By: Diocese of Oakland
As Catholics, we are called to lives that bring Christ’s hope, mercy and care to all. This year’s Gift of Giving highlights how some organizations in the Diocese of Oakland provide the corporal and spiritual works of mercy to all in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Some of these souls need gift cards; some need socks. All can use our prayer and concern. As J.C. Orton of Night on the Streets – Catholic Worker said, “The greatest gift one can give is the gift of presence.”
CATHOLIC CHARITIES EAST BAY
433 Jefferson Street
Oakland 94607
510-768-3100
cceb.org
Catholic Charities East Bay supports children, youth, families and seniors from crisis to stability to well-being. They do that by keeping people housed, helping neighbors in crisis and offering reputable immigration legal services. They help people living in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and have been serving everyone with dignity since 1935.
Last year, 2,500 individuals received essential services, 74 families received $1,850 in food assistance gift cards, and 96 families with 239 children received holiday gifts through our annual Joy Bells campaign.
Need: Volunteers, food assistance gift cards for families and seniors, sponsors for families with children enrolled in the annual Joy Bells Holiday Gift campaign, monetary donations for the areas of greatest need.
Donate: Send checks or food cards to Catholic Charities East Bay, attn: Development Department, 433 Jefferson Street, Oakland, 94607. Or contact Liz Davis at development.org.
Contact: Mari Mosca at development@cceb.org. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please visit cceb.org/volunteer.
THE GABRIEL PROJECT OF THE DIOCESE OF OAKLAND
2121 Harrison St., Suite 100
Oakland 94612
925-686-9277
cagabrielproject.wordpress.com
The Gabriel Project is a parish-based outreach that seeks to bring the love of Christ to women in difficult and crisis pregnancies. We see in the conception of each child, a fresh expression of God’s unfailing love. We offer immediate and practical help — spiritual, emotional and material.
Need: Donations of maternity and baby items, financial help and volunteers to be “angels” and “assistant angels” throughout the Diocese of Oakland
Contact: David Zarri, coordinator, at davidlzarri@earthlink.net; cagabrielproject.wordpress.com; or 925-686-9277.
MERCY BROWN BAG PROGRAM
3431 Foothill Blvd.
Oakland 94601
510-534-8540, ext. 369
mercybrownbag.org
The Mercy Brown Bag Program has served Oakland and Alameda County nutrition-insecure seniors for over 40 years. Started by the Sisters of Mercy and the residents of Mercy Retirement and Care Center, who looked around their Fruitvale neighborhood and saw many other seniors in need of help. We now regularly provide fresh, healthy groceries (twice a month) to over 10,000 East Bay acutely low-income seniors on a regular basis – feeding over 40% of Alameda County’s food insecure elderly population across 80 distribution points!
Need: Cash donations; fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables gleaned from back yards or gardens; help in grocery stocking shelves and overseeing shoppers; delivery of food to smaller senior living centers in the East Bay; sorting and crating fresh fruits and vegetables at our warehouse to distribute across the Mercy Brown Bag network.
This Christmas: Volunteers needed to help in November with our Fall giving campaign; staff the store, which serves over 2000 seniors a month; and write notes for grocery bags. It’s a big job, and more writers are welcome.
Volunteer: Sign-up at mercybrownbag.org.
NIGHT ON THE STREETS – CATHOLIC WORKER
P.O. Box 11312
Berkeley 94712-2312
510-684-1892
catholicworker.org/directory/ca-berkeley-night-on-the-streets-html/
Hospitality to the Body of Christ (the homeless and needy in local communities) by providing food, clothing, shelter, counseling and referral, and assisting others who do so.
Need: The greatest gift one can give is the gift of presence. For Sunday breakfast, served al fresco on Center Street in Berkeley, volunteers are needed to bring food, and servers are needed. Prayers are needed for health, guidance and the support of continuing works of mercy; financial support for their 29th year of consistent and continuing hospitality for our unsheltered and poor brothers and sisters. Sleeping bags and donations of clothing, especially men’s clothing, are always needed. Checks may be mailed to the P.O. Box or donations made via Paypal: www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/2223932.
Contact: J.C. Orton, coordinator, 510-684-1892; noscw@sbcglobal.net
OAKLAND ELIZABETH HOUSE
6423 Colby St.
Oakland 94618
510-658-1380
oakehouse.org
Oakland Elizabeth House is a 12- to 18-month transitional housing program for women and children who are experiencing homelessness because of domestic violence, rent increases, job loss, substance abuse and mental health challenges. Its mission is to support women and children in their transition to independence by creating and maintaining a nurturing, cooperative living environment that provides resources, hospitality and respect.
Need: Cash donations
ST. MARY’S CENTER
925 Brockhurst St.
Oakland 94608
510-923-9600
stmaryscenter.org
St. Mary’s Center is a community of hope, justice and healing that serves at-risk seniors and preschoolers in the heart of Oakland. They strive to improve quality of life through counseling, shelter, nutrition, advocacy and social support. The Center is open for senior lunches Monday through Friday at noon and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Need: Shelf-stable foods; coffee; tea; healthy energy bars; high-protein canned meat goods; new socks; and new travel-sized toiletries, soaps, body wash, creams, lotions and shaving supplies.
Contact to donate: Isolde Honore at ihonore@stmaryscenter.org or call 510-923-9600, ext. 232.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
2272 San Pablo Ave
Oakland, CA 94612
www.svdp-alameda.org
Thirty-five conferences across Alameda County help with food, rental and utility assistance for the insecurely housed. This year, the greatest need St. Vincent de Paul Alameda County has encountered is among unhoused and housing-insecure families. The shelter cannot accommodate families, and it can cost $750/week to house a family at a hotel. Housing-insecure families are in need of assistance with utility payments in order to keep their homes.
Need: Sponsor housing or utilities for a family with a monetary donation. Make checks payable to St. Vincent de Paul Alameda County Aid to the Needy and mail to 2272 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94612. Attn: John Sterns
Contact: John Sterns 925-323-5848, jsterns@svdp-alameda.org
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Since 1964, St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County (SVdP) has been serving vulnerable neighbors in need with compassion and love – seeing the face of Christ in those we serve. During the holiday season, SVdP volunteers, “Vincentians,” step up their services to make the Thanksgiving and Christmas season special for struggling families. For many families in need, SVdP may be their only source of a holiday meal, warm clothing or gifts for their children.
Support is offered through SVdP’s Pittsburg Family Resource Center and 28 parish-based Conferences located throughout the county. SVdP’s holiday assistance serves more than 14,000 low-income residents each year. In addition to holiday support, SVdP also offers rental, utility and emergency assistance.
How You Can Help: We rely on the community to make these holiday programs possible. Current needs include: volunteers, grocery store food gift cards, warm coats and monetary donations
Ways to Give:
Online: Make a secure donation at www.svdp-cc.org
By Mail: Send checks to:
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County
Attn: Development Department
2210 Gladstone Drive
Pittsburg, CA 94565
By Phone to Donate or Volunteer: Contact b.boyle@svdp-cc.org, or 925-439-5060
Holiday Programs Your Support Makes Possible
- Free Thanksgiving Dinner (Nov. 27) at SVdP’s Free Dining Room in Pittsburg
- Thanksgiving & Christmas Holiday Food Baskets through our parish-based Conferences
- Warm Clothing & Gift Programs for low-income families and children
- Food Gift Card Program at the Pittsburg Family Resource Center
- One Warm Coat Drive
- Rental & Utility Assistance to help families stay safe and warm during the winter by preventing eviction and utility shut-off
WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED
“Walking with Moms in Need” is based at St. Francis of Assisi in Concord and provides education, training and support to parish staff and lay people to accompany parenting mothers in need. We connect moms to local resources and journey with them to assure that no one is alone.
Need: We welcome monetary donations, as well as your talents in creating supportive tools for our ministry.
Send checks to: 2121 Harrison St, Suite 100, Oakland, CA 94612 Attn: Kiona Medina. Please make checks payable to “Life and Social Justice Ministry” and write “Walking with Moms in Need” in the memo line.
Contact: Kiona Medina kmedina@oakdiocese.org