John McDonald
Catholic Social Services in Southern Nebraska, Hastings Regional Director
Everyone is called to love. Everyone is called upon to give of their time, talents, and treasures for the benefit of others. On May 4th, Hastings will celebrate this call to charity and raise awareness of local nonprofits to improve the quality of life in Adams County through Give Hastings Day, a community event sponsored by the Hastings Community Foundation. We encourage financial support.
Hastings Catholic Social Services is one of 108 organizations and projects participating in this fundraising marathon.
I liken CSS Hastings to a hidden gem, but it’s no small gem. CSS Hastings employs his four full-time staff and his ten part-time staff, with more than 100 volunteers who put in more than 10,000 hours a year to help him run eight major programs. increase. They include:
■ Last year, our Family Support Services program provided 1,500 customers with $115,000 in financial assistance, 400 food boxes, and other in-kind items.
– Our Open Table program, a volunteer staffed ecumenical program, handed out 34,000 sandwiches from our front door.
– Our food collection and distribution program redistributed 175 tons of food.
– Our recycling program recycled 60 tons of clothing.
– Over 20,000 encounters in the St. Joseph Gift and Thrift Store.
– Our furniture pickup and delivery program has helped 62 households and made over 200 business trips.
– St. Janna’s program helped women escape domestic violence.
But these statistics pale in comparison to the relationships our staff and volunteers have forged with the people we meet. Our caseworkers regularly pay our clients’ bills, provide food and clothing, and do the necessary and noble work of bringing hope to our clients. It is the spiritual hope that the Spirit can bring.
A caseworker recently walked with one of St. Gianna’s clients who, after a long history of abuse, is on the road to health and well-being. A caseworker took our client to Mass on a recent Sunday evening.
I couldn’t be more proud. This is what Catholic Social Services is all about. This is the type of love Catholic Social Services brings to the Hastings area. We bring Christ to our communities one sandwich at a time, one meeting at a time, one delivery at a time, one relationship at a time increase.
Donate by May 4th at www.givehastings.org/catholicsocialservices or mail a check to the Hastings Community Foundation at our office at 333 W. Second St. Hastings.
