Outreach

St George's is involved in many outreach operations, locally, nationally and internationally. Some we support financially, either with grants directly from the outreach budget or with appeals for goods or money from the congregation; and others we support with our time and talents.

"I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 
~Matthew 25:36

Each of the titles below are click-able links.

Some of our Outreach Activities

Aid for Friends - a local organization which supports frail and elderly shut-ins in the Philadelphia area with free home-cooked meals delivered by volunteers. We meet three or four times a year to put together meals for up to 80 individuals. Our next Cook-In will be on Sunday, October 30.

St. Barnabas Mission - We collect supplies the first Sunday of every month for St. Barnabas Mission, a shelter for homeless families run by Episcopal Community Services (ECS); and also collect winter coats as the temperature drops.

Menz Fit and Career Wardrobe - The women of St George's support The Career Wardrobe with donations of office or interview worthy clothing and accessories for disadvantaged women in the Delaware County area. We have recently begun collecting men's clothing too, to donate to MenzFit, a similar organization.

Good Works - Last year we started working with this local organization that helps families in Phoenixville and Coatesville with household repairs. Our next workday is October 8.

Ayuda Community Center's Community Arts Program - A recent cause that we have taken up in West Philadelphia, which provides after school and in school support for disadvantaged children by providing them with access to forms of artistic expression.

Torrey House - In our congregation we have a number of the residents of a local home for people with physical, behavioral, or cognitive disabilities. Torrey House specializes in working with individuals who have schizophrenia and similar serious mental illnesses. Three times a year the Outreach Committee puts together a basket of food, games and magazines which we deliver to Torrey House.

Tommy's Gifts for Kids - Last Christmas we donated hundreds of gifts to this organization founded by one of our outreach members to provide children undergoing cancer treatment with gifts to make their hospital visits more bearable. This ministry was inspired by Tommy Ricci, a seven year Leukemia survivor.

Episcopal Community Services
The Outreach Committee provides financial to support to the ECS and the programs they manage throughout the Delaware valley.

Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council
The Outreach Committee provides financial support for Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council a community-based organization dedicated to preventing suicide, reducing the stigma associated with suicide, and supporting those people affected by depression or by the loss of a loved one to suicide through education and support.

Ardmore Food Pantry
Parishioners volunteer at the Ardmore Food Pantry, run out of St Mary’s Episcopal Church in Ardmore.

Marta-alicia Lucas Lopez

St. George is sponsoring Marta-alicia in our companion diocese of Guatemala through the organization Childreach (Plan USA).

Marta-alicia was born on January 3, 2006 to Javier and Juana Lopez.  She has three older siblings - Benito, Laura, and Gladis, and one younger sister, Mercedes.  Their living conditions would be considered sub-standard by most Americans; her family must walk to a neighbor's house (less than 1 km away) to obtain clean drinking water, and the nearest health facility is 30 minutes away. Thankfully, Marta-alicia has not had any major illnesses, and has received her basic vaccinations. She is a beautiful and healthy six-year old girl!

Click here to read more about the area where Marta-alicia lives in Guatemala.

If you would like to write to Marta-alicia and her family, we know they would love to hear from you, a member of her sponsoring church!

Please contact the church office to obtain Marta-alicia's contact information; for privacy reasons we do not wish to publish it here.

By supporting St. George's Outreach Committee, you are helping to make a HUGE difference in the life of a child, who though she is thousands of miles away, is ever present in God's sight.

"Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’" 
~Matthew 19:14

More Outreach Opportunites

Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)
Last year we began partnering with St Mary's, Ardmore to help provide dinner and overnight hosts for homeless families served by the IHN in our area.   St. Georgian's volunteer 4-5 times per year to help this valuable ministry, and we can always use new volunteers.

 Seamen's Church Institute
We donate money regularly to the Seamen's Church Institute in Philadelphia, which provides spiritual, legal, financial and social support to seafarers anchored in the ports of Camden and Philadelphia. Last Christmas we filled "ditty" bags which we gave to the Seamen's Institute to distribute over the holidays. We are currently setting up a knitting group to work on making wool hats to go in the "ditty" bags in future.  Our adjunct priest, Fr. John Kim, was very active as a SCI Chaplain prior to his retirement.

VOSH International
Parishioners donate old pairs of glasses to Vosh International, a charity which seeks to transform lives throughout the world through the gift of vision.

 Peter's Place
The Outreach Committee provides financial support to Peter’s Place, a center based locally that provides support and counseling for grieving children and families.

The Clinic
Our Lenten project this year will involve collecting items for The Clinic in Phoenixville. Since 2001, the staff and volunteers of The Clinic in Phoenixville have served the uninsured and underinsured with low-cost or free medical care. They offer primary medical care as well as a variety of medical specialties and addiction and nutrition counseling.