In the spirit of giving in the holiday season, the Catholic Community Foundation is hosting its first Christmas giving initiative. The goal of the appeal is to inspire financial support for community programs in true need of our help. The online giving initiative will continue until January 31. There is still time for you to answer the call of unmet need for these four ministries:
Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Kitchen Remodel: Our Lady Star of the Sea is a small but vibrant parish nestled in a community of great need. Parishioners depend on the Church to provide a place to gather and experience fellowship while also sharing Sunday breakfast. Nearly 20% of the annual budget is collected during weekend gatherings at the parish hall but the hall’s kitchen is in dire need of repairs to bring it up to code. Pastor, Fr. Hector Basañez states, “We need $80,000 for a kitchen remodel that would allow us to fundraise on Sundays and provide hot meals during the week.”
Amigos de Guadalupe Scholarship Program: Many young adults from the Mayfair neighborhood of East San Jose suffer from such financial hardship that only 2% are able to pursue a college education. The lack of access to education results in a defeating cycle of poverty. Many of the students in East San Jose have the resiliency to succeed in higher education, they just need the access that the Scholarship Program is able to provide. With community assistance, this Amigos ministry can help send more of our youth to college and provide opportunities for better lives.
Catholic Charities John XXIII Integrated Health Care Program: For the last 50 years, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County has served low-income seniors at the historic John XXIII Multi-Service Center in downtown San Jose. More than 1,700 seniors use the facility every year. Some of the services include free or low-cost daily lunches, community and cultural events, citizenship classes, and a variety of wellness activities. The Center recently added an integrated medical program that combines behavioral and physical health treatments and results in patients living longer lives, with more dignity and independence. Contributions to this program assist in keeping our most needy senior citizens healthy, mentally and physically.
Our Lady of Refuge All-Year Giving Tree: Every month, 350 families and individuals receive food and grocery store gift cards from the All-Year Giving Tree at Our Lady of Refuge Parish. During the Christmas season, they are provided a warm holiday meal to share with family and friends. The Giving Tree runs all year and accepts many types of donations, such as clothes, food, toys, and monetary gifts.