All Diocesan Articles

 

 

 

Backpacks for Back to School

Posted on September 10, 2022 in: School News, Catholic Charities News

Backpacks for Back to School

Backpacks Containing School Supplies or Weekend Food Distributed throughout the Community

I hope you all had a great summer and had the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine, a day at the shore, a fun family outing, or even journeyed to one of your favorite vacation spots. 

My husband, daughter and I enjoyed lots of beach days and barbecues. Now that the fall is approaching, I am sure many of your children and grandchildren are getting so excited for that first day of school. 

I remember shopping for school supplies with my mom, and picking out my favorite backpack, lunch box, new markers to create the perfect drawing for our refrigerator and grocery shopping with her to pick out my lunches and snacks. 

Saint Benedict said, “Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection.” Appeal can be defined as a serious or urgent request, typically to the public. 

Your prayers for our students are always appreciated, and so is your continued commitment to our ministries, which has been evident through your kind and generous gifts to the 2022 Annual Catholic Appeal. 

All of us, together, assist our ACA supported ministries with their good works as “One Faith, One Family.” 

Catholic Charities, an extremely important ACA supported ministry, collects backpacks and school supplies for families in need in New London, Windham, Middlesex and Tolland counties.  They also collaborate with Norwich Public Schools to help students who need supplies.  

Their clients sign up to receive a backpack full of school supplies for the new school year.  They love to see the faces of all the children when they get their new backpacks. 

One client was so happy to receive backpacks for her grandchild, and stated, “Thank you so much for all you do to help.”

Another incredibly important ACA ministry is Saint Vincent de Paul, Middletown. 

Peter Keast, Director of Special Programs, Community Relations and Development recently met with a Middletown High School special education teacher at their food pantry. She has been buying food for her students for years, spending hundreds of dollars each year on snacks like Pop Tarts and Nutrigrain bars.  She buys multiple cases of water every week.  She keeps a stock in her office, as she doesn’t have a classroom of her own. 

Dozens of students come to her throughout the week.  Two years ago, SVDP Middletown started a backpack program containing weekend food for students. The response was so positive that SVDP invited all of the seven public elementary schools plus St. John Paul II School in Middletown as well.  All signed up.  

At the end of the year, they were providing just shy of five pounds of fresh or shelf-stable weekend nutrition to 337 students, well over 1,500 pounds a week through the school system. All of the school administrators want them back this year, and surveys from parents are heartwarming. 

At St. Vincent de Paul Place, Middletown, they have a mission statement of only four words, which says it all: Meeting Needs – Offering Hope.  

God bless our students, teachers, faculty and staff as they begin the 2022-23 school year, and God bless you, our Annual Catholic Appeal supporters, for helping our ministries fulfill their missions and provide spiritual, educational and physical help to those in need. 

Our ACA supported ministries are certainly blessed to receive your generous assistance. Your financial support of the 2022 Annual Catholic Appeal along with your prayers continue to be extremely important to all of our ministries. 

To make a monetary contribution to our 2022 ACA “One Faith, One Family,” please go online to www.norwichdiocesedevelopment.org or contact Heather Harris, campaign manager, at (860) 886-1928 ext. 111. Thank you so much for your generosity. Stay safe and be well.

By Gina Foster


Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Employment Opportunity for an Executive Assistant
Xavier High School in Middletown is looking for the right person to fill the position of Executive Assistant to the Headmaster and Principal. Details can be found HERE.   To view other job opportunities Click Here

Read More

Three Miles Later

Posted on March 28, 2023 in: School News

409

Three Miles Later
Last Saturday I heard a homily about the importance of taking care of our bodies. Jesus chose to come through our human flesh. He proclaims that our flesh is good. God wants us to take care of our bodies. Listening to this homily, I immediately thought of all the folks running in the St. Joseph School 5k beginning at 9am later that day! What a good example!  Proud supporters of our beloved St. Joseph School in Baltic came out on March 25 to run in the school’s annual 5k fundraiser. Among the spectators were Sisters of Charity, St. Joseph School families and st...

Read More

Vocations, School, schools, events
To Love is to Serve: Xavier Dean of Students Puts His Faith in Action
Who knew that a young boy’s Catholic school education would solidify his career path in life? Especially when he really did not want to continue on to a Catholic high school as an adolescent.  But life has a way of redirecting us and showing us what is truly important. That is what happened to Nicholas P. Cerreta, dean of students at Xavier High School in Middletown.  After attending Mount Carmel Catholic grammar school in Meriden, Connecticut, from kindergarten through grade 8, Cerreta was ready to move on to a local public high school, but his mom had o...

Read More

Catholic Charities Impacts Community History Project
Three years ago, COVID-19 slammed into our lives, putting a stop to our daily experiences. Most affected were people living on day-to-day incomes. Neighborhood and community connections were in danger, caused by dire predictions of contagion. For many, their only connections were with the Catholic Charities offices in Middletown, New London, Norwich, and Willimantic. These offices never closed. Precautions were taken to keep safe both caseworkers and neighbors in need. Catholic Charities helped citizens in need in 2020 as it had served neighbors one-hundred years befo...

Read More

You Can Make a Difference This Easter Season
  Catholic Charities Providing Help & Creating Hope Since 1921   Easter is a time for celebrating joy, new life, and hope. Many of us will spend Easter surrounded by friends and family.  There will be love to fill our hearts and food to enjoy. However, for some this Easter is another day of hardship and longing for a positive change in life. Every day, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich, makes a difference in the lives of our neighbors who are on the edge of society. The goals of two agency programs, the Financial Empowerment Class a...

Read More

Knowledge is Power: Education at Any Age is the Key to a Better Life
Sir Francis Bacon is famous for saying, “Knowledge is power.” This quote is often used to relay the idea that having and sharing knowledge is the cornerstone of education and achievement. When it comes to finances, knowledge is simply not just dollars and cents. It is the ability to reason, set goals and achieve greater things.  Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich recognizes that financial empowerment is a path to greater stability and future success for the people in our community. It is not enough to just help individuals pay their rent or utilities...

Read More

Annual Catholic Appeal

ACA DONATE

English

 

Español

 

 
Signup for Weekly Newsletter


    Recently Added Galleries
    Click to view album: Rite of Election
    Click to view album: Mass of Ordination  for Fr. Jacob Ramos
    Click to view album: Mass of Ordination for Father Lawrence Barile
    Click to view album: Palm Sunday
    Latest Articles
    We Can Help. Promise to Protect-Pledge to Heal
    U.S. Bishops' President Asks Faithful to Pray for Pope Francis' Speedy Recovery
    You Can Make a Difference This Easter Season
    Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra to Give Palm Sunday Concert at the Cathedral
    Three Miles Later
    31 Chances for 31 Prizes - Help Those Facing Food Insecurity
    Holy Week Schedule of Masses - Cathedral of Saint Patrick
    Calendar of Events

    Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
    201 Broadway
    Norwich, CT 06360-4328
    Phone: 860-887-9294