Parish Outreach

SOUP KITCHEN AT SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE

St. Joseph Parish has been assisting the St. John’s Soup Kitchen on Bellemeade about four times per year for many years. We on those on the fifth Sunday of the month on those months that have five Sundays. We supply the food and workers to cook, serve and clean up the dishes on the last Sunday of each five-Sunday month Our volunteers cover approximately one and a half hours to cook in the late morning and about two hours to serve and clean up in the early afternoon Three to four people are required for each “shift” and all ages are welcome. Brad Ruminer at 963-6987 has been serving as our parish coordinator for this effort. Contact him or the Parish Office for more information or to offer your help

PARISH BLOOD DRIVES

Each year our parish has offered our parishioners the opportunity to donate blood to the local Blood Bank. Normally we have had two blood drives. The first blood drive is usually coordinated by the Family Life Commission and is held in January. The second blood drive has been coordinated by the St. Anne Altar Society and has been held on Mother’s Day. As time and need dictates, other blood drives are scheduled.

Click here to learn more about the Red Cross

MINISTRY TO ST. JAMES PARISH IN PLANE DU NORD, HAITI

For a number of years, St. Joseph Parish has joined in partnership with St. James in Plaine du Nord, Haiti. St. James Parish is located about ten miles south of Cap Haitian, on the Northern coast of Haiti.

Click here to learn more about our mission to St. James Parish

MARY MOTHER OF GOD MISSION

The mission of the Mary Mother of God Mission Society is to revive and serve the Holy Catholic Church in the Russian Far East. Our mission territory in Russia is centered on the city of Vladivostok, and we currently have five parishes staffed by three Latin rite priests, Fr. Myron Effing, Fr. Daniel Maurer, and Fr. Sebastian D' Silva. Fr. Myron and Fr. Daniel are also establishing a new Order of Canons Regular. Fr. Myron Effing is a son of St. Joseph Parish. He has been here to talk with the people of St. Joe about his work in Russia. Paul and Marlene Hasselbrink (sister and brother-in-law t Fr. Myron) in very active in coordinating the financial support of this work throughout the United States. Tom Folz, a member of our parish, is part of their speakers bureau and periodically travels to different parishes and/or conventions to speak about the work of the Mary Mother of God Mission Society.

Click here to learn more about the Mary Mother of God Mission

RIGHT TO LIFE

Through the years, our parish has been an active supporter of the Right to Life Movement.

This support has centered around the following:

January Respect for Life Month activities including the Right to Life March on Washington, D.C., each year on January 22, the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision.
Locally, people have been invited to attend a Sanctity of Life Mass usually celebrated on a Sunday preceding Jan. 22 at one of the Catholic parishes in the diocese.
Parishioners are invited to support the work of our local Birthright Chapter. This organization works provides support for unwed mothers. Each year, between Mother's Day and Father's Day, parishioners are invited to make financial contributions and or items for newborn babies.
Vanderburgh County Right to Life Banquet which is held sometime in April usually at the Centre in Evansville.

Click here to learn more about Birthright

Click here to learn more about Right to Life

ST. VINCENT dePAUL FOOD PANTRY

       Each week, we invite people to make donations of perishable food items to the St. Vincent dePaul Food Pantry, located at 809 N. Lafayette. That’s just off Columbia between Governor and Heidelbach.. This is the largest food pantry in Evansville which serves the largest number of needy families in the Evansville area. Throughout the year, especially at Thanksgiving, the children in our school and Religious education Program also take up canned food donations for the Food Pantry.

       In addition to this, there are also opportunities to their time working at the Food Pantry each week. They stock food items that have been donated, fill out orders for people and working with families who come for food. Our St. Vincent dePaul Coordinator's Office (located at the Food Bank) also serves as a clearinghouse for those people who request help on such things as medicines, utilities, gas, furniture. They call each parish when the people who come asking for help live within the parish boundaries of the particular parish.   Our parish has established a NEEDY FUND, to meet these kinds of requests. Parishioners are invited to make contributions to this NEEDY FUND by sending them to the Parish Office.

       Another opportunity to serve is through the Ozanam Family Shelter operated by the St. Vincent dePaul Society, the House of Bread and Peace located on 250 E. Chandler (812) 425-6754) and the United Caring Shelter. All these shelters invite people to volunteer their time and/or make donations of money, food, and personal hygiene items.

Click here to learn more about the St. Vincent dePaul Society in Evansville

Click here to learn about the Ozanam Family Shelter

ADOPT A FAMILY AT CHRISTMAS

         Each Christmas, Catholic Charities sponsors a giving program which pairs families in need with individuals, groups or businesses, who "adopt" a family's Christmas wish list. Those who choose to "adopt" the family(ies) are provided with specific information regarding clothing needs and sizes, as well as toys and household items that the family wants or needs. Each year over 200 families are blessed by the generosity of others through this program. Our program is unique in its mission to provide Christmas assistance that addresses the needs of the whole family, rather than just the children. If you are interested in "adopting" a family through this program, or if you would like to volunteer or donate, please contact Catholic Charities at 812-423-5456

Click here to learn more about adopting a family through Catholic Charities

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Over the years, St. Joseph Parish has participated in helping to build homes through Habitat of Evansville. This participation has included financial contributions and volunteers to help build homes. Each year there are opportunities to volunteer time and to offer financial contributions.

Click here to learn more about Habitat of Evansville

OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS

During the course of the year, parishioners are invited to be a part of various outreach efforts ranging from the United Way Campaign, Relay for Life, support of the House of Bread and Peace, Ozanam Shelter, and United Caring Shelter (by buying items needed for the shelters), the Adopted a Family Program (also sponsored by Catholic Charities which also serves needed families at Christmas time), the Coat a Kid Program.     Aside from these, there have also been occasions when we have responded to the needs of particular families in our parish who are facing financial needs. Two such times we have had spaghetti suppers to raise money for these particular families.