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Each of these ministries annually receives financial
support from St. Mary’s Outreach funds, while providing
opportunities for parishioners to volunteer within our
community.
•
ACTION (AIDS Care Teams In Our Neighborhoods) – A multi-faith program founded at St.
Mary’s in 1996, this program trains teams of volunteers
to help people living with HIV/AIDS who are isolated and
in need of friends and family. Each team consists of
10-14 people who provide pastoral care and practical
support for one person living with HIV/AIDS. ACTION now
has a separate 501(c)3 status but maintains its office
and conducts its workshops at St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s has
four Care Teams.
•
Adopt a Social Worker – Parishioners
collect clothing, furniture, food, holiday gifts, etc.
needed for local families.
•
Café Pacifica – This ecumenical program prepares and distributes food to local homeless and
low-income persons on Thursday nights. Parishioners and
the St. Mary’s Youth Group prepare and deliver the meal
for the picnic dinner on the first Thursday of each
month.
•
Cold Weather Shelter
–
Created by St. Mary’s in response to Laguna’s need to
provide shelter for the homeless, this ecumenical
program operates from December through March when it is
raining and/or the temperature is below 50°. Now
organized by the city of Laguna Beach, St. Mary’s, along
with other local churches, provides volunteers to serve
as hosts for the evenings, signing in, greeting and
assigning chores to the homeless. The location rotates
monthly among churches.
•
Laguna Beach
Community Clinic –
The clinic provides comprehensive,
affordable, quality medical and psychological services
that address the needs of those served, regardless of
their ability to pay. Started by parishioners at St.
Mary’s, many parishioners still serve on this program’s
board of directors and/or provide financial support.
•
Operation Brown Bag
– Parishioners prepare and deliver sack lunches for the
homeless in the Guild Hall kitchen on given days. This
ecumenical program also began at St. Mary’s.
•
Institute for Urban Research and Development (formerly
Episcopal Service Alliance)
– IURD is a faith-based social service agency of the
Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles serving Orange County.
IURD provides emergency short-term care to families,
seniors, and the disabled in crisis. Programs include
temporary housing assistance, utility assistance,
groceries, gas and bus vouchers, employment referrals
and encouragement. St. Mary’s provides volunteers to
stock shelves, drive vans, work with caseworkers in the
field, coordinate food drives and provide administrative
support.
•
Friendship Shelter
–
The Shelter provides counseling, support services and
life-skills training to homeless individuals through
transitional, rehabilitative and residential programs.
Founded in 1988 by members of St. Mary’s in response to
Laguna’s homeless problem, many parishioners volunteer
at the shelter, while several are board members.
Individually, parishioners donate money, food, clothing,
and necessities to this program.
•
Laguna Beach Resource Center
–
The Resource Center is an ecumenical program providing
low-income individuals and families with food, bus
vouchers, referrals to medical and mental health
facilities, and job seeking assistance, including
providing a telephone number and mailing address to
those in need. The Resource Center also serves at-risk
youths by providing mentors for high school students and
serves as an emergency disaster center for the
community.
•
La Playa Center – Started by a member of St. Mary’s and housed in the
Guild Hall until September 2004, volunteers assist
Monday through Thursday mornings to teach English to
Spanish-speaking parents and to provide child-care while
parents study. This program now operates out of the Boys
and Girls Club of Laguna.
•
Sally’s Fund
–This
program provides transportation and grocery services for
local senior citizens who cannot drive. |
