C3 (Chattanooga Christian Community) Volunteering is a local ministry to Connect and Equip Churches and Charities, so Christians can help meet needs, grow in faith, and point people to Jesus through serving in our Community.
Our mission is to help Churches and Local Charities share the Gospel in our community through volunteering, by demonstrating the love of Christ in ways people can see and experience.
We do research, coordination, and connections so serving our community doesn’t feel overwhelming. We identify needs, connect people, and support churches & charities in their specific community outreach mission to make volunteering easier.
C3 provides free resources to help serve Chattanooga neighbors… making our lives and our community better by sharing the Gospel through volunteering:
• Provide Churches with resources to help support community outreach mission, charity mapping, and congregation enablement.
• Provide Charities with Church connections and best practices to help improve experiences and outcomes to meet objectives.
• Provide Christians with volunteering opportunities and help them utilize their spiritual gifts, abilities, and experiences to serve our community.
We believe the Gospel is the reason C3 Volunteering exist and is directed to serve others in need; that our faith in action improves our life, others’ lives, and strengthens the church and our community.
We believe when the Church is equipped to serve our Community, Connected to local Charities, and Christians utilize our God given gifts, abilities, and life experiences for others, everyone benefits.
We believe everyone is qualified to volunteer; we all have access to something God can use to help others. God multiplies what we are willing to surrender, and our time & energy are valuable gifts we can offer.
FAQs
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No, there is no financial obligation to any group working with C3 Volunteering. All services are at no charge.
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No, there is no legal obligation to any group working with C3 Volunteering. Participation is non-exclusive and may be discontinued at any time.
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Clearly define volunteer roles, needs, and expectations
Provide appropriate supervision, training, or orientation
Communicate scheduling, safety requirements, and policies
Treat all volunteers with respect and professionalism
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Encourage and promote community volunteer opportunities with the congregation
Designate a primary point of contact for community outreach coordination
Prepare volunteers to serve respectfully, reliably, and on time
Support a church volunteer program or event, at its discretion, with C3 volunteering
Our Story
We’re Jeff and Tanya Prater, local Chattanoogans that love our Lord, Our Neighbors, Our City and for years we’ve had a front‑row seat to the needs—and the beauty—of Chattanooga. We’ve served at church, volunteered with local ministries, and walked with people through seasons of crisis and hope. Over time, we noticed similar patterns: incredible churches, passionate volunteers, and faithful charities… all working hard to help the community but often working alone or not having the resources to make the impact desired.
We felt called to change that.
C3 grew out of our desire to help the Body of Christ serve together in our community. Once we retired, after decades of working for big technology companies, we utilized our gifts, abilities, and experiences to create C3.
Jeff’s background in leadership, organization, and community outreach, paired with Tanya’s gift for hospitality, communication, and love for our neighbors, shaped a ministry built on connection. Our hope is to equip Churches, Charities, and Christians to help meet the needs of our city, for volunteers to grow in faith, and point people to Jesus: demonstrating the love of Christ in ways people can see and experience.
We believe every Church can serve the community confidently, every Christian volunteer can make a difference, and every Charity can feel supported to meet their mission. C3 is our way of helping that happen.
