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LOVE Provide Help COVID-19
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LOVE - Provide Help in response to COVID-19
Opportunities to provide help and hope to our neighbors in need, especially the most vulnerable, the poor and the elderly.
How You Can Volunteer and Provide Support
The Catholic Foundation
Financial Assistance to Parishes for Food Pantries
The Catholic Foundation’s Catholic Emergency Response Fund to provide immediate and flexible assistance to parishes within the Diocese of Columbus that are receiving financial requests from parishioners due to the spread of COVID-19. This fund will provide financial assistance to food pantries sponsored by the Diocese of Columbus to purchase food. The fund has been seeded with $250,000 from the Foundation and is accepting donations from those who also want to help our Catholic community. 100% of donations go towards helping our Catholic parish families and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. - learn more.
Diocesan Sponsored Catholic Charities
The following Catholic agencies and ministries need your help through dedicated prayer, safe volunteering, and generous financial support.
Catholic Social Services
Senior Companion / Foster Grandparent Program Phone Support (Franklin County) – to reach out to low-income, elderly, and socially isolated them twice a week to check on them and to coordinate additional care, if they need it. The CSS team will train and support you in this project. Front Desk Phone Support – As the pandemic progresses, they anticipate more of their clients and the public will be calling. Their phone line would NOT be forwarded to you. Rather, you would check the voice mail, return calls, and take a note about the calls. CSS’ team would train you! If you can help with either program, complete a volunteer application at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X7ZHS3R.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Center (Columbus), volunteers are needed to: Sort food, stock shelves, and act as a personal shopper for our clients. Needed items include sugar, salt, oil, canned vegetables, tuna fish packed in water, dry black and pinto beans, cleaning supplies and toiletries. Contact Alma Santos at 614-340-7061 or asantos@colscss.org.
Consult Website for Updates of Catholic Social Services' services and needs during COVID-19, www.colscss.org.
JOIN (Joint Organization for Inner City Needs)
J.O.I.N. responds to people in need with emergency material assistance. J.O.I.N. serves nearly 70 families each day with almost every problem imaginable, from birth to death.
Consult Website for Updates: www.columbuscatholic.org/join
Call: 614-241-2530
St. Francis Evangelization Center
St. Francis Evangelization Center (Vinton County) serves men, women, and children in an effort to easy the pain of poverty. They provide food to area residents. Financial support is welcome to purchase food items. Physical Address: 404 W. South St., McArthur, OH 4565. Mailing Address: PO Box 318, McArthur, OH 45651 Call: 740-596-4316 Email: ariegel@columbuscatholic.org
(740) 596-5820
Consult Website for Updates: www.facebook.com/StFrancisOutreachCenter
St. Stephen's Community House
St Stephen’s Community House (Columbus), has seen an increase of 50% of families visiting our pantry from approximately 30 different zip codes. They continue to make sure their seniors can safely shop for groceries, and for those that are home-bound have access to food. Their most critical need is funding to provide for the increased demand for food. To donate, go to: https://www.saintstephensch.org/donate/
Consult website for updates: https://www.saintstephensch.org/all/news/our-response-to-covid-19
St. Vincent Family Center
Each year St. Vincent Family Center serves thousands of children and families living in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in central Ohio. St. Vincent's specializes in pediatric behavioral health. Families will struggle like never before amid the coronavirus. To make a financial donations send to: St. Vincent Family Center, 1490 E. Main Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205 (614) 252-0731 | www.svfc.org
Other Catholic Ministries
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Provides food, clothing, housing and spiritual support to people in need. SVDP operates in parishes many with food pantries across the diocese, a daily lunch line at St. Lawrence Haven in Columbus, a clothing center in Columbus, a shelter and transitional housing in Newark, thrift stores in Lancaster, Newark, Marion, and Columbus and many other ministries.
Consult Website for Updates: https://www.svdpcolumbus.org/assistance_programs
Please support your parish St. Vincent de Paul Conference as well.
ARCH (Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope)
ARCH assists returning citizens, the formerly incarcerated, as they integrate back into society.
Consult Website for Updates: www.archreentry.com
Regional Needs
Please email Erin Cordle at ecordle@columbuscatholic.org to add additional regional needs when identified. Please identify the county/counties included in the region.
Together Ohio - Ohio's Response to COVID-19
Every Ohioan has a part to play in helping save lives. For many, this will means staying at home. For others it will mean taking care of the most vulnerable. If you are interested in helping your fellow Ohioans. learn more
Blood Donations Needed - American Red Cross
The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Healthy individuals are urged to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood. Make an appointment: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive
American Red Cross - Ohio Buckeye Region
The Ohio Buckeye Region of the American Red Cross relies on volunteers to help with their mission of relieving human suffering by preventing, preparing for, and responding to emergencies. The American Red Cross, Ohio Buckeye Region processes all volunteer applications and conducts volunteer training for 45 counties in northwest, central and southeast Ohio. If you have questions, please contact: Jordan Tetting, Regional Volunteer Services Officer, 614-251-1782 or Jordan.Tetting@redcross.org .
County Meals on Wheels (Franklin County)
Meals on Wheels programs continue to navigate daily adjustments for COVID-19 precautions. Their highest priority is maintaining the most critical basic services for those who need daily food and care, while making necessary changes to modify or temporarily suspend non-critical services. Volunteer and program updates are ever-changing, contact LifeCare Alliance; www.lifecarealliance.org/referral/; 614-278-3130.
Mid-Ohio Food Collective
Volunteer opportunities are available to help meet the food needs of our local community. Mid-Ohio Food Collective continues to mobilize new strategies, approaches and options in connecting food to our hungry neighbors during this public health threat. To learn more on how to help, visit https://www.midohiofoodbank.org/covid-19/
The Mid-Ohio Food Bank is partnering with Columbus Public Schools and the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to students and their families throughout the month of April. If you are able to help, please click here to sign up: http://produce.mofb.volunteerhub.com/
Back in His Arms Again
Believing that every life is precious and deserving of respect, Back In His Arms Again honors life from conception until death. They are a charitable organization of collaborative resources providing education, care, guidance and financial services for families in need who are experiencing the loss of a child as well as those providing care. They are experiencing a dire and unprecedented need for donations. The number of calls for assistance they have received has greatly increased over the last several months. March, alone, proved a record-breaking month as we served 135 families in their time of need. To make an online donation, or for information on where to mail a check, please visit their website: https://backinhisarmsagain.com/
Bottoms Up Diaper Drive
Bottoms Up provides diapers to low-income babies and will provide them to any parish in the diocese. No state or federal child safety-net program allocates dollars for diapers. They are beginning to distribute adult diapers (in a really small way) and that is going to increase since our population is aging and there are a predictable number of poor among them. They have never had to turn a partner away for lack of inventory, but they ask that parishes be prudent and request only what they need and not horde diapers or wipes. For more information, go to https://bottomsup.life.
40 Days for Life Virtual Vigil
Pray and hour in the Greater Columbus Right To Life’s Virtual Vigil as part of 40 Days for Life. learn more. | Virtual Vigil Sign Up
Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service
The 25th anniversary year of Evangelium Vitae gives us a wonderful opportunity to assess, expand, and communicate resources to pregnant moms and families in need. USCCB is inviting parishes to join a nationwide effort from March 25, 2020 to March 25, 2021 entitled: “Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service.” - learn more.
International Humanitarian Assistance
Catholic Relief Services
CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and a member of Caritas Internationalis. Help CRS respond to the coronavirus pandemic around the world as they serve the poorest among us. www.crs.org
Coronavirus Response Webpage (Catholic Diocese of Columbus)
- Bishop Brennan's Messages
- Basic Information about COVID-19
- FAITH - Spiritual Resources & Self Care
- HOPE - Get Help
- LOVE - Provide Help
Questions or Suggestions
Email:
ecordle@columbuscatholic.org
Office for Social Concerns, Catholic Diocese of Columbus