For the ninth year, St. Jude Parish held its annual Service Day Program. On March 30, more than 100 church members accomplished various projects. Members organized, assembled and delivered packs and kits to Eastside organizations that help hundreds of families and children living in poverty in Eastside communities.
St. Jude’s mission is to bring organizations and volunteers together to help communities experiencing the effects of poverty, loss of employment, and abuse. The Service Day is one of three major outreach projects St. Jude Parish does to help the communities.
Ten (10) assisted living communities from Mercer Island to Woodinville donated and packed hygiene kits along with St. Jude members. The elderly also made motivational art cards to put into each hygiene kit and pantry pack.
The service day is overseen by Sister Betty Schumacher and Molly Boll in fundraising.
The first projects included assembling pantry packs. Church members assembled bags of food including soup, and dried and canned fruit. This year, all pantry packs were given to the Lake Washington School District for children living in poverty.
Church members also assembled need kits with hygiene products like shampoo, and a tooth brush and toothpaste. Hygiene kits were delivered to the Lake Washington School District, Lifewire and Sophia’s Way.
Other projects included light housekeeping and yard work for clients of Catholic Community Services. Large flower planters were planted at Sophia’s Way in Bellevue.
St. Jude children made “thank-you” posters for the Redmond police and fire departments, as well as small art that was attached to each pantry pack.
Sack lunches were assembled and distributed by church members. At least 125 sack lunches were made and given to the Safe Parking Program at Lake Washington Methodist Church, Sophia Way, The Together Center, and to the residents of Camp Unity and Safe Parking at St. Jude’s.
Hundreds of meal coupons were donated by fast food restaurants in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland and Woodinville. The coupons will be used to put on dinners at New Bethlehem Project in Kirkland (dinner for 45 homeless families), Sophia’s Way in Bellevue (lunch for 45 elderly homeless women), Friends of Youth in Redmond (meal coupons for lunch for homeless teens), St. Jude Parish Safe Parking program and Camp Unity in Redmond (dinner for 33 homeless people), the Methodist Church Safe Parking program in Kirkland (dinner for 35 homeless families and children) and the Duvall Food Bank (pizza coupons for families lacking sufficient food).
Various dental clinics in Redmond and Kirkland donated hundreds of toothbrushes, tooth paste and floss for the hygiene kits. Retail stores in Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland donated gift cards to purchase items for the hygiene kits and pantry packs.
The “neighbors helping neighbors” project shows how a community can come together to help.
St. Jude Parish members assembled Need Kits with hygiene products at the annual Service Day on March 30. Need Kits were also assembled by elders of 10 assisted living communities. The elderly also donated motivational art cards to put inside each kit. Stephanie Quiroz/staff photo.
Church members assembled Pantry Packs that were given to the Lake Washington school District for children living in poverty. Stephanie Quiroz/staff photo.
St. Jude Parish members planted flowers and plants for Sophia’s Way in Bellevue. Stephanie Quiroz/staff photo.
Hygiene kits were delivered to the Lake Washington School District, Lifewire, and Sophia’s Way. Stephanie Quiroz/ staff photo.
Retail stores in Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland donated gift cards to purchase items for the hygiene kits and pantry packs. Stephanie Quiroz/staff photo.
