Outreach Volunteer Opportunities
Welcome to our Outreach news/events section. Here you will be able to find the most current Service Outreach news/events taking place in our parish community. Our goal is to keep you informed of the various opportunities that we have as a parish to volunteer and to become missionary disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Easter Baskets 2023! Thank you to all the Religious Education families who helped assemble the baskets, to our parishioners who donated goods for the hygiene kits and to the many volunteers who helped deliver. Once again, we shared our Easter joy with our community through this unique outreach ministry!
Baby Items Collection for baskets, a new way to serve moms in need in our community! Walking with Moms in need is an initiative of the Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) through which Catholic parishes and communities “walk in the shoes” of local pregnant and parenting women in need. In response to this initiative, St. John Neumann has been supporting local pregnancy centers by providing resources to help moms facing difficult and unplanned pregnancies. Our annual Baby Shower and our Baby Baskets Program are tangible ways by which we, as a community of faith, serve moms in need in our community!
We are excited to announce that we are ready to take the next step! With the help of our Respect Life Ministry, our Neumann Needlers, our Rosary Ministry, our Youth Ministry and all of you our faithful parishioners, St. John Neumann is committed to assembling baby baskets on a monthly basis to benefit our local pregnancy centers: Corbella Clinic, TLC Pregnancy Services, and other mothers in need in our community.
Beginning February 1, your donations of baby items are welcome on an ongoing basis! A section in room 216 has been assigned to the collection of the baby items needed to assemble Baby baskets. Baby items needed for this purpose are: bibs, baby wipes, diapers of all sizes, baby lotion, shampoo, baby wash, receiving blankets, towels, wash clothes, sleepers, two-piece outfits, onesies, baby toys, diaper rash cream, socks, pacifier, little mittens, baby bottles, blankets, baby ribbon and clear paper to wrap the baskets. We will be focusing on sizes 0 to 12 months of age.
We are confident that with this Outreach Service Project, we will be “Walking with moms in need”, bringing hope and help to mothers in need in our community, and building a culture of life and a civilization of love! Thank you to all who participated in our recent “Drop-Off Baby Shower,” twenty baby baskets were assembled and many baby items were donated because of you! If you would like to make a monetary donation to this service project click here. For more information about the Walking with Moms in Need initiative go to www.WalkingWithMoms.com. Any questions please contact our Service Outreach Coordinator, Susana Morones at: smorones@sjnstcharles.org.
The Mission of Fox Valley Hands of Hope is to provide compassionate guidance and support for grieving, at no cost to clients. Children, youth, families, and adults who are experiencing loss, or life-threatening illness can benefit from this program.
Volunteers are an integral part of the services provided by Fox Valley Hands of Hope. Each volunteer is valued and respected for their efforts to make a difference in the lives of someone in need. Join us and provide HOPE to those experiencing loss in their lives or a life-threatening illness. We have various volunteer opportunities available. And your help is needed. For more information, contact Adriana Torres, Manager of Volunteer Services at atorres@fvhh.net or by phone at 630.232.2233 ext.1227.
Do you have an hour each week to change the life of someone in our community? During February and March, new training workshops are being held at the St. Charles Public Library for people who would like to serve as tutors and teach English. Share your talents and welcome someone to the American culture by helping them feel at home! For more information and to register for the upcoming tutoring sessions visit their website at www.lvfv.org.
PADS MINISTRY NEEDS YOU… VOLUNTEER WITH US!
St. John Neumann PADS ministry is an ongoing ministry that provides food for the homeless at Hesed House in Aurora. Parishioners assist, once a month on the 2nd Thursday, by providing food and prepared meals for this community. Volunteers are needed to provide a regular item each month which it could be spaghetti sauce, fresh fruit, eggs, bottled water, bread, a hot vegetable dish, etc. Your donation is dropped off in the kitchen during office hours that day, or earlier in the week. Drivers to take the food to Hesed House are also needed! Please prayerfully consider helping out with this ministry, and help feeding our hungry neighbors. If you know someone who would like to help, please pass the word along! Click here to watch a video of Hesed House mission.
To help with this ministry, please contact Sue Skibley at skibley0905@sbcglobal.net or 847-707-0939.
To find more information about the mission of Hesed House, check out their website, www.hesedhouse.org. Thank you!
Overnight and Food Volunteers Needed!
Lazarus House needs your help! Every month, SJN missionaries provide food and overnight support for our neighbors at Lazarus House. This is a flexible opportunity that you can work around your schedule. Overnight helpers sleep at Lazarus House and are only woken in case of emergency. Health and safety protocols are being followed. Food volunteers cook or provide groceries on a flexible basis. If you would like more information, contact Marianne at 630-567-3511 or mariannedatahale@gmail.com
Waterleaf Women’s Center
Be a witness of the Gospel of Life and volunteer at Waterleaf Women’s Center in Aurora. Waterleaf is looking for volunteers who have hearts to serve women facing an unplanned pregnancy. Your help is needed to support their mission and transform the fear of these women into confidence. There are many ways in which our St. John Neumann community can serve at Waterleaf. You can become a client advocate, an office volunteer, an Aspire instructor, a mentor, or a prayer warrior. They are also looking for Registered Nurses to donate their time and help them with their mission. If you feel called by any of these opportunities to serve or would like to learn more about their mission click HERE. Let’s answer the call to “Walk with Moms in Need.”
A Morning of Service at FMSC!
Join us on the 3rd Monday of the month for a morning of service at Feed my Starving Childre in Aurora. Because of you, this lifesaving meal packing program will continue to address the increased global hunger need due to COVID-19. We will be building community among St. John Neumann parishioners and packing nutritious food from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. We have reserved 20 spots for our community. If you would like to participate, please contact Bob Andrini at drinibird2@gmail.com. For more information about the program, visit fmsc.org. Thank you for being the hands and feet of our Lord Jesus. Because of you, many children around the world will receive nutritious food from your hands to theirs! After the packing session join us at Portillo’s to build community.
Tutor Volunteers Needed!
The Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora will be training new tutor volunteers for its literacy program in August. Female volunteers (with high school diplomas) are trained to help women students learn to read, write, and speak English. Tutors meet with students once a week for 90 minutes, from September to May, at 260 Vermont St., Aurora (behind St. Therese Church). Tutors do not need to speak Spanish or have teaching experience, but all volunteers must attend three evenings of training. The training dates are August 17, 19, and 24, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. If you would like to volunteer in this ministry, please contact Alison Brzezinski at Alison@dominicanliteracycenter.org to register. For more information about this mission, visit www.dominicanliteracycenter.org. The Center is not handicap accessible.
Clothes Closet Ministry at Redeemer Fellowship gives away gently used clothing, bedding, towels, baby items, purses, and jewelry to families who have fallen on hard times and are in need of assistance. If you know someone that needs the help of this ministry, please contact Susana Morones at smorones@sjnstcharles.org for more details.
