Local Outreach
Sally & Frank Hewitt, after delivering the lunches, eat with Habitat volunteer workers.
Habitat for Humanity
St. John’s supports the work of Habitat for Humanity in Santa Cruz County. This organization has provided 40 affordable homes to local families, and a current project will add six more. Our parishioners have been preparing lunches for the Habitat volunteers for over 15 years. Individual parishioners also volunteer as construction workers.
How to Help: Mary Nona Hudson coordinates the St. John’s members who prepare lunches. The Habitat website has contacts for helping build the homes.
Homeless Services
Rebele Family Shelter
St. John’s has been actively involved in various support services for the homeless. We raised funds to help build the Rebele Family Shelter, part of the Homeless Services Center (HSC), on the corner of River and Coral Streets in Santa Cruz. (The facility was named for St. John’s members, Rowland and Pat Rebele.) Upon completion of the facility, the Parish furnished two family apartments. The shelter accommodates 28 families with children for a maximum stay of six months, providing counseling and career exploration, and helping people find jobs and permanent housing.
Faith Community Shelter
Since the fall of 2015 St. John’s has been sheltering people without homes every Saturday night. People come for fellowship, a good meal, showers and a safe, warm place to sleep. As part of the Association of Faith Community (AFC) we join 30 other area faith communities in providing a far more stable environment for folks not much different than us. Along with AFC's SafeSpaces program, we help shelter 20 people.
How to Help: Contact Jon Showalter.
Rebele Family Shelter
St. John’s has been actively involved in various support services for the homeless. We raised funds to help build the Rebele Family Shelter, part of the Homeless Services Center (HSC), on the corner of River and Coral Streets in Santa Cruz. (The facility was named for St. John’s members, Rowland and Pat Rebele.) Upon completion of the facility, the Parish furnished two family apartments. The shelter accommodates 28 families with children for a maximum stay of six months, providing counseling and career exploration, and helping people find jobs and permanent housing.
Faith Community Shelter
Since the fall of 2015 St. John’s has been sheltering people without homes every Saturday night. People come for fellowship, a good meal, showers and a safe, warm place to sleep. As part of the Association of Faith Community (AFC) we join 30 other area faith communities in providing a far more stable environment for folks not much different than us. Along with AFC's SafeSpaces program, we help shelter 20 people.
How to Help: Contact Jon Showalter.
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English as a Second Language
English language instruction is held twice weekly at St. John’s, under the leadership of Gina Muller, a credentialed ESL teacher. Students are immigrants to the U.S. from Mexico and El Salvador. In addition to the classes, individual parishioners are paired with students for weekly one-on-one tutoring. This program takes place under the auspices of the The Literacy Project of Santa Cruz County. How to Help: Contact Gina Muller. |
Students from a recent ESL class.
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Prison and Jail Ministry
Prison ministry is an ongoing part of St. John’s outreach. Our members are involved in Kairos and Christian Hope. These team ministries involve small groups who present one- to three-day programs to inmates at various state prison locations. Some members visit Salinas Valley State Prison, Santa Cruz Main Jail, and the Women’s Blaine Street facility. How to Help: Contact Bill Kell to join this ministry or to contribute to it. |
Adopt-a-Family Project
In connection with the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz, during Advent we reach out to less fortunate families in our local community and “adopt” two or three of them. Parishioners donate wrapped Christmas gifts found on the families’ “wish list,” food items and/or money.
How to Help: You can purchase and wrap selected gifts in early December. Contact the church office at that time for the name of the current organizer.
Santa Maria Urban Ministry
Santa Maria Urban Ministry (SMUM) was founded in 1983 as an outreach ministry of the Diocese of El Camino Real. As a partner of the Second Harvest Food Bank, SMUM provides emergency food assistance to about 1,800 low-income people a month in central San Jose. (Half of these are children).
SMUM aims to “make Christ a living presence by offering to all a safe place of welcome, service and positive transformation.” Located at 778 S. Almaden in San Jose, those served report that SMUM provides a unique gathering place for those in the neighborhood. In addition to food assistance, SMUM operates a preschool for children and an after-school program as well as ESL classes for adults. They also provide free clothing from their Community Chest, emergency transportation and food deliveries to seniors.
How to Help: Contributions can be mailed to SMUM, 778 S. Almaden, San Jose, CA 95110. Please visit the web site to learn more: www.santamariasj.org
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Recycle Glasses for Sight
Eye glasses and cases that you and your loved ones no longer need are collected and picked up by a representative of the local Lions Club. Lions delivers them to regional Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers (LERCs). LERC volunteers clean, sort by prescription strength and package the glasses. Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low and middle income communities where they will have the greatest impact How to Help: Put your old glasses/or cases and in the plastic bin labeled “Lions Recycle for Sight.” It is located just inside the kitchen at St. John’s. |