On any given day, 66,000 people in Southeast Texas experience the pain of hunger and have no food. 5,000 of these are children. Our Programs that Nourish the Hungry are counting on volunteers and donors to offer assistance to those in need. There are many ways to help through these programs:
SJV Community Garden:
Our volunteer gardeners plant and harvest vegetables in our Community Garden, which are in turn given to Magnificat Houses. Commitment: Weekday mornings or Saturdays, Fall and Spring. For more information, please contact the Social Services Ministry office at 281.497.4434 or email the Social Services Volunteer Coordinator.
SJV at Ballard House
Social Services is teaming up with the Ballard House, and our goal is to provide a monthly dinner to their guests on the fourth Monday of every month.
The Ballard House supplies free lodging and free meals to its guests for up to 90 days, while they visit the Houston or Katy area for medical treatments. Guests usually have chronic medical problems, such as cancer or other grave diseases, and the Ballard House is a beautiful facility where they can stay and encounter the love of Christ when far from home.
SJV parishioners can help make a difference by donating their time and providing a meal for the guests. In addition to serving them with warm food, you can also be Christ’s hands, feet and face to them through kind words and loving smiles. The Ballard House is located at 21421 Cinco Park. Katy, TX 77450.
For additional information or to sign up, contact the Social Services office at 281-497-4434 or email the Social Services Volunteer Coordinator.
SJV at Casa Juan Diego:
SJV’s Social Services provides a monthly service opportunity for parishioners at the Casa Juan Diego hospitality house for women and children. You will have the opportunity to assist the staff with different tasks and needs of the house such as making food bags for distribution, preparing hospitality kits, bagging food items, or organizing an activity for the children and/or the women in the house. This can be a rewarding service opportunity for the whole family or for you and your child/children!
Casa Juan Diego is a Catholic Worker community committed to serving immigrants, refugees and the poor. The original House of Hospitality for immigrants was founded in 1980. Today, the Houston Catholic Worker community manages 9 houses throughout the Houston area to meet the many different needs.
There is a maximum of six volunteers per Saturday, including minors.
Per Casa Juan Diego’s protocol, all volunteers must be vaccinated and must wear a mask while inside the building. Parents must stay with their children at all times if they are younger than 16 years of age.
To review available slots and to sign up, please click here.
SJV at Loaves & Fishes:
Parishioners are invited to help prepare and serve meals to the homeless and the needy every Thursday or one Saturday of the month at Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen. Loaves & Fishes is Houston’s largest soup kitchen and serves over350 hungry people downtown with a free hot lunch daily. It is operated by the Catholic charitable organization known as Magnificat Houses Inc.
This is an amazing opportunity for those with free time during the week and for families and friends to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We meet at the SJV parking lot and carpool or caravan to the downtown location.
Review available slots and safety protocols and sign up for the Thursday shifts here and for the Saturday shifts here.
SJV Pantry:
In preparation for the move to our new home, the SJV Caritas Center, and so that our former site can be transformed into Nazareth Hall and welcome our youth this fall, the SJV Pantry has temporarily closed. We are not currently taking donations or new volunteers.
SJV’s Assistance Ministries continue to help those in need in our community, albeit in a modified manner. Obtain additional information here, or call 281.497.4434
We look forward with hope and joy to reopening in our new home! As Pope Francis reminds us:
“Christians never doubt that actions done with love go on to generate joy, that joy is the sister to hope and is capable of breaking down the barriers of fear and opening doors on to a promising future…” A Future Filled with Hope!
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35)