Bridges to Community
Almost every month Bridges to Community team coordinates an outreach project accepting and delivering donations from St. Nicholas and St. William parishioners to local community organizations such as Community Service Agency, St. Vincent de Paul in East Palo Alto, Visiting Nurses Association, Day Worker Center, Palo Alto Housing Consortium, and Catholic Charities.
Typical schedule:
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- January – clean, used linens
- March – Soup bowl sales to support Community Services Agency
- April – Career Clothes
- May – Care Packages for US troops on assignment overseas.
- July – School Backpacks
- October – Layettes (newborn) and warm coats
- November/December – Giving Trees
In addition they host a Blood Drive twice a year and Handicapables, (a Catholic Charities program for adults with a disability who come together for Mass, lunch and a social event) each Fall. They also manage three continuous collections –
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- Unused greeting cards for inmates in county jails to use
- Travel size toiletries
- Non-perishable food
If you would like to participate in these efforts contact Parish Office. Participation can vary from helping after Mass a couple of times a year to spearheading a new project. Meetings are held at 7:30 pm the second Monday of the month in the St. Nicholas parish center.
Kairos Prison Ministry
Several parishioners are involved with Kairos – a weekend retreat inside the Federal Correctional Institutions in this area. All parishioners are invited to support this ministry by making Prayer Hands that convey our prayers for the inmates and team. For information contact Ron Stefani, insight2js@aol.com
Sandwich Ministry – for “The Window” at our Cathedral in San Jose
Each Sunday morning in Lent, a “host” team puts our the supplies, welcomes parishioners between morning Masses at St. William Church and engages them in making sandwiches, and then cleans up.
Other jobs include shopping on Saturday so the bread is fresh, and delivering the sandwiches on Monday. For more information on the Window see stjosephcathedral.org/ministries/social-ministry
Rice Bowls – Catholic Relief Services
During Lent parishioners add money to their rice bowls. When we eat more simply, others can simply eat. 75% of the money raised goes to food programs of Catholic Relief Services throughout the world. 25% remains in our Diocese of San Jose and provides grants to parish programs that feed the hungry.