December 2020

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you so much for the support you give to Social Concerns activities year-round.
A request goes out, and you reach out to help others in need.  You have donated
supermarket food cards for Thanksgiving, and gift cards for Christmas presents.
You donate to various collections - new school supplies, toiletries, winter coats, new socks and underwear, .... Many of you made holiday crafts for Maryknoll at home. Thanks so very much for your generosity.

This year due to the pandemic, from March onwards, we could not gather in a group to participate in activities at Holy Name or volunteer with any organization in person. Social Concerns instead made monetary donations to the Ronald McDonald House, to the Maryknoll Sisters, and to Feeding Westchester, places where Holy Name parishioners usually volunteer several times a year.  We are hoping that by next Fall we can again gather in person to help those in need.

We are blessed to have the support of our wonderful Holy Name parishioners in all our various projects!!!   Thanks so much!!   

May you all have a happy and healthy 2021!  Stay safe!!

 “Jesus tells us what the ‘protocol’ is, on which we will be
judged. It is the one we read in chapter 25 of Matthew’s
Gospel: I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was in prison, I was
sick, I was naked and you helped me, clothed me, visited me,
took care of me.  Whenever we do this to one of our brothers,
we do this to Jesus.  Caring for our neighbor; for those who
are poor, who suffer in body and in soul, for those who are
need.  This is the touchstone.”  Pope Francis

Sincerely,
Maureen McLoughlin
Social Concerns

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me,
I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me…
and the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:40)

 The Social Concerns mission is to create a community of caring volunteers who reach out to those in need and provide basic items, comfort and bring joy.  All are invited and welcomed to participate.

Helping hands to those in need

Our community outreach is brought to life through various activities throughout the year including:

• Collect and distribute
  • school supplies/backpacks for families in need
  • men’s new socks and t-shirts and backpacks for men in shelters
  • toiletries for the homeless
  • winter coat collection for men, women and children
• Seasonal Crafts distributed to area nursing homes and                          FDR Montrose VA
• Ice Cream Social for retired nuns at Maryknoll.  Our volunteers not only provide ice cream but much needed social interaction with nuns who gave so much to their missionary work around the world.
• Annual Thanksgiving Baskets distributed to area families in need.
• Ronald McDonald House in Valhalla - Provide and cook meals on scheduled dates.
• Food Bank - sorting food and packaging food for senior housing or various needs.
• Mission Trip – volunteer for a week to assist the Missionaries of the    Poor in Jamaica.
• Annual Christmas Angels – collect Christmas gifts for families in need.
• Fellowship - bringing the parish community together to build camaraderie and fun.  This year we presented the Italian Pasta Night.

Funding for all these activities is made possible through our annual raffle and generous donations.

Thank you for all your support of our

Social Concerns Ministry!!!

We are collecting the following items year round:

• Puzzle books for Veterans (word search, crossword puzzles...)

• Travel sized toiletries

• Men's sneakers, backpacks (no cartoon characters please), new men's socks, and new men's underwear.

We are also collecting full skeins of yarn for our Prayer Shawl Ministry. 

Kindly leave all items in the Social Concerns bins located in the church entrances.

Thanks for helping others in need all year round!

*  Please check back for updates and announcements

Maureen McLoughlin at 914.946.9334 or email MMCL16@optonline.net