From Turkey giveaways to "Friendsgiving" celebrations, the holiday season is a busy time for Catholic Human Services' three agencies: Catholic Social Services (CSS), Catholic Housing and Community Services (CHCS), and Nutritional Development Services (NDS).
The proposed Saint Katharine Drexel Place will serve eligible seniors aged 62 and older with 48 one-bedroom housing units. (Photo: Catholic Housing and Community Services) At the end of October, residents of Northeast Philadelphia were invited to a community meeting to learn about Catholic Housing and Community Services’ (CHCS) proposed Saint Katharine Drexel Place. Saint Katharine Drexel Place will serve eligible seniors aged 62 and older with 48 one-bedroom housing units, six of which will be fully accessible for persons with disabilities. There will also be a rich continuum of on-site supportive services including case management, health services, and recreational activities. Supportive services will be provided by CHCS through its extensive network of collaborative partnerships. The 52,000 total square foot development includes the renovation of an existing three-story friary building that housed the friars who taught at Archbishop Ryan for decades, along with new construction of a three-story
(Photo: Bishop Shanahan High School) For almost three decades, Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (NDS), has hosted its holiday food drive to counter hunger in the five-county area during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Last year, approximately 20,000 pounds of non-perishable food was collected through this effort. “The Holiday Food Drive is a great way for schools to support their local communities during Advent and Christmas,” says Denise Hopkins, Administrator for the NDS Community Food Program. “We are grateful to all the schools who participate and help those in need!” As a critical component of this hunger relief effort, NDS is partnering with Parish and Regional Elementary Schools and Archdiocesan High Schools throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area. NDS is also once again sponsoring its “Alternative Christmas Cards” program. This initiative aims to provide an alternative to individuals and families who wish to send non-secular Christmas cards
Bucks County Family Service Center recently held a giveaway event to provide Thanksgiving meals for families in their PC-IRU program, a case management program for Ukrainian newcomers. Over 100 families received a turkey and a gift card to Mary’s Cupboard, the food pantry that operates out of the center. The case management initiative is a 3-month program that allows Ukrainian newcomers to receive help and guidance. This includes assistance with applying for Social Security cards, obtaining an employment authorization card (EAD), applying to receive cash assistance, school enrollment, English language training, and registering for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In addition, clients will also receive enhanced cultural orientation to learn about U.S. laws, culture, and the community.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of the month, St. Edmond and Star Harbor Senior Community Centers, operated by Catholic Housing and Community Services, hosted special events throughout a designated week in October. Activities included wearing pink all week and crafts designed to bring awareness to the disease. In addition, center breast cancer survivors and those currently battling were recognized and honored.
Nutritional Development Services (NDS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia celebrated National School Lunch Week which took place October 9-13, 2023. The fun and creative campaign theme, “Level Up with School Lunch,” highlighted the importance of a healthy school lunch to student success in and out of the classroom. “Recent research shows that many children are getting their healthiest meals at school. National School Lunch Week highlights the benefits of the meals available daily,” said Lizanne F. Hagedorn, Executive Director of NDS. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) offers students fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and milk as part of every lunch. Evolving federal nutrition standards ensure that these meals are age appropriate for calorie levels while limiting both unhealthy fats and sodium. The program plays an important role in improving children’s diets and combatting food insecurity. Hagedorn added that National School Lunch Week is an opportunity to learn more
The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence (DGDP), a ministry of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS), marked the feast of their patron, Saint Luigi Guanella (Don Guanella) with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Tuesday, October 24. Most Reverend Joseph L. Coffey, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for Military Services, was the principal celebrant and homilist. Men and women served by The Communities of DGDP as well as their families and caregivers were in attendance for the prayerful occasion. Supporters and benefactors of the program were also invited to participate. In honor of Saint Luigi Guanella’s feast day, Archbishop Pérez released a video message as part of the celebration this year. The Archbishop said, “Today, his legacy is central to the mission of The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence, a ministry of Catholic Social Services serving more than 400 men and women each day.
Senior community centers operated by Catholic Housing and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CHCS) offer opportunities for socialization, recreation, physical exercise, education, and nutritional support with a focus on overall health, wellness, and independence. The centers feature a broad spectrum of activities such as art classes, trips, health education, nursing services, exercise programs, and wellness initiatives. At Norris Square Senior Community Center in North Philadelphia, a highlight for local seniors is their recently formed “Grupo Alegria”. The center is one of five operated by CHCS as part of its continuum of care to older adults throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region. As a large contingent of those benefitting from the center come from the Hispanic community, specific efforts are made to provide programs that are aligned with their cultural experience. In July 2022, Norris Square Senior Community Center formed the group as a forerunner to participate in the
“Camp Rainbow” is a longstanding summer initiative of St. Edmond’s Home that provides activities, outdoor games, and special events tailored to the varied needs and abilities of its campers. Located in Rosemont (Delaware County), this Catholic Social Services (CSS) ministry is an Intermediate Care Facility for children with severe and profound intellectual and physical disabilities. Loving and compassionate staff provide an exceptional range of services and quality care for medically fragile children and young adults ages 6 weeks to 21 years. Since 1997, Camp Rainbow has offered full day programming Monday through Friday not only St. Edmond’s residents but also children from the local community with similar disabilities. At the start of camp, each camper, counselor, and staff member are assigned to a group. Each group has their own unique color and each participant receives a camp t-shirt in the color of their group. This summer, approximately 50 campers
Nutritional Development Services (NDS), an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is currently hosting its Summer Meals Program. This vital initiative ensures that children and youth aged 18 or younger throughout the Greater Philadelphia area have access to wholesome, nourishing meals at no cost when school is out of session. This year, NDS’ theme is “A Summer of Kindness” to coincide with its “Operation Kindness” program. This program provides partnering summer meal sites with activities to encourage children and youth to think and act with kindness. While training hundreds of sites to operate the USDA funded Summer Meals Program, NDS provided various materials so that the site managers can encourage kindness among the children. “The goal is not only to focus on kindness through the span of an activity, but also to encourage kind thinking and ongoing kind behavior” says Dave Stier, Assistant Director of Community Relations for NDS. To kick
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