There are lots of opportunities to participate in Autumn Giving.  If you’d like, I can serve as a conduit for your generosity or, in holiday language, we can make elves of ourselves.

Journey to New Life, a ministry that assists incarcerated people to reenter society, is receiving lightly used winter coats for adult men and women.  If you have one (or more) to give, I will deliver it there for you.  Local school districts are also conducting drives for children’s winter wear: coats, hat, gloves, scarves, etc.  Food pantries at my inner-city parishes and college campuses are dispensing Thanksgiving meals and groceries.  Besides holiday foods, the regular staples are needed: canned vegetables and fruits, healthy cereals, peanut butter, beans, tuna, pasta, etc.  Most international students remain on campus for Thanksgiving and would be overjoyed with a holiday care basket.  If you would like to drop off any of these food or clothing items between now and Thanksgiving at my garage—301 East Santa Fe Trail, across from Avila’s campus—I will take them to the appropriate places.

If you gather with family members this Thanksgiving and, during holiday conversation, ponder an upcoming gift exchange and/or outreach to less fortunate people, I can assist you to connect with a social agency that gives Christmas gifts to poor citizens and, in some cases, connect you directly with a needy family.  If you are willing to assist on a larger scale and might be willing to help with less attractive matters, the boiler at Saint Therese busted earlier this month and will need to be replaced at a cost of around $80-100,000.  With cold weather hitting soon, your contribution will be greatly appreciated by worshippers there.  Meanwhile, Saint James Parish continues its daily outreach at nearby bus stops to provide warm items to commuters, as well as its “between the cracks” ministries that help homeless people who usually get overlooked.  They also operate a Thrift Store (Troost 39) that resells items you no longer want or need, which can become wonderful holiday gifts for others.

If you are retired from a healthcare or social work field and would like to assist at the Little Flower Senior Center, we could use your assistance Mondays-Wednesdays, 10:30-2PM.  If you are in the legal profession (active or retired), the Neighborhood Justice Center at Rockhurst/Saint Francis Xavier would welcome your contribution as it helps urban residents navigate various judicial conundrums.  KC Shepherd’s Center, which provides services to senior citizens, is looking for drivers willing to take meals to shut-ins; you can take one day of the week or many in which you would pick up and deliver a meal.  We can usually find a place for any professional or non-professional service that someone is willing to offer.

My residence will serve as a drop off spot for any donation you can make or, if you’re located closer to these sites, you may want to take them directly to witness the good works happening there.  Working together we can do much to help many of our brothers and sisters.