry Resource Support and does not operate as a bill-assistance program.
2. Scope
This SOP applies to H.I.S. leaders, coordinators, volunteers, and approved partners who receive requests, assess needs, approve services, schedule help, document activity, or follow up with participants.
3. Ministry Principles
Serve in the name of Jesus Christ with compassion and respect.
Protect each person’s privacy and personal dignity.
Meet defined practical needs without creating unhealthy dependence.
Use volunteers only within their training, ability, and approved role.
Refer needs outside the ministry’s scope to suitable community or professional resources.
4. Assistance Within Scope
Approved assistance should address a specific, practical need for a defined period. Examples include:
Friendly check-ins, prayer, and encouragement.
Light household support, such as tidying, laundry, changing bed linens, or organizing a safe living area.
Meal preparation or delivery using food already approved for the participant.
Grocery or essential-item pickup when funds and purchases are arranged in advance.
Minor nontechnical household tasks that do not require a license, permit, ladder work, or hazardous tools.
Accompaniment for routine appointments or essential errands when approved and safely arranged.
Help connecting with family, church, veterans, senior, disability, or community support resources.
5. Assistance Outside Scope
Payment of rent, utilities, loans, credit cards, medical bills, or other personal bills.
Cash gifts, personal loans, gift-card distribution, or access to bank accounts.
Legal, financial, medical, mental-health, or benefits advice.
Medication handling, bathing, toileting, lifting, wound care, or other personal or clinical care.
Childcare, guardianship, adult protective supervision, or overnight care.
Electrical, plumbing, roofing, structural work, major repairs, or work requiring a licensed professional.
Emergency response. Call 911 when a person faces immediate danger or a medical emergency.
Transportation services assigned to the separate Psalm 107:7 Ride Home Project.
6. Eligibility
An applicant should meet all of the following conditions:
The person has a clear practical need and lacks enough available support to meet it safely.
The requested help falls within this SOP and available ministry resources.
The person agrees to the ministry’s safety, conduct, privacy, and scheduling requirements.
The location and requested activity are reasonably safe for volunteers.
The request receives approval from the Helps Coordinator or authorized ministry leader before service begins.
Priority may be given to older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, caregivers under strain, individuals recovering from illness or loss, and others facing temporary isolation or hardship. Priority does not guarantee approval.
7. Request and Approval Process
Receive the request through the approved application, referral, telephone, online, or in-person ministry channel.
Record the applicant’s contact information, household situation, requested task, urgency, safety concerns, and available support network.
Speak directly with the applicant unless an authorized representative must assist.
Screen the request for eligibility, program fit, safety, conflicts of interest, and volunteer availability.
Define the approved task, date, location, time limit, assigned volunteers, supplies, and follow-up plan.
Obtain leadership approval and the participant’s consent before assigning volunteers.
Record completion, concerns, referrals, declined work, and any recommended follow-up.
8. Approval Authority
The Helps Coordinator may approve routine requests that fall fully within this SOP. Unusual, higher-risk, repeated, costly, or boundary-sensitive requests require approval from the Pastoral Council or an authorized ministry leader. Volunteers do not promise services, money, dates, or outcomes before approval.
9. Volunteer Standards
Complete ministry orientation and sign the confidentiality and conduct agreement.
Serve only after receiving an assignment from the Helps Coordinator.
Wear or carry ministry identification when requested.
Use a two-volunteer team for in-home service unless leadership documents another safe arrangement.
Remain in approved areas and perform only approved tasks.
Do not accept cash, valuables, loans, gifts of significant value, or access to accounts, passwords, checks, cards, or legal papers.
Do not photograph, record, post, or share information about a participant without written authorization.
Report accidents, injuries, threats, unsafe conditions, suspected abuse, or serious boundary concerns at once.
10. Safety Procedures
Before service, the coordinator reviews known hazards, pets, weapons, smoking, contagious illness, mobility needs, property access, and the physical demands of the task. The coordinator may postpone, change, or decline an assignment when safe service is not reasonably possible.
Volunteers keep a charged telephone available and share the schedule with the coordinator.
Volunteers do not enter a location where threats, violence, illegal activity, severe infestation, uncontrolled animals, exposed hazards, or unsafe persons are present.
Volunteers use ordinary household supplies only as directed and never mix cleaning chemicals.
Volunteers stop work after an injury, safety change, participant distress, or request outside the approved scope.
For immediate danger, call 911 first, then notify ministry leadership.
11. Privacy and Records
Collect only information needed to assess, perform, document, and follow up on the request. Store applications, consent forms, service records, incident reports, and referrals in the ministry’s approved secure system. Share information only with people who need it for approved ministry work, safety, legal duties, or emergency response.
Ministry records should include the request date, decision, reason for approval or decline, assigned volunteers, work performed, service date, supplies used, incidents, referrals, follow-up, and closure date. Leadership sets the retention schedule and controls access.
12. Financial Controls
This ministry does not pay a participant’s personal bills.
No volunteer uses personal funds with an expectation of repayment.
Any ministry purchase requires prior authorization and a receipt.
Two authorized leaders review reimbursements and unusual expenses according to H.I.S. financial procedures.
Volunteers never handle a participant’s cash, bank card, account, checkbook, or online payment login.
13. Conduct and Boundaries
Participants and volunteers must treat one another with respect. Harassment, discrimination, threats, coercion, sexual conduct, proselytizing under pressure, intoxication, illegal activity, and misuse of ministry access are prohibited. Prayer and spiritual encouragement are offered respectfully and never forced.
Volunteers do not form private financial arrangements, become beneficiaries, sign legal documents, take possession of property, or assume ongoing caregiving responsibility through this ministry.
14. Incident Reporting
Protect life and call emergency services when needed.
Leave an unsafe location without confrontation.
Notify the Helps Coordinator or authorized leader as soon as safely possible.
Complete an incident report before the end of the day when practical.
Preserve facts, names, times, photographs authorized for documentation, and witness information.
Do not investigate suspected crimes, abuse, or neglect. Leadership follows applicable reporting duties and contacts proper authorities.
15. Follow-Up and Case Closure
The coordinator confirms whether the approved task was completed, whether new safety or support needs appeared, and whether a referral is appropriate. A request closes when the approved task is complete, the participant declines service, the need moves outside scope, safety prevents service, resources are unavailable, or leadership ends the assignment.
Repeated or ongoing requests require a new review. The ministry does not guarantee continuing service, replacement of professional care, or unlimited assistance.
16. Program Review
Leadership reviews this SOP at least once each year and after any serious incident, major program change, or change in applicable requirements. Review should consider requests received, services completed, declined requests, safety events, volunteer capacity, participant feedback, referrals, and needed training.
H.I.S. INTERNATIONAL MISSION | INDIVIDUAL HELPS MINISTRY
Appendix A. Individual Helps Request and Service Record
Use one record for each request. Attach consent, receipts, incident reports, or referral records when applicable.
Applicant name
Preferred name
Phone
Address or service location
Best contact method and time
Referral source
Date received
Requested help
Describe the task, why help is needed, and the requested date.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Current support
List family, friends, church, agency, caregiver, or other support already available.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Safety screening
Record mobility concerns, pets, smoking, illness, weapons, hazards, unsafe persons, or other concerns.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Coordinator assessment
State program fit, boundaries, supplies, volunteer needs, referrals, and time limit.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Decision
☐ Approved ☐ Partially approved ☐ Referred ☐ Declined
Approved task and limits
Assigned volunteer(s)
Service date and time
Approving leader and date
Participant Consent
I understand the approved service and its limits. I agree to provide accurate information, maintain a reasonably safe service area, treat volunteers respectfully, and tell the coordinator about hazards or changes. I understand H.I.S. may change, postpone, or stop service for safety, scope, conduct, or resource reasons.
Participant signature: __________________________________ Date: ______________
Coordinator signature: __________________________________ Date: ______________
Completion Record
Service completed: ☐ Yes ☐ Partly ☐ No Follow-up needed: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Work completed, supplies used, concerns, referrals, and follow-up:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Volunteer signature(s): _________________________________ Date: ______________
Document Approval
Prepared by
Name/Title: ______________________________ Date: __________
Reviewed by
Name/Title: ______________________________ Date: __________
Approved by
Name/Title: ______________________________ Date: __________