December 1, 2020
Dear Students & Families,
I am incredibly thankful for the generous spirit of giving that is alive and well in our St. Joe’s family. This month alone, students recorded over 1,300 hours of community service! In light of the complications caused by COVID-19, you should all be very proud of your perseverance and exceptional commitment to “giving back”. There is no doubt that the need for service remains in our local communities. Organizations like the Bridgeport Rescue Mission and Operation Hope still need our help. As a community of faith, I know that we will actively respond to our call to be men and women for and with others. Campus Ministry is optimistic that our students will be able to satisfy their requirement for service this year, and in some cases go above and beyond.
A few helpful reminders :
- All service hours should be logged using x2VOL. If you have questions regarding this system, please reach out to Mr. Smith at any time.
- Follow St Joe’s social media pages, school website, and x2VOL for posts about community service opportunities.
- If you are struggling to find opportunities, we are here to help! See below for in-person and virtual opportunities!
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The service hour deadline has been extended to May 1, 2020.
- The service hour requirement is:
- Freshmen: 10 hours
- Sophomores: 15 hours
- Juniors: 20 hours
- Seniors: 25 hours
Finally, since we may not be able to enjoy the presence and company of our loved ones during this holiday season, let us continue to reach out in care for our homeless, our impoverished, our imprisoned, our neglected and forgotten, and safely share with them the same kindness that is integral to our mission.
Let us, most of all, live in the hope that there will be a time for future celebrations together because what we are suffering now gives us all ample opportunity to live what we believe and share what we have.
Wishing each of you and your families a most blessed Advent.
Sincerely,
Jordan Smith
Director of Campus Ministry
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Pizza & Prayer Dates!
Pizza & Prayer (virtual) will take place this evening, December 1. Today's event will begin at 5:30pm for Eucharistic Adoration. Nick Dreyer's talk has been rescheduled to December 9. Click Here for the Live Stream Link.
The next Pizza & Prayers will take place on Wednesday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 15. During those events, students can look forward to hearing from Peer Ministers. On December 9 & 15, you can view Eucharistic Adoration via the link above, followed by a Google Meet to view the student talks. Click here for the Google Meet link.
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Service News, Announcements, and Opportunities! |
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Service Spotlight: Cadets "Adopt a Family" |
The Adopt-a-Family Campaign provides Christmas gifts to local families in need. Organized by St Charles Borromeo Church in Bridgeport, this campaign helps almost 600 families each year in the Greater Bridgeport area. We are so proud to partner once again with this great cause as our student organizations and athletic teams will be supporting nearly 30 families!
Donations may be dropped off to St Joes on Friday, December 4 from 3:30pm-4:30pm or Saturday, December 5 from 10am-11am. All donations will be delivered on Sunday, December 6th.
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Season of Giving: Donate Blessing or Bedtime Bags! |
One of St Joe's greatest traditions is our Advent Giving Tree. While you may not be able to pull an ornament from the tree this year, we invite you to continue the tradition by helping us collect Blessing & Bedtime Bags for those in need! Here are examples of what is needed:
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Bedtime Bags: a gift bag with a book, small stuffed animal, and children's toiletries.
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Blessings Bag for the Homeless: a gift bag with a reusable water bottle, gloves, socks, and small toiletries.
All donations will go toward Blessed Sacrament Church and Bridgeport Rescue Mission. Donations can be dropped off at St Joes (during normal school hours) before December 11.
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Service Opportunities with Sterling House (Stratford) |
The Great Rake: Sat, December 5
During The Great Rake, volunteers will rake leaves from pathways and lawns for those over the age of 65 or in need of assistance. You can sign up to volunteer at sterlinghousecc.org/the-great-rake.
Holiday Tree Sale: Through December 18
From now until December 18, volunteers are needed to untie and stack tree racks, help customers select a christmas tree, and/or load them onto vehicles. For more information, contact Pam Robertson at [email protected].
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Virtual Service Opportunities |
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The Love For Our Elders project is collecting letters and cards for seniors in nursing homes nationwide.
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The Smithsonian is looking for volunteers to complete digital transcriptions.
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Bookshare encourages people to contribute their skills to help people with print disabilities read.
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The National Archives are looking for those interested in becoming citizen archivists for non-profits.
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Operation Gratitude wants you to show your support for first responders, troops, and veterans by writing thank you letters.
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Share Your Service News!
Cadets: Share your service efforts, organizations you're involved with, and volunteer opportunities! We will share your news and recruit additional helping hands!
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