Social Concerns

The parish gives financial support to agencies as part of its own stewardship role. The Social Concerns Committee's Financial Distribution Subcommittee determines on a yearly basis who will be the recipients.For this fiscal year, the beneficiaries will be:

Living With Loss

The loss of an important person in our lives is one of the most difficult lifetime experiences. Our program, Living With Loss, is designed to offer personal support, practical ideas and a spiritual perspective to help you move through the bereavement process. Groups are limited in size and will meet weekly for seven sessions, each lasting 1 ½ to 2 hours. Please plan to attend all sessions. There is no fee for this program, just a commitment to attend.

Spring session begins on March 6, 2008. Twice yearly programs will be offered in the Fall and Spring.

To attend, please register by calling Ursula Boesch 301.762.7134 or Carolyn Huard at 301.881.7456 or email: livingwithloss@gmail.com

Living With Loss Brochure (MS Word)

Brothers of Mercy

in the Philippines, runs a long-term care facility for 90-110 psychotic patients (men & boys), 60% of whom suffer from drug-induced psychosis. Guidance clinic for young people in public schools who show signs of emotional disturbance. Home for unwed pregnant women. Hospice for long-term psychotic women, especially prostitutes.

Camp St Charles

in Southern Maryland, 2 hours from DC., is a fully accredited camp for boys. It has been run by the Salvatorian Fathers & Brothers & lay Salvatorians for 45 years. They provide a religious and educational environment with summer fun! [301-933-3451, www.campStCharles.org]

CASA of Maryland

Court Appointed Special Advocate recruits, trains & provides ongoing support & supervision to volunteers who advocate for each child's best interest in Juvenile Court in Montgomery County & Rockville.

Catholic Charities

works with the homeless, among many other programs. The parish provides matching funds for Dorothy Day Place for women and Bethesda House for men through the Help the Homeless Walkathon sponsored yearly by Fannie Mae Foundation.

Dorothy Day Place

is a transitional shelter that offers intensive case management, life skills work and access to many related services in a supportive setting for 20 homeless women in Montgomery County (served 37 women during the year). Residents contribute through paying fees (20% of their income) or by doing volunteer work if they have no income. [301-762-8314, Catholic Charities]

Bethesda House

is transitional housing for homeless men with chronic mental illness. It can accommodate 15 men each night. During their stay, the residents take workshops in life skills, nutrition, art, health, hygiene, exercise and yoga. Churches & volunteer organizations provide evening meals on a rotating basis. They accept donations of food for breakfast and lunch. [301-907-9597, Catholic Charities]

Capuchin Franciscan Volunteer Corps

trains young lay leaders in the Church, thereby extending the capuchin charism of service to the poor by fostering a sense of service to the underprivileged. The volunteers are young men & women, recently graduated from college, who commit for one year to live in community as brothers & sisters, share meals & prayer, and serve the poor. Volunteer houses are in Baltimore & Washington DC. Volunteers work in inner-city schools, adult literacy, with hispanic immigrants, in soup kitchens, food banks, free medical clinics & various social outreach programs. They receive no pay & are given a stipend of $100 a month to live a simple lifestyle.

Christ House

is a 32-bed health care facility in Washington, D.C., that is a temporary residence for those who are ill and homeless. It is a place where they can receive plenty of rest, nutritious meals, medical care, and social services. They are treated for fractures, pneumonia, AIDS, lacerations, gunshot wounds, alcohol abuse, heart disease, etc. Building patients' self esteem, social awareness & a sense of cooperation are part of treating the whole person at Christ House. [202-328-1100, www.christhouse.org]

CMR

Community Ministries of Rockville runs shelters (Chase Partnership House for men; 3 Hope Houses), Latino Outreach Program. Provides emergency Assistance (financial) for eviction, utilities, food, medications, & other essentials. Served 1995 persons in 2003 [301-762-8682, www.rocknet.org/community/ministries]

CMMC

Community Ministry of Montgomery County manages Hand to Hand Project (evication prevention), Friends in Action (groups helping families get on their feet), Interfaith Clothing Centers, homeless shelters (Community Based Shelter, Sophia House, Horizons House); programs on microenterprise, education & advocacy. Served 31,000 men, women, &children in 2003 [301-762-8682, www.communityMinistryMC.org]

Court Appointed Special Advocate

CASA of Maryland, is a private nonprofit organization, supported by Montgomery County, Maryland State, corporations, individuals, & congregations. Its mission is to advocate for the timely placement of abused & neglected children in safe, permanent homes, and for the highest quality of their care while they are under court jurisdiction. To accomplish this, CASA recruits, trains & provides ongoing support & supervision to volunteers who work one-on-one with their court-assigned CASA children to ensure that their medical, emotional & educational needs are met and that they reach a safe, permanent home quickly. In 2003, there are over 600 children in foster care in our County [301-340-7458 or www.casaMontgomery.org]

Crossway Community

runs educational & family-support programs: Family Leadership School to end & prevent homelessness through housing programs for 37 single-parent families; Community Training Inst., Montessori School, Neighborhood Community Center. [301-929-2505]

Covenant House

for homeless, at-risk & runaway youth ages 16-21 in Washington DC (1) provides immediate shelter, food, clothing & care, (2) provides sanctuary from the dangers of street life or abusive homes, (3) communicates positive values, (4) provides a constructive & structured environment, & (5) assists youth to identify & make positive life choices. [202-610-9600, www.covenantHouseDC.org]

Gabriel Home

in Silver Spring houses 3 pregnant women who would like to give birth to their babies but who need support for up to 12 months. We sponsor the House together with St Peter's in Olney & St John the Baptist in Silver Spring, providing financial and personal assistance through volunteers.

Gabriel Project manages this & other homes.

Gaithersburg HELP

An emergency assistance agency that provides pantry & food delivery, transportation, $ for prescriptions, and referrals.

Gift of Peace

is a home for homeless men & women that is run and staffed by Missionaries of Charity that was founded by Mother Teresa.

Hospice Caring

is the only nonmedical volunteer hospice in Montgomery County. Trained & dedicated volunteers provide practical & emotional support to terminally ill patients & their families, and to anyone grieving the death of a loved one. All services are free of charge. They run a comfortable cottage in Gaithersburg that is a day-time alternative to in-home hospice care for ambulatory, terminally ill patients. Served 512 patients & family members + 463 bereaved in 2003 [301-869-4673, www.hospiceCaring.org]

House of Ruth

provides housing, counceling, & life skills training in 13 sites, for 500 women & children who would otherwise be homeless. Served 1450 women & children in 12 locations in 2003 [202-745-2326 , www.houseOfRuth.org]

Interfaith Housing Coalition

provides affordable housing, intensive case management & mentoring teams for 22 homeless families, developing life skills for self sufficiency. Served 23 adults & 44 children in 2004. It is managed starting in 2004 by CMMC [301-315-1103]

Latino Outreach Program

assists Hispanics in immigration issues through education in English language & citizenship. Tutoring is offered while the parents are in classes. Drug prevention includes classes on self esteem, role models, peer pressure. Medical education & screenings are also offered on diabetes & colon cancer & tobacco. [Community Ministries of Rockville (CMR)]

Manna Food Center

in Rockville provides 3 days worth of food to individuals, families, food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, emergency assistance organizations, and group home in Montgomery County. Civic groups, schools, corporations, individuals, and congregations, in addition to government and foundations, donate food and money. Manna is a nonprofit organization that has distributed 9 million pounds of food between 1983-1995. Approximately 1100 families are helped each month. [301-424-1130, www.mannaFood.org]

Mary House

is a transitional housing program that also provides support services for homeless families in DC area. Currently, it houses Latino families & Bosnian war-refugee families. Houses 35 families at a time in 10 buildings, or 125 persons per year. [202-635-0534, www.maryHouse.org]

McKenna Center

in DC is a daytime drop-in center (showers, washing clothes, lunch, counseling, job search, writing, etc.), emergency assistance (rent, utilities, holiday baskets), winter night shelter. It is a ministry of St Aloysius Cath. Church. [202-842-1112, www.stAlsDC.org/mcKenna]

Mercy Health Clinic

in Germantown is a medical clinic with free pharmaceutical support service, and lifestyle & diabetes education/support program for the uninsured or low-income residents of Montgomery County. [301-916-4499, www.mercyHealthClinic.org ]

Metro Handicapped Encounter Christ

is an all-volunteer organization that brings physically disabled & able-bodied individuals together in Christian community. It sponsors 2 weekend retreats per year. Our donation goes to attendant care and/or financial assistance to disabled individuals to enable them to attend the retreat. [301-762-2482]

Migrant & Refugee Cultural Support

provides interpretation, cultural competency, domestic violence immigration services for persons in the DC metropolitan area. Federal Law protects everyone from domestic violence regardless of immigration status. [301-495-3733 in Silver Spring]

Mobile Med

is a nonprofit mobile primary health care to uninsured, underinsured, homeless or undocumented residents of Montgomery County. They also give free medications to those who cannot afford them. More than 50% of their patient population suffers from hypertension, diabetes, or other chronic care conditions. [301-493-2400, www.mobileMedicalCare.org]

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless

provides programs to serve the homeless: An overnight Men's Emergency Shelter for 100 men, Safe Havens transitional housing & support services for mentally ill homeless men & women, Partnership for Permanent Housing for families from homeless shelters; Seneca Heights Apartments providing permanent personal living quarters for 40 individuals & transitional housing for 17 families. [301-217-0314, www.mcch.net]

Mt Carmel House

is a transitional shelter in DC for women which respects the dignity of each woman in its program. It is dedicated to assisting women to create pathways to permanent housing, employment, and personal stability. The House provides individual case management, substance abuse counseling, and educational program in career training & life skills. [Catholic Charities, www.mtCarmelHouse.org]

Ministries United, Silver Spring & Takoma Park

Emergency assistance agency provides financial assistance for prescriptions, housing, utilities, etc. for residents of Silver Spring & Takoma Park. Our donation helps buy prescriptions to low-income persons. Served 204 persons in 2003. [301-495-4699]

Mizero Project

in Rwanda, is a vocational high school for the youth who missed years of school because of the violence & instability of the country. They are called the "redundant" youth, having no skills, uneducated. The school is being built by Jesuits.

Niños Incapacitados

in Mexico, provides surgery for children with disfiguring conditions or chronic conditions, in Jalisco. A couple of parishioners go down every year to help for several months.

Nuestra Señora del Rosario

in Argentina, the sisters of the order Nuestra Señora del Rosario are building a well for irrigation to provide food, work, & skills to the low-income people in their area. Parishioners are involved in raising funds.

NW Church Family Network

Faith-based semi-permanent apartnemtns for formerly homeless families because of lack of affordable housing in DC. Residents are expected to be self supporting in 3-5 years.

Orfanatorio La Paz

in Mexico, is an orphanage for girls run by aging Sisters of the Holy Family. Parishioners visit & bring supplies and donations.

Pax Christi

is the Catholic Church's peace organization. We support both the national organization & new Montgomery County chapter. [202-319-5543, www.paxChristiUSA.org]

Pregnancy centers

support women and their unborn babies:

• Centro Tepeyac [301-587-9516 www.centroTepeyac.org],
• Birthright of Wheaton
• Forestville Pregnancy Center, 981 clients in 2003 [301-516-0500 www.freePregnancyTest.org]
• Northwest Center & Maternity Home, 1015 women & children in 2003 [202-483-7008, www.northwestCenter.net]
• Rockville Pregnancy Center [301-770-4444, GTierney@RCPC.org]
• Shady Grove Pregnancy Center, 541 client visits, 498 pregnancy tests [301-963-6223, www.pregnancy-options.org]

Project Rachel

provides counseling to mothers, fathers & families of aborted children, sponsored by the Archdiocese. [202-269-hope or projectRachel@adw.org]

Reaching the Unreached of India

is a direct-action poverty relief ministry founded by a De La Salle Christian Brother from the UK. Its programs, focused on children, include: 3 Children's Villages for children & mothers, 3 Hostels, 10 nursery schools, 5 day care centers, 4 full-time schools, 5 supplementary schools, 4 vocational training center, 6500+ houses, 1916 handpumps + 14 open wells, medical programs, aged/infirm services, community health, people's committees.

RefWID

Refugee Women in Development, Virginia, assists refugee organizations worldwide, but especially Afghan women & children through training & education. Assisted 30 community-based groups in 2003 [703-931-6442, www.refWID.org]

Rockville FISH

makes emergency food deliveries; provides transportation, referral, & some financial assistance to Rockville residents. Assisted 937 individuals with a 3-day supply of food, 224 with financial aid in 2003.

Rockville Meals on Wheels

delivers meals to elderly, disabled, or recuperating persons who are unable to prepare their own meals. Serves over 20,000 meals/year.

Rwanda--the Mizero Project

aims to provide training opportunities & jobs for unskilled youth. Cyangugu is a town at the southernmost point of Lake Kivu in southwestern Rwanda in central Africa., just 2 kilometers from the Congolese town of Bukavu. The Jesuits, with the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi and lay residents of the town, are in the process of establishing a center to teach various skills & crafts to youth aged 12-23 years, most of whom are orphans from or were misplaced by the '94 genocide. Many of these youth are unable to go to secondary school and have no income-earning skills.

Shepherd's Table

in Silver Spring, provides meals, clothing, showers, counseling, resource center, referrals, mail service, prescription assistance, mental health management, and medical & legal services. Served over 1100 individuals in 2003 (136/evening meal). [301-585-6463, www.shepherdsTable.org]

Sophia House

a shelter for women, served 188 (no double counts) women and 7606 bed nights last year. They offer therapeutical and educational activities, with staff counselors. [managed by CMMC]

St Ann Infant & Maternity Home

opened 142 years ago to provide short-term and emergency care to infants and young children in crisis, and to provide residential care & services to pregnant adolescents & to young mothers with their children. They have a Children's Residential Program, Teen Mother-Baby Program, Day Care Center, and Faith House transitional apartments for 8 young mothers. [www.saint-anns.com]

St. Ann's Catholic School

in Belcourt, North Dakota, educates 60 Turtle Mountain Reservation youth aged 5-12.

St. Bernardine of Siena

has a food pantry that serves many Hispanic families. Served 359 households or 712 individuals in 2003, most of whom are homebound, living on social security income only, and others are totally disabled. [301-736-0707]

Stepping Stones Shelter

in Rockville aims to heal homelessness by addressing the underlying problems that lead families into homelessness, as well as by providing emergency shelter, food, clothing, case management & supportive services to families in crisis, all in an atmosphere of dignity & respect. Last year, the Shelter helped 136 people (49 adults & 81 children).

Upper Montgomery Assistance Network

Emergency assistance agency provides financial assistance for eviction or utility, and referrals.

St Martin of Tours, DC

our Twin Parish. Our donation goes to their After-School Program for at-risk latch-key elementary school children, providing a safe haven with tutoring, homework help, recreation, computers & mentoring. 45% of these children live below the poverty line. Served 21 children in 2003 [202-232-1144]