Service and Outreach – Page 16 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Telling the Story Part Two: Jeremiah, Jackie, and Walter

This week, let’s turn to the individual stories of those who live in the shadows and whom the BHCHP seeks to help and share in God’s grace. There are many paths to homelessness including mental health, discrimination, addiction, and violence. However, many of us are surprised that the faces of the homeless often hide that they were once in a home and only a crisis or breakdown away from turning their lives upside down…

Jackie moved back and forth between Boston and North Carolina before she found herself a single parent with two children, no affordable housing and despondent with her choices. Fortunately, she found the St. Mary’s Center shelter and met the BHCHP Family Team who treated her family like their family – with the human self-worth they deserved. They watched her children while she went to interviews and went back to school. Jackie now works for the BHCHP as a medical assistant paying forward to those who come in despair and in need of a comforting welcome…

Telling the Story Part One: About Boston Health Care for the Homeless Project

The St. John-St. Paul Collaborative Service Commission has chosen the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) as the beneficiary of our 2022 Collaborative Lenten Gift. We would like to tell you a little bit about this inspiring organization.

In July 1985, a small group of 7 professionals led by Dr. James O’Connell banded together to launch dedicated and coordinated clinical services for homeless people. This was the beginning of Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP). More than just providing medical care to the homeless in Boston, they implemented a broad approach bridging medicine, public health and social services…

JCRC Webinar: Our Community’s Afghan Resettlement Work – Thursday, February 3 at 12:00pm

Our community has watched the scenes coming out of Afghanistan – the thousands of Afghans, many of whom laid their lives on the lines for allied forces – desperately trying to flee perilous conditions and escape to safety. And many of us have wondered, “what can we do to help?” Join the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) to learn more about how we work with our partners to build an infrastructure to welcome Afghan immigrants. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Featuring Temple Emanuel’s Rav Hazzan Aliza Berger, JCRC Director of Synagogue Organizing Rachie Lewis, and St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative’s Kelly Meraw…

POWIR Update

Our recent arrivals have settled into the apartment and are doing well. They are 3 wonderful, enthusiastic young adult men. They have already made friends with other young men from Afghanistan living in the same apartment complex. A great community is developing.

Catholic Charities is working on the documents they need such as work permits. Jewish Vocational Services will be providing free English classes and career counseling. Our team will be tutoring them, taking them grocery shopping, doing banking and other errands, teaching them how to use the T, and more!

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Twice a month, all the POWIR leaders in the area get together for information exchange and support. One of those leaders is trying to create a document of job opportunities in the greater Boston area that all of the refugees could benefit from. For example, they have identified an events company that wants seasonal workers. If you know of any job opportunities, please contact Mary Campion…

POWIR Update: Our New Residents Have Arrived!

Our POWIR team is pleased to announce that our new residents have arrived. Three wonderful young adult men are now settled in the apartment. Two of them speak English very well and were in the midst of university studies in Afghanistan. They would like to resume these studies once their English skills reach that level. They are polite, enthusiastic, grateful, and very engaging young men. They play soccer and volleyball and are very interested in American culture.

The team is looking for people who could take them on outings such as bowling, sightseeing in Boston, hiking, or other entertainment. They will need to learn things such as how to ride the subway. If you are interested in helping out and meeting these new, very engaging young men, please contact Mary Campion.

POWIR Update: Exciting News!

Our POWIR Team has exciting news to share about the Afghani refugee family our Collaborative has been supporting. On Sunday, January 9 the family departed for California, where they are relocating to be closer to their immediate family who have

Thank You from “Spirit of Sharing” for St. Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence

Thank you for so generously giving and volunteering to brighten Christmas for the 342 boys and girls chosen as beneficiaries of this year’s Spirit of Sharing, Lawrence, program. Although many of the parents of these children, often first-generation, work two to three jobs, they cannot afford to meet rent, utility, grocery and school-related expenses and also provide Christmas gifts to their sons and daughters. This year’s effort, a hybrid of online and in-person giving of items and funds, was challenging in light of the pandemic, but yielded an abundance of presents and good will. We believe this was the most robust year of giving since Spirit of Sharing’s beginnings at the turn of the millennium…

“Spirit of Sharing” Gift Collection for St. Patrick Parish in Lawrence

For over two decades, a group of St. John-St. Paul parishioners and St. John School families has organized a collection and distribution of Christmas gifts for children struggling with poverty and hunger in Lawrence. The Spirit of Sharing, is co-sponsored by Saint Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence under the leadership of Fr. Paul O’Brien. The program benefits hundreds of people in that community who lack the financial means to provide their children with Christmas gifts. Thank you to Fr. Jim Laughlin for his abiding support of Spirit of Sharing over the years and to all parishioners for your participation…

POWIR Update: Meet the Family!

On Friday, November 19, we welcomed with joy a beautiful Refugee Family from Kabul, Afghanistan. Iqbal (dad), Khatol (mom), Shahzad (2 year old boy) and Huda (1 year old girl) are settled into their home in Boston. Iqbal is eager to begin the process of finding a job, and with his solid English skills and strong work ethic, we are confident he’ll be employed quickly!

We can not thank you enough for your generosity in contributing to their resettlement efforts…

They’re Here!

Our POWIR committee is overjoyed to share with you the arrival of the Afghani family we will be supporting in the coming year. They arrived at Logan Airport on Friday afternoon at 4PM. Mom, Dad, 2 year old boy and 1 year old baby girl are happily settled into their new home in Boston. Our housing volunteers worked tirelessly on Thursday and Friday preparing a warm and welcoming home for the family thanks to all of your generous donations.

We are still gratefully accepting financial contributions to their resettlement efforts, and any volunteer support you feel prompted to give. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for making this massive contribution…