"Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could." St. Gregory Nazianzen

As of mid-October 2010 Parish Outreach initiatives extending beyond the Our Lady of Peace Parish
     community to the greater Clintonville and Columbus communities as voted by Parish Council   include:
                                      1) the Clintonville Community Resource Center (CRC)
2) the Open Shelter Ministry, and
   3) the St. Vincent de Paul Ministry.

     Part of the Catholic way of life is service to others. If you are looking for ways to give your time,
     talent, and/or treasure please peruse this page regularly where opportunities will be found.
The Clintonville Community Resource Center (CRC), for example, has a list of needs
     and requests that changes every week or two.
     
    

CLINTONVILLE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER (CRC)

14 W. Lakeview Avenue (couple of blocks south of E. North Broadway on High Street)
614-268-3539          http://www.ClintonvilleCRC.org   
business hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.  Tuesday & Thursday until 7:00 p.m.

     CRC's Mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in the Clintonville-Beechwold
     community in the best tradition of Settlement Houses.Through the generous support of our
     caring citizens and businesses we provide assistance through our food pantry, child and
     youth programs, senior services, and kinship care program. CRC is a helping hand during
     hard times and works to help individuals and families become self-sufficient. 

     Note: requests involving volunteer time require a background check and fingerprinting by
               CRC. If you have had a background check and fingerprinting for Protecting God's Children,
               then this may be substituted as long as you give CRC a copy for their files.

     Most current general and critical needs will be found at 
                                                     http://www.clintonvillecrc.org/dcms/aggregator/categories/2
    
Posted April 8, 2012:
1)  A new client who is a 55-year-old grandmother is raising 4 grandchildren and needs help with a bill. She works at a part-time job and had to buy a bunk bed when she received the children last year. She owes $70.24 for the bunk bed and if she got help with this she would be able to afford other items she needs for the children. If you would like to help her, please contact Lu with Kinship Care at CRC lz.kinship@clintonvillecrc.org or 214-6347. Thanks so much!

2)  I am working with a family who has 6 children and they are in need of a washer and dryer. If you are able to help, please contact me at charlotte.law@clintonvillecrc.org

3) I am working with a grandmother raising her 4 grandchildren. They are moving into a new home and are in need of a refrigerator for it. Please contact Charlotte.Law@clintonvillecrc.org

4) I am working with a grandmother who is raising her 17 year old granddaughter and she is in need of assistance with high school graduation and college admission fees. The family has applied for and been granted financial aid for the granddaughter to go to college, but the current fees are unobtainable as the grandmother is on a fixed income. Please contact me at charlotte.law@clintonvillecrc.org

5) I work with a lady who is unable to sleep in a regular bed due to pain. She would like a recliner that she could sleep in with her feet propped up---she's currently sleeping in a wooden rocker! If you have a recliner that is in good condition that you would like to donate, please contact Savannah at savannah.turner@clintonvillecrc.org. Please note, assistance moving the recliner would be needed. Thank you!                

 OPEN SHELTER MINISTRY 

     A group of twenty-five to thirty-five parish families prepare, transport, and serve dinner monthly to
     150-175 homeless guests---men, women, and children---at the Broad Street United Methodist
     Church in downtown Columbus, intersection of Broad and Washington. This takes place
     the second Thursday of the month from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
     Most Pressing Need: new families/individuals willing to join our team and prepare a complete
     dinner. 4-6 families/individuals would be great; they would need to be willing to cook every month
     12 months a year, or every other month 6 months a year.

     Bonus items needed : New families/individuals willing to supply what we call bonus items like
     fresh vegetables (cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks and garden vegies in summer) and
     fresh fruit like apples, oranges and bananas. Or large containers of sour cream, or grated
     cheese, or tortilla chips, or bags of Fritos, or large jars of pickles&/or olives, or jars of 
     peanut butter and jelly. The non-perishable donations could be placed into a box at the back
     of the church in the Gathering Space. Perishable items need to be dropped off @ OLP parking lot
     4:50-5:00 p.m. 2nd Thursday of the month.

     For those who don't want to cook, you can help by purchasing paper goods, bonus food items, 
     or make a monetary donation. 
     Letter for those interested in volunteering
     To help in any way, contact:
                                             Veronic Milam Garrity     614-268-6626     vgarrity@columbus.rr.com

ST. VINCENT de PAUL MINISTRY

     The Our Lady of Peace Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides food, clothing, and emergency
      assistance to those in need.
      Needed are new members to support the current 12 active members.
      Needed your financial support given in quarterly church collections...

      Needed people to help make sandwiches for St. Lawrence Haven Food Pantry downtown
                    (families with children are welcome to help) usually 15-30 minute time commitment
              3rd Sunday of the month in the School Cafeteria after 8:30 a.m. Mass
              4th Sunday of the month in the School Cafeteria after 10:00 Mass
                                            Please contact Judy Leahey at 459-8925 for additional information
       Needed canned food donations 365 days of the year
               taken to St. Ladislas Food Pantry Reeb Ave Columbus' Southside
               leave canned items back of church sanctuary between confessionals any time
                                                       special food collections during Advent and Lent

      Needed household goods and small appliances annually third Sunday of May
           Items go to the Bishop Griffin Center located at Christ the King Church East Livingston Ave.
           Recipients include unemployed, low income, recent immigrants, and fixed income seniors.

      Needed good, clean used clothing for the annual collection each fall.
            Items go to the St. Francis Center in McArthur, Ohio.

          Contacts: Ron Wehner  614-262-3784, 
                            Judy Leahey  614-459-8925       leaheyracing@yahoo.com 
                            Barbara Gentile   614-846-5105       BJAG@columbus.rr.com
                            Ann Milem   614-451-7217        armilem@yahoo.com