Social Action Committee
“who is my neighbour?” Luke 10:29
Through the Social Action Committee, Blessed Sacrament parishioners offer food, clothing, shelter and other requirements of daily life to people who need them.
How You Can Serve
As a volunteer, you have many options. You can attend meetings, act as a liaison, telephone people, drive them in your car or help them petition for assistance. Our volunteers are called on to be discreet and sensitive.
When To Volunteer
You can volunteer to join our Committee at the Breakfast of Possibilities, a Parish event held in September. But if you wish to contribute right now, call Jim Ovens, the Committee's Coordinator. You can contact him through the parish administration office at 613 232 4891.
Committee Areas of Operation
The Social Action Committee operates in the following areas: (link each of the bullets to the corresponding subhead)
- Food
- St. Vincent de Paul Activities
- Immigration and Refugee Affairs
- Development and Peace
- Christmas Hamper Program
- Parish Outreach
Food
Blessed Sacrament is a member of the Centretown Churches
Social Action Committee (CCSAC). Every year, CCSAC's 24 area Christian
churches provide emergency food and employment assistance to about
10,000 people.
When you drop off food in the bins in the Blessed Sacrament foyer, you help us help those who rely on CCSAC. Parishioner Murray MacLeod delivers to CCSAC the food we collect. Blessed Sacrament also provides money to CCSAC.
St. Vincent de Paul Activities
In emergencies, parishioners and others turn to Blessed
Sacrament for clothing, furniture and other household goods. Blessed
Sacrament carefully considers each request. We can respond by giving
vouchers for the St. Vincent de Paul Society's Wellington Street store.
When you give to this store, you support the work of our parish. Recently, a severe shortage of infant and toddler clothing led to a generous response from parishioners. Parishioner Marsha Skuce is the Committee Liaison with the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Immigration and Refugee Affairs
Blessed Sacrament's has helped new migrants and refugees since
the 1970s. Then, our parish sponsored a family from Cambodia whose
members became Canadian citizens.
Today, we are in regular contact with the Catholic Immigration Centre. We have offered financial and other forms of assistance to help new migrants settle into new lives here. If you can help, please contact Jim Ovens.
Development and Peace
Blessed Sacrament helps the needy in the developing world
through the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace
and the annual Share Lent collection.
We also help when crisis strikes. For example, when the Boxing Day Tsunami devastated countries in Southeast Asia, Blessed Sacrament parishioners collected $19,000 for relief efforts. Contact parishioners Charlene Jackson and Maryester Gonzalez to learn how you can help.
Christmas Hamper Program
Once, needy parishioners received turkeys or gifts of food and
clothing. These days, parishioners are encouraged to give gift
certificates or cash, which can be used to buy gift certificates.
This approach permits those in need to make their own choices. The response has proved outstanding and generous. Jim Ovens is your committee contact if you can help with this program.
Parish Outreach
Blessed Sacrament parishioners support the work of a growing
list of social service organizations at home and abroad.
Over the years, the parish has raised money for a school in the Democratic Republic of Congo, palliative care in Ottawa's Maycourt House, the work of the Youville Centre, a home and resource for single mothers, and for Parkway House, a facility that allows physically disabled adults to live independently.
We are currently entering into an agreement with Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that builds affordable housing. If you would like to help, please contact Elizabeth Rock or Marina Caron.