When You Donate $25, Social Ministry will be able to provide $75 in food!!!!

Yes, it is early for Holiday messages, but if we are going to make this great new approach for St. Andrew Social Ministry Holiday Outreach Baskets work, we have to ACT NOW!!! Deadlines for Thanksgiving Baskets are in October. Please take the time to put your donations in the special envelopes that can be found in the pews and include in the collection basket or go to the Online Giving site and donate electronically. Thank You!

Appliances, Christmas Gifts, Diapers, Fans, Food, Formula, Grocery bags (paper or plastic), Monetary donations, Holiday items (Centerpieces, Decorations, Trees), Household items, School supplies, Seasonal, clean usable clothing, Shoes or anything for people in need.

 

The following Parish Family Outreach programs are for parishioners, and families of parishioners, of Saint Andrew. These services are offered to anyone in need, without prejudice

 

Social Ministry offers a limited amount of direct financial aid, available to parishioners in times of crisis. Oftentimes we are called upon to help a person or family in need of assistance with utility bills, rent, medication, etc. Assistance is assessed on an individual basis.

In addition, Social Ministry is involved in the larger social outreach structure of our community and, as such, we can refer those in need to other agencies for additional assistance, both monetary and emotional.

All donations made in the name of “Social Ministry” go directly into this Financial Aid Fund and 100% goes to assist people in need.

On Monday, Wednesday or Friday during service hours, a nutritionist is on-hand to educate those we help about nutrition and the proper way to handle and prepare foods.

The AIDS Ministry at Saint Andrew is committed to providing physical, spiritual and emotional support to those challenged by AIDS. This is accomplished through a number of affiliations, including Tarrant County AIDS Interfaith Network and the Pediatric AIDS Project. Saint Andrew offers educational programs in cooperation with these agencies and through Adult Education.

(Allied Communites of Tarrant) A.C.T. is a broad based coalition of institutions, dedicated to creating a vehicle for public participation by families and their communities often left out of the decision making process. Parishioners serve on Action Teams to investigate issues of crucial importance to our neighborhoods, institutions and families, including education reform, jobs and economic development, crime and health care.

Volunteers collect donations after each mass one weekend to give gift certificates or gifts to families receiving Christmas Baskets.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday a visit to the Community Center will reveal volunteers sacking groceries, interviewing clients, stocking cabinets, bagging rice and beans, picking up groceries and produce from various places, or doing paperwork. These dedicated volunteers are working to distribute food to those in need.

Food for the pantry comes from offerings left in the church after masses, from students at Saint Andrew School, from children and youth in the Religious Education Program, as well as from donations to the Food Club. In addition, the Greater Food Bank of Tarrant County and the Food Pantry Trust Fund contribute to our Food Pantry.

Nolan and Saint Andrew’s School students and Confirmation students benefit by gaining Community or Church service hours.

We picked up 129,069 pounds of food, which would have cost us $15,488.28 to purchase. Beginning in the year 2000, we will be paying .14 per pound, for shared maintenance for this food. This money will come from the Food Club account. 31,532 individuals plus our parish family were served in 1997 compared to 10,223 in 1990.

“Food Club” envelopes are included with the general offertory envelope. These funds are used to purchase food items or food related items necessary to the operation of our Food Pantry and 100% of funds donated are used for this purpose.

In July 1993, an anonymous donor established the “Saint Andrew Catholic Church Food Pantry Fund,” with a donation of $10,000, to be administered by the Catholic Foundation of North Texas. The fund will provide quarterly financial assistance to the Food Pantry.

We will set up Soup Kettles, ask the Prayer Leader to announce “As we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas, let’s be mindful of those who don’t even have a bowl of soup to eat”. The funds we collect will go towards a turkey or ham for every family we serve at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Clothing is donated by parishioners and others and is distributed to parishioners or anyone living in zip codes 76109, 76110 or 76115 who meet our criteria or are referred to us through another church or agency.

Each year, Social Ministry supplies food baskets to parishioners and/or elderly at Thanksgiving and Christmas, thereby helping others celebrate the holidays in traditional style. This massive effort is made possible through the generosity of our parish families and students at Saint Andrew’s School. In addition to food baskets, at Christmas, age-appropriate gifts are also provided.