PARISH SOCIAL MINISTRY COMMITTEE
Parish Social Ministry (PSM) is an outreach organization dedicated to developing lay leadership and a spirituality based on the Social Justice teachings of the Church that initiates action on social issues affecting the parish, community, nation, and the world.
Committee Meetings – First Wednesday of Each Month
Contact – Parish Social Ministry Office – 764-7545
Director – Dorothy Medeiros – 764-0325, ext. 104
PSM Chairperson – Kathleen DiCamilla – 764-9361
| DIRECT SERVICE |
Parish Outreach Office
Volunteers on this committee answer outreach phone calls daily and work directly with those in need of emergency assistance, i.e., utilities, rent and housing. Also, St.Helena’s Food Closet collects and distributes food to those in need. Transportation is also provided by St. Helena’s Parish.
Coordinator – Dorothy Medeiros.
Sewing Group
Volunteers sew and knit baby items for those in need. Throughout the community; they also knit lap blankets for homebound parishioners.
Coordinator – Dorothy Medeiros
Caregivers
Caregivers’ ministry provides information and support to individuals and families who are caring for a family member or a friend. Home visitations, retirement and nursing home visitations are done by volunteers as requested.
Coordinators – Kathleen DiCamilla and Cynthia Whisker
Lazarus Ministry
Lazarus Ministry contacts and helps families of deceased parishioners. Providing greeters at funeral liturgies, preparing meals and house sitting are several ways parishioners assist families. Also, an afternoon of remembrance is held every November for those deceased that year.
Coordinator – Kathleen DiCamilla
| COMMUNITY SERVICE |
Food Closet
Those in need of assistance with food are asked to call the Parish Social Ministry Office, 302-764-7545 to request an appointment. ID’s and additional paperwork will be needed.
Coordinators: Linda and Jim Deeney
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver hot meals to the elderly, the physically and/or mentally disabled and to those living alone with no other means of available support.
Coordinator – Bridget Kirk
Emmanuel Dining Room
Emmanuel Dining Room, located in Wilmington, provides meals to the needy. Our parishioners supply casseroles, and then parish teams deliver and serve the food to the hungry at the dining room.
Coordinator – Cynthia Whisker
Holiday Giving
Parishioners are asked to give food for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets and Christmas gifts through the “Giving Tree”.
Thanksgiving Baskets: Linda and Jim Deeney
Christmas Giving Tree: Dorothy Medeiros
| SOCIAL JUSTICE |
Social Justice Ministry
Social Justice Ministry looks at the root causes of social injustices such as homelessness, affordable housing, poverty, and other social justice issues at the local, national and international levels. Volunteers study and distribute information on important issues from organizations such as, Bread for the World, Pacem in Terris, Pax Christi, Network, The Edgemoor Revitalization Cooperative and Human Trafficking.
Coordinators: Dorothy Medeiros
Respect Life
Respect Life ministry promotes and educates the parish on Right-to-life issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, stem cell Research and the death penalty.
Coordinators – Patty Grimes
United Way Donations
St. Helena’s Social Ministry is a designated agency of the United Way of Delaware. St. Helena’s Social Ministry is an outreach organization dedicated to developing lay leadership and a spirituality based on the Social Justice teachings of the Church that initiates action on social issues affecting the parish, community, nation, and the world. Our outreach programs assist those in need through distributions of food, emergency financial aid and baby blankets. They offer solace to parishioners who have lost loved ones and visit the sick of the parish.
Please help the Social Ministry improve the quality of life in our community by donating to St. Helena’s Social Ministry during the October United Way Pledge Drive. You may donate through your company’s on-line service, or fill out a paper pledge form. The Social Ministry’s code # is 11558. If you do not participate in a company sponsored pledge drive, you may contact the United Way at (302) 573-3700 for pledge forms or pledge on line at http://www.uwde.org/.