Outreach

The mission of social outreach is to witness God's love by providing physical, emotional, and educational support to the community through social outreach programs. In addition, persons are needed to help constantly reassess our fulfillment of the seven themes of Catholic social teaching and to suggest and initiate new ministries.
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Baby Shower Drive: Collects donated baby items every spring for the Life Support Center.

Backpack Drive: Organizes annual August drive to benefit the Mercy Friends Prison Ministry. Backpacks are collected and distributed to prisoners being released who would otherwise have nothing.

Blood Drive: Organizes drives held several times a year in coordination with Penrose-St. Francis Hospital.

Christmas Giving Tree: Organizes this annual event, providing the gift of holiday spirit to needy children and senior citizens throughout the local community.

Coffee: Promotes the sale of fair trade coffee from the Earth Friendly Coffee Company. This company pays farmers fair wages for their crops. It is also organic and shade grown; tropical forests are not cleared to grow this coffee. This ministry also sells fair trade chocolate.

Cooking/Baking Group: Prepares baked goods for soup kitchen meals, blood drives, and funeral luncheons. Additionally provides meals to parish families in times of special needs.

Environmental Ministry: Keeps parishioners informed about environmental issues and encourages sustainable living.

Food Pantry: Monthly collects and prepares food packages for distribution to those in need in our parish and the greater local community.

Fostering Hope: Provides support to foster families and their foster children.

Funeral Luncheons: Provides hospitality after funerals for family and friends of the deceased by hosting a reception or lunch.

Habitat for Humanity: Organizes fund-raising and volunteer labor. Raised money in 2006, in partnership with Sunrise Methodist Church, and built and completed a house in 2007. Will participate in a 12 church Apostles House in 2008.

Inter-Faith Hospitality Network: This program brings shelter, meals, and support services to families without homes. St. Francis of Assisi parishioners can volunteer with St. Michael Episcopal Church to serve as hosts, van drivers or meal service when St. Michael's serves as a shelter sight one or two weeks a year for families with children. The Network provides a case manager to acquire employment and affordable housing allowing for independence and self-sufficiency.

Kids in Need: Collects needed items annually and distributes to local organizations committed to serving children.

Marian House Soup Kitchen: On the fourth Saturday of every month, this volunteer group from St. Francis prepares and serves the meal at the Marian House Soup Kitchen in downtown Colorado Springs. Please see the bulletin for more information.

Organ Donation: Organizes parish involvement and participation in the annual Donor Registration Drive in conjunction with Colorado Donor Registration.

Prison Ministry: Coordinated by Friends in Transition, this ministry trains volunteers and matches them with friendless prisoners who are within 18 months of release. Volunteer commitment requires monthly visits.

Respect Life: Focuses on education and support of Pro-Life activities in the parish and greater community. Supports pro-life legislation and organizes parish participation in the annual Roses for Life project. Coordinator sits on the larger Diocesan Respect Life Committee.

Thanksgiving Brown Bag: Annually organizes collection and distribution of donated food items for needy families in Colorado Springs.