Serving Others - Sharing the Love

The Mission of St. John's Outreach

We believe our hands-on work and our financial contributions are making a meaningful impact on those less fortunate. We look forward to continuing to share God’s love and blessings abundantly and joyfully in the years ahead!

Join the Outreach Team

We welcome new members to the team and also ideas on how to raise more money for outreach. If you're interested, please contact us!
Jib Martens
Kathy Thornton
outreach@stjohnsross.org

Featured Outreach Partnerships

Our commitment to supporting these organizations includes gifts of grant money as well as volunteer labor from parishioners.

Rotating Emergency Shelter Team (REST)

In concert with churches throughout Marin, St. John’s is providing and serving a meal for up to 40 homeless men on Thursday nights at the Quest church in southern Novato.  We need volunteers to help with cooking (mostly at St. John’s), serving, greeting and general support.  The program runs through mid-April.  If you would like to volunteer email rest@stjohnsross.org or sign up here [link to schedule page: http://www.stjohnsross.org/shelterschedule]

 

Gilead House in Novato
Gilead Houseprovides housing and support services forsingle motherswho commit to life-changing goals on a path towards independence. In July of 2011, Gilead House opened a new residence in Novato providing housing for 6 women and their children. St John's contributed to this project with a financial grant.

Mill Street Shelter
The fourth Monday of every month, St John's volunteers provide the food for a meal at the Mill Street Center in San Rafael. Under the direction of a coordinator, you can sign up to bring a main dish, sides, drinks or desserts, which are then delivered to Mill Street. To sign up,click here.

Food Drive for Ritter Center
Bring nutritious food to the barrel in the back of the church or Sunday School for delivery to the Ritter Center in San Rafael.

e-Script Program
Sign up for e-Script. It costs you nothing, but stores like United Markets, give a percentage of your purchases to St. John's. Proceeds from this program support our outreach efforts.www.escrip.com

Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA)
We provide support for this program which helps women and children suffering with AIDS in Malawi, the poorest country in the world.www.thegaia.org

 

How we helped in 2011

  • Rotating Emergency Shelter Team (REST). In partnership with First Presbyterian in San Anselmo, St John's hosted 40 homeless men every Tuesday night last winter.
  • Open Table.  Working with St. Anslems and First Presbyterian to staff a ‘table’ to help a person in transition out of poverty
  • Last winter's Coat Drive donated over 250 winter coats plus rain gear and sleeping bags
  • Our ongoing food drive operates all year long.  This year we are partnering with the Ritter Center.
  • Volunteers at St John's prepared and delivered a meal once a month to Mill Street Center.  A homeless shelter in San Rafael providing overnight stay for 50 adults.
  • In April our Easter Baskets program delivered 80 overflowing gift baskets to seniors.
  • St John's Christmas Giving Tree delivered 90 gifts to elderly residents of the Pineridge Care Center in San Rafael.
  • For our Sister Parish, St John's (Salima, Malawi), we raised money to help fund part of a new school.
  • "A Christmas Memory" performance and Tour de Noel of December 2010 raised over $15,500 for 2011 Outreach Grants (see below). We hope to raise $40,000 from ourTour de Noel Weekendin 2011.
  • In May our annual Rummage Sale raised over $16,650 to fund our Outreach Grants (see below)

    Outreach Grants made in 2011

    For a brief description of the service that each of our grant recipients performs, click here.

    A Home Away From Homelessness
    Food/Housing/Education
    Bay Area
    Disadvantaged kids/families

    Art From the Heart                                                                                                                   Education                                                                                                                                                                   Marin                                                                                                                                                          Disadvantaged kids/families

    Canal Alliance
    Food/Health & Safety/Education
    Marin
    Disadvantaged kids/families/adults

    In Touch Ministry
    Spiritual Development
    Marin
    Christian Development/Seniors

    Family Service Agency of Marin
    Health & Safety/Education
    Marin
    Women/kids/families

    Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA)
    Health & Safety/Education
    Global
    Int'l Aid/Development / Disadvantaged kids/families

    Gilead House
    Housing/Health & Safety/Education
    Marin
    Disadvantaged women/families

    Homeward Bound of Marin
    Food/Housing
    Marin
    Disadvantaged adults

    Image for Success Clothing
    Marin
    Women/Self Reliance

    Marin Community Food Bank
    Food

    Marin
    Disadvantaged adults/kids/families

    Northern Light School
    Education/Health & Safety
    Bay Area
    Disadvantaged kids/families

    Project Amigo
    Food/Education
    Global
    International Aid/Developmt

    Ross Valley Ecumenical Housing Assoc
    Housing
    Marin
    Disadvantaged Seniors

    Seeds of Learning
    Education
    Global
    International Aid/Development /Disadvantaged kids

    St. Dorothy's Rest
    Health & Safety
    Bay Area
    Disadvantaged kids

    The Cedars of Marin
    Food/Housing/Education
    Marin
    Disadvantaged adults

 

Outreach Beneficiaries

For a complete list of grant recipients in 2010, scroll to the bottom of this page. Each year we raise money to support local, national and global organizations including:
 
Kids & Families:
Home Away from Homelessness (Marin/SF)
Gilead House (Marin)
Homeward Bound (Marin)
Family Service Agency (Marin)
Canal Community Alliance (Marin)                                                                                                                              Image for Success (Marin)
Marin Community Food Bank (Marin)                                                                                                                         Art From the Heart
Northern Light School (Bay Area)

Adults:
Ross Valley Ecumenical Housing (Marin)
In Touch Ministry (Marin)
Cedars of Marin (Marin)
MGH Chaplaincy (Marin)

Int’l Aid and Development
GAIA (Global)
Seeds of Learning (Global)
Project Amigo (Global)



TO DO INSTEAD OF JUST TO PRAY
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end war; for we know that you have made the world in a way that humans must find their own path to peace within themselves and with their neighbors.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end starvation; for you have already given us the resources with which to feed the entire world if only we would use them wisely.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to root out prejudice; for you have given us eyes with which to see the good in all people if only we would use them rightly.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end despair; for you have given us the power to end hopelessness and poverty and to give hope if only we would use our power justly.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end disease; for you have already given us great minds with which to search out cures and healing, if only we would use them constructively. Therefore, we pray to you instead, O God, for strength, determination and will power to DO instead of just to pray, to BECOME instead of just to wish. AMEN.

- Jack Riemer, former chaplain to the Homeless


St. John's Ross
14 Lagunitas Ave. (at Shady Lane)  |  P.O. Box 217  |  Ross, CA 94957  |  (415) 456-1102     |     contact us