Connect with a Wish Coordinator(s): Joy Rios | 757.337.2657|[email protected]| Suzanne Desimone - [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To connect the wishes of children in foster care with the generosity of our community here in Virginia Beach.

Responsibilities: To work on item drives or events that support Connect with a Wish.

Helpful Attributes: A passion for children.

Commitment: One to two hours each month. Meetings periodically, as needed

Coordinator(s): Kristy Winfield | 757-496-7991 | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To better the lives of the homeless in our community through meals, toiletries and fellowship.

Responsibilities: To set up for meals, clean up, cook, serve or decorate. Any talent can be utilized.

Helpful Attributes: Friendliness and a willingness to serve the Lord.

Commitment: Varied -- from a few hours once a year to a quarterly breakfast.

Coordinator(s): Nate Trznadel | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: Twice each year parishioners are asked to donate food and money to restock shelves at the Star of the Sea Parish, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Courthouse United Methodist Church, and the Veterans’ House. Food is then distributed to those families who might otherwise go hungry.

Responsibilities: On designated weekends, handing out grocery bags and food item lists. On the weekend following collections, sorting and distributing the donations needed to sustain our neighbors in need.

Helpful Attributes: Ability to stand on your feet for an hour or more; willingness to work with others and take directions.

Commitment: One to four hours as your schedule permits. No training required; any meetings announced in the bulletin.

Holiday Outreach Coordinator(s): Mary Ann Simmons and Amy Musselman | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To provide warm clothing for the homeless and to provide Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts to the needy.

Responsibilities: To collect, sort and deliver clothing food and gifts, and to staff a table in the Commons to answer questions and distribute information.

Commitment: Help at your regularly-attended Mass during October, November, and December. Meetings are scheduled as necessary.

Meals on Wheels Coordinator(s): Dennis Hartig | 757-404-7953 | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To provide meal services to people in need, such as shut-ins, handicapped or people with short term needs due to an injury or illness.

Responsibilities: A team of two people who donate one scheduled day per month, to deliver meals (using their own vehicle) to the assigned areas of General Booth and Pungo.

Helpful Attributes: A warm smile and caring heart. This visit may be the only social contact the recipient has that day. Awareness to contact the parish main office if an emergency were to occur with a client.

Commitment: Two to three hours on the designated delivery day. Minimal training involved; any meetings announced in bulletin.

Coordinator(s): Megan Brassert | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To “Educate to Eradicate” the stigma still associated with mental illness.

Responsibilities: Along with our partners (Beach House and NAMI-VB), this ministry provides resources for the 1-in-4 local residents and their families affected by mental illness.

Commitment: Opportunity to attend locally-held classes and seminars, and to volunteer at various events; to be involved in letter writing campaigns; to participate in the annual NAMI WALKS held in Richmond; and/or to donate time at our table in September, as well as during the holidays.

Coordinator(s): Christina Echevarria | 757-635-5731 | [email protected] com

Goals & Purpose: To create baby quilts for donation to the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.

Responsibilities: To share knowledge, have fun, and meet regularly.

Commitment: Meetings every Wednesday afternoon for three hours in the parish activity room.

Coordinator(s): Barbara Firich | 757-301-3924 | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To provide educational information to the community regarding the sacredness and dignity of all human life.

Responsibilities: Voluntary participation in the trip to Washington DC for the March for Life; support to our local Hope4Life organization through a baby bottle drive; participate in 40 Days for Life prayer vigils at local abortion clinics in the spring and fall. Voluntary participation in additional prolife events in our area and in Virginia.

Helpful Attributes: Dedication to prolife issues, a strong desire to share your faith, and a love of family.

Commitment: Be available (at any of four Masses) for event sign-ups in the Commons before and after Mass for two events yearly. Some training required provided by prolife ministry; attendance at quarterly meetings announced in the bulletin and via prolife email group

Coordinator(s): Joy Catalano | 757.635.7679 | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To help the victims of domestic violence; to keep our parish aware of the needs of these persons; to direct anyone in our parish who might need this assistance.

Responsibilities: To participate in shelter make-over day; to staff tables in the Commons during our annual collection; help with SJA phone calls when parishioners want to donate to Samaritan House; sometimes to pick up and deliver donated items. To assist with Samaritan House ornaments for Christmas trees every year.

Helpful Attributes: A desire to help others and to collaborate with other volunteers at the shelter.

Commitment: One Saturday in the spring (8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) for shelter make-over. Two weekends in October to staff tables in the Commons before and after Masses. Occasionally, take donations to Samaritan House. No training required; any meetings announced via email.

Coordinator(s): Deb Dohmann | [email protected] 

Goals & Purpose: To participate in an interdisciplinary approach to feeding the hungry in Virginia Beach.

Responsibilities: To shop for food items, prepare lunches, and deliver lunches to your team leader.

Helpful Attributes: Availability of three Saturday mornings per year for preparation and delivery.

Commitment: Approximately 1.25 hours on three assigned Saturdays per year. No training or meetings are involved.

Coordinator(s): Tyne Iverson and Tamara Hagerman| 757.335.8575 | 757.705.4282 | [email protected] | [email protected] |

Goals & Purpose: Help vulnerable youth across Virginia Beach who need shelter, counseling, life-skills, and adult advocates in order that they can/will stay in school and return safely to their families. (Note: this ministry relies heavily upon monetary support, rather than volunteer assistance.)

Coordinator(s): Marisa Gallagher|  330.259.6571 or [email protected]                                     

Goals & Purpose: To bring joy and pleasure to the residents of Sullivan House through monthly birthday celebrations.

Responsibilities: As part of a team, you are asked to pick up the birthday cake, ice cream, and punch, to select music, or to organize games appropriate for the elderly.

Helpful Attributes: Be creative, friendly, outgoing, socially-skilled, and comfortable working with the elderly.

Commitment: Devote two to three hours per month at the Sullivan House location.

Meeting Schedule: As may be scheduled.

Coordinator(s): Donna Dore | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To provide supplemental food to Sullivan House residents twice a week to assist them with their nutritional needs. Residents are able to choose from a variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, deli, bread, and baked goods that they would not necessarily be able to afford on a weekly basis due to their low fixed income. In addition, excess food from Food Lion does not go to waste.

Responsibilities: Volunteers are responsible for picking up the food from Food Lion, delivering to Sullivan House, setting up/organizing food on tables, and assisting residents during distribution.

Helpful Attributes: Be able to utilize Sign-Up Genius calendar to sign up for dates when volunteers are able to assist.

Commitment: Tuesdays (North Community Room) and Thursdays (South Community Room). A total of 3-5 volunteers are needed every Tuesday and Thursday beginning at 9:00 am.

Coordinator(s): Art and Esther Sanchez | 757.288.3225 (c) | [email protected]

Goals & Purpose: To provide support, encouragement, and joy by sending packages to our troops overseas; to write notes of encouragement to troops who have been wounded or are transitioning back home. To collect donations for homeless veterans.

Responsibilities: To meet (typically) on a Saturday morning once a month (6-8 out of the 12 months) to create well-needed packages for our troops (including bag treats), pack boxes, write notes and cards, etc. There may be those times in which we will need to occasionally wrap “gifts”. Additionally, to share the great opportunity to bring joy to those serving our country by helping (2 weekends per year) to “work” at our table in the Commons.

Helpful Attributes: A willingness to support America’s troops by bagging, packing, wrapping and writing.

Commitment: Meet during our monthly packing events, typically in the spring/early summer, September, October, November, and December.