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2020 Bishop de Goësbriand Appeal for Human Advancement

Posted on by Vermont Catholic

Vermont Catholic Charities Inc. has awarded 18 grants totaling more than $25,000 through The Bishop de Goësbriand Appeal for Human Advancement.

“Given the impact of Covid-19 on the daily lives of Vermonters, the Parish Social Justice Committee [that awards the grants] decided that this year’s awards are going to agencies which provide direct aid to clients with focus on food, shelter and emergency financial assistance,” said Mary Beth Pinard, executive director of Vermont Catholic Charities. “We recognize the importance of the work all the nonprofits which applied due in their communities, but given the immediate assistance individuals and families need, we made the decision to focus on basic needs.”

Funding for the program comes from the Ash Wednesday collection. Along with supporting these grants, the collection supports the work that Vermont Catholic Charities does, including emergency aid and prison transition assistance.

Moving forward, the grant program will have an area of focus each year. The Parish Social Committee will determine that focus and this information will be announced in the fall along with deadline and award dates through vermont-catholic.org and Vermont Catholic Charities’ Facebook page.

Receiving 2020 grants are:

Emergency Aid

Community Emergency Relief Volunteers (Northfield Falls) Funding will be used to provide emergency aid.

Joseph’s House (Burlington) Funding will be used to provide emergency aid. Joshua House (Derby) Funding will be used to provide emergency aid.

Food Assistance

Addison County Community Action — HOPE (Middlebury) Funding will be used for food assistance and emergency aid.

Faith in Action (Cabot) Funding will be used for food assistance to help those in need in the Northeast Kingdom and Washington County.

Good Beginnings of Central Vermont (Montpelier)Funding will go toward food assistance.

Martha’s Kitchen (St. Albans) Funding will go toward food assistance.

Meals & Wheels of Greater Springfield (Springfield) Funding will go toward food assistance.

South Burlington Food Shelf (South Burlington) Funding will go toward food assistance.

St. Brigid’s Kitchen (Brattleboro) Funding will go toward food assistance.

St. Brigid’s Pantry (Brattleboro) Funding will go toward food assistance.

St. Peter’s Parish/Vergennes Rotary Club (Vergennes) Funding will go toward food assistance.

Homelessness and Emergency

ShelterANEW Place (Burlington) Funding will be used to serve the homeless and provide emergency shelter.

Committee on Temporary Shelter (Burlington) Funding will be used to serve the homeless and provide emergency shelter.

John Graham Housing (Vergennes) Funding will be used to serve the homeless and provide emergency shelter.

Samaritan House (St. Albans) Funding will be used to serve the homeless and provide emergency shelter.

Spectrum Youth and Family Services (Burlington) Funding will be used to serve the homeless and provide emergency shelter.

Upper Valley Haven (White River Junction) Funding will be used to serve the homeless and provide emergency shelter.

—Originally published in the Summer 2020 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

 

 

2020 Advent Appeal

Posted on by Mary Beth Pinard

This year marks the 26th year of Vermont Catholic Charities’ Advent Appeal. On behalf of the thousands of individuals and families that have been helped, thank you for bringing the joy and hope of the Advent season to those in need.

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior into our world, we ask you again to join Vermont Catholic Charities Inc. in answering the call to show our love and compassion for Vermonters in need of emergency assistance by making a gift to the annual Advent Appeal.

The “Season of Giving” has no bounds for people in need. At Christmastime and throughout the year, it is a daily struggle for many Vermonters to maintain housing, stay warm or feed their families. This year the need is even greater as the Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the vulnerability of the population we serve and brought new families to us for help. We ask you, please, to help people in crisis, especially the most vulnerable among us — children, struggling parents, the elderly and the sick.

Help people like Tom feed his children. Tom is a single father of two teenage boys; he works full-time, so he is not eligible for food assistance. Due to Covid-19, his sons were home full-time. They ran out of basic food items before his next paycheck. We helped Tom with food cards to ensure they would not go hungry.

Help people like Molly and Jimmy keep the heat on. They have a 10-year-old daughter and were excited to welcome a new baby. Unexpectedly, Molly lost her job due to Covid-19 while Jimmy’s hours were reduced. They were out of fuel. We helped with a fuel delivery and provided a food card to ensure the family had heat and food so they could focus on welcoming their new baby.

These are real people, and with your support we can assist people just like them, our neighbors in need. Your gift helps us to continue to show God’s love in concrete ways.

Last year, thanks to your generosity, we assisted more than 1,600 adults and 1,300 children through the Advent Appeal and our Emergency Aid Program.

We ask for your prayerful consideration of a donation to this year’s Appeal; every gift — whatever the size — makes a difference. Please support this worthy effort by sending a check to Vermont Catholic Charities, 55 Joy Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403 or giving online at vermontcatholic.org/ adventappeal.

On behalf of Vermont Catholic Charities and all the Vermonters you will help this year, thank you.

May you have blessed Advent and Christmas seasons.

— Mary Beth Pinard, Executive Director, Vermont Catholic Charities Inc.

Christ Our Hope Campaign Update

A portion of the funds raised through the Christ Our Hope: Building a Vibrant Church campaign supports these types of ministries through the faith formation fund established in the Vermont Catholic Community Foundation. This will ensure stable income for vital faith formation ministries, especially in times of crisis. To learn more about the campaign or make a gift online visit: www.christourhopevt.org.

23% As of November 4: $2,321,808 Goal: $10,000,000

—Originally published in the Nov. 14-20, 2020, issue of The Inland See.

 

 

2019 Christmas Masses

Posted on by Vermont Catholic

If you will be celebrating the Nativity of the Lord in the Diocese of Burlington, there are many Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses to pick from. The below link lists Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses around Vermont in alphabetical order by the city or town where the church is located. If a church is not included, please contact that church directly for Mass information. You can find contact information for parishes by using the Parish/Mass Time Finder.

Browse Mass locations and times here: 2019 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses.

 

2019 Bishop deGoesbriand Grants awarded

Posted on by Vermont Catholic

Vermont Catholic Charities Inc. has awarded 24 grants to non-profit organizations that make meaningful differences in the daily lives of individuals and families throughout Vermont.

Funding for these grants was made possible through the generosity of those who donated to a collection on Ash Wednesday at Catholic parishes throughout Vermont.  Mary Beth Pinard, executive director of Vermont Catholic Charities said, “Because of the financial support from Catholics from throughout Vermont, some of the most vulnerable members in our communities will receive critical support and services. We at Vermont Catholic Charities thank all those who participated in the Ash Wednesday collection. What a wonderful expression of our faith — to serve others.”

Since 2011, Vermont Catholic Charities has awarded 230 grants totaling more than $488,000 to Vermont nonprofits that support critical needs in their communities including housing, food, pro-life and emergency assistance.     

The Bishop deGoesbriand grant provides support to Faith in Action’s work to decrease hunger and food insecurity in the Northeast Kingdom and Washington County. “We are sincerely grateful for your continued support as we work to feed the needy in our area,” a representative commented.

Joshua House received a grant to provide emergency aid to clients in the Northeast Kingdom.  One client said, “Thank you so much. You are an angel from heaven sent from God to help others.”

With help from the deGoesbriand grant, HOPE was able to ease the challenge and stress of poverty for more than 3,000 people in Addison County. “Thank you for the generous grant. Your support has a tremendous impact on our ability to respond to the needs of some of the most vulnerable populations in Addison County. Thank you for your continued commitment and support to our community,” a representative commented.

Last year more than 250 students at the Catholic Center at the University of Vermont prepared and served dinner at the Salvation Army. “We greatly appreciate the grant as it helps the students reach out to those less fortunate in our community. Students experience that we are called to serve less fortunate and encounter Christ in them,” said someone associated with the project.

This year the following organizations received grants totaling $54,860:

ANEW Place ($3,500) Burlington

Funding will support the services the agency provides to adult homeless men and women.

Aspire Together Inc. ($1,000) Burlington

Funding will be used to implement the Choose Life Marketing program.

Cancer Patient Support Foundation ($3,000) Williston

Funding will support the emergency fund which provides financial support for cancer patients and their families while they are in treatment.

The Catholic Center at UVM ($1,500) Burlington

College students at the University of Vermont will use funding to shop, cook and prepare dinners for the poor in Burlington and take the food to the Salvation Army to serve the meal.

Champlain Valley Birthright ($1,500) Burlington

Funding will be used for advertising to increase community awareness of Birthright’s services and to making themselves known to any woman who is ambivalent about her pregnancy.

Committee on Temporary Shelter ($1,500) Burlington

Funding is for support of the COTS Daystation program which serves as refuge from the streets for men and women experiencing homelessness and help people stabilize their lives in times of crisis.

Community Asylum Seekers Project ($2,000) Saxtons River

Funding will be used to provide basic needs to a guest family in the process of seeking asylum.

Community Emergency Relief Volunteers ($4,000) Northfield Falls

Funding will be used to purchase a commercial refrigerator and to purchase food for the food shelf.

Faith in Action Northern Communities ($3,000) Cabot

Funding will support food purchases and food transportation costs to help those in need in the Northeast Kingdom and Washington County.

Good Beginnings of Central Vermont ($1,860) Montpelier

Funding will be used to support low-income families through the Free Carrier Program and the emergency fund.

Grateful Hearts ($1,000) East Dorset

Funding will be used to purchase a reconditioned stove and commercial vacuum sealer so the agency can continue to provide healthy prepared meals to families in need.

Greater Falls Warming Shelter ($3,500) Saxtons River

Funding will help agency’s mission is to provide a safe, warm overnight shelter during the winter months for those in need.

Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity ($1,500) Williston 

Funding will help build affordable and energy-efficient homes for low-income working families.

Addison County Community Action (HOPE) ($3,000) Middlebury

Funding will support the organization’s Essential Services Program which provides vital assistance to those unable to meet their own basic needs for food, shelter, heat and medical care.

John Graham Housing and Services ($3,000) Vergennes

Funding will be used to help fund a part-time case manager who will work with homeless families with children.

Joseph’s House ($2,000) Burlington

Funding will be used for the purchase of two new computers to support the work of staff and clients.

Joshua House Inc. ($3,500) Irasburg

Funding will be used to support clients in the Northeast Kingdom who need financial assistance with basic needs like food, rent, fuel, transportation, electricity etc.

Martha’s Kitchen ($3,000) St. Albans

Funding will help sustain expanded hours of operation to include weekends and senior meals program.

Our Place Drop In Center ($1,500) Bellows Falls

Funding will be used for food purchases for the food pantry.

Spectrum Youth & Family Services ($2,500) Burlington

Funding will support the agency’s Basic Needs and A Stable Home programs to help homeless and vulnerable youth address immediate and critical needs.

St. Brigid’s Kitchen ($2,000) Brattleboro

Funding will be used to continue to serve meals to those in need in the Brattleboro community.

St. Brigid’s Pantry ($1,000) Brattleboro

Funding will support the Take-A-Bag Program and the holiday food program which serves the less fortunate in St. Michael Parish and in the Brattleboro area.

St. Peter Parish – Vergennes Rotary Club ($1,500) Vergennes

Funding will help provide afternoon snacks and evening meals to children of the Boys and Girls Club of the greater Vergennes area.

Upper Valley Haven ($3,000) White River Junction

Funding will help with cost of operating the seasonal shelter which is open during the winter.

—Originally published in the Summer 2019 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

2019 Advent Appeal

Posted on by Mary Beth Pinard

This year marks the 25th year of Vermont Catholic Charities Advent Appeal. On behalf of the thousands of individuals and families helped, thank you for bringing the joy and hope of the Advent season to those in need.

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior into our world, we ask you again to join Vermont Catholic Charities, Inc. in answering the call to show our love and compassion for Vermonters in need of emergency assistance by making a gift to the annual Advent Appeal.

e “Season of Giving” has no bounds for people in need. At Christmastime and throughout the year, it is a daily struggle for many Vermonters to maintain housing, stay warm or feed their families. is Advent Season, please help people in crisis, especially the most vulnerable among us — children, struggling parents, the elderly and the sick.

Help people like Kate secure housing. Kate was a single working mother of three children. For safety reasons she needed to move. We helped her with rent to ensure she and her children would not become homeless and could be in a safe environment.

Help people like John and Lisa keep electricity and heat on. John and Lisa were raising their two-year-old grandson despite Lisa being quite ill. Due to Lisa’s illness and caring for the grandson, they fell behind on their utility bills. We helped them avoid the disconnection of utilities so they could stay safe and warm.

ese are real people, and with your support we can assist people just like them, our neighbors in need. Your gift helps us to continue to show God’s love in concrete ways.

Last year, thanks to your generosity, we assisted more than 2,000 adults and 1,500 children through the Advent Appeal and Emergency Aid Program.

We ask for your prayerful consideration of a donation to this year’s Appeal; every gift — whatever the size — makes a di erence. Please support this worthy e ort by sending a check to Vermont Catholic Charities, 55 Joy Drive, South Burlington, Vermont, 05401 or giving online at vermontcatholic.org/ adventappeal.

On behalf of Vermont Catholic Charities and all the Vermonters you will help this year, thank you.

May you have blessed Advent and Christmas seasons.

— Mary Beth Pinard, executive director, Vermont Catholic Charities

—Originally published in the Nov. 16-22, 2019, issue of The Inland See.

2,000 pierogi

Posted on by Cori Urban

The parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in West Rutland worked together to make almost 2,000 pierogi and sold them at the West Rutland Block Party Sept. 14. “It was a wonderful experience to share our culinary heritage with so many customers from Rutland County,” said parishioner Mary Reczek.

A Vermont Catholic story last year detailed the pierogi-making operation at St. Stanislaus Church. It follows:

Eight-year-old Madylin Hayward drew what seemed like a collective gasp from the pierogi makers at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church hall when she said she had never eaten one of the Polish dumplings.

“Today’s the day!” Joan Burgess exclaimed, eliciting laughter and words of encouragement from the women and bringing a smile to the child’s face.

Madylin and her grandmother, Marianne Hayward, sat at one of the white tables that formed a large rectangle for the pierogi operation Aug. 17. Unlike her granddaughter, Hayward had eaten pierogis before and “loved them,” but making them here was a first for the pair. “I do [make] all the other Polish food,” Hayward said. “I came for her because she wanted to come.”

Madylin was the only child who attended the second day of pierogi making at the church hall along with more than a dozen women and one man.

They made 470 sauerkraut pierogis; the week before volunteers had made 400 of cheese and potato.

Asked how they like to eat the pierogis, Barbara Trepanier said there is “only one way: with butter and onions.” Some like the pierogis pan-fried crispy, while others like them softer.

The smooth dough — made of eggs, flour and cream cheese — was prepared at the home of one of the volunteers early in the morning then brought to the church hall in zipper bags. Ceil Scott said it’s easier to make the dough with a food processor than it used to be by hand.

At the church hall, the dough was rolled, cut, filled (with about an ounce of filling), pinched, boiled, packed and frozen — all “with love” said Leona Razanouski: love “for the parish, everybody that buys the pierogis and for everybody.”

Parishioners will sell the pierogis at the town block party at the West Rutland town hall on Sept. 15 from 5 to 9 p.m.: $5 for a half dozen, $10 for a dozen. They also will be featured at the parish’s Polish meal on Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. at the St. Stanislaus Kostka parish hall. All funds raised go to the parish.

The pierogi makers have fun during the four-hour pierogi party, making the hundreds of dumplings, talking, laughing telling stories, speaking in Polish and even singing some songs in Polish; “Happy Louie” songs are among the favorites. (Happy Louie, leader of the Happy Louie and Julcia’s Polka Band, received a Grammy nomination for Best Polka Album in 1995.)

Judy Bender was one of the pinchers, pressing the edges of each pierogi tightly to seal them so when boiled, the filling did not escape its doughy cocoon. “The rollers are the real technicians,” she said. “They have to make sure the dough is not too thin and not too thick. You’ve got to have it rolled just right.”

“We are building community by being together and doing God’s work for the church,” said Mary Nemeth, as she rolled dough. “It’s about being together.”