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Service Opportunities

“As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”

– Matthew 25:40

Our faith challenges us not only to acknowledge the dignity of each human person in our minds but also in our lives and hearts through the way we serve others. The following local service opportunities will allow students to put into practice the truths they have learned about the dignity of the human person during Respect Life Week. The opportunities are grade appropriate and correspond to the topics of the lessons. They can be completed as a class or individually.

Find Support

Find Support
Crisis Pregnancy Services
Post-Abortion Healing
End of Life
– Advance Directives
Adoption
Adverse Prenatal Diagnosis
Miscarriage
Healthcare & Infertility
Suicide & Depression

Learn More

Learn More
Abortion
Adoption
Assisted Suicide
Chastity
Pornography
Post-Abortion Healing
Same-Sex Attraction and Gender Theory
Medical Ethics

Get Involved

Get Involved
40 Days for Life
Walking with Moms in Need
Parish Life Leader Resources
– Parish Life
– Speakers
– Films
– Service Opportunities
– Advertising
– Yearly Event Guide
Pro-life Public Policy
Spiritual Adoption
Voter Education

Events

Events
Holy Innocents
Feminine Genius Brunch
March for Life
National Night of Prayer for Life
Witness For Life
Respect Life Month

Gospel of Life Week

Gospel of Life Week
Teachers and Parents
– Adoption
– Loving Our Neighbors
– Knowing My Value
– Life is a Gift
– Learning to Forgive
– Respecting Others
– Caring for Those in Need
– The Beginning of Life
– Celebrating Special Needs
– Overcoming Differences
– Receiving Mercy
– Immigration
– Life is Precious
– Dignity at Every Age
– Marriage
– Caring for Creation
DREs and Catechists
– Grades PK-3
– Grades 4-6
– Grades 7-9
– Grades 10-12
Topics
– The Beginning of Life
– Knowing My Value
– Adoption
– Respecting Others
– Receiving Mercy
– Immigration
– Loving Our Neighbors
– Life is a Gift
– Life is Precious
– Dignity at Every Age
– Learning to Forgive
– Caring for Those in Need
– Marriage
– Caring for Creation
– Celebrating Special Needs
– Overcoming Differences
High School Resources
Youth Ministry Resources
Service Opportunities

Grades PK-3 (listed by topic)

Loving Our Neighbor

Reconciliation Monday: Archdiocese

  • The Archdiocese of New York offers a full day of confessions in all parishes throughout the entire Archdiocese before Easter and Christmas.

Perpetual Adoration:

Life is a Gift

Orange County Right to Life: Orange and Dutchess Counties

  • Assemble “Blessing Bags” of small gifts or tokens of love that will be given to women visiting abortion facilities. The bags communicate care and love to each woman as well as providing an opportunity for a conversation. Groups, families, or classrooms can contact Right to Life to discuss materials needed and the procedure for assembling bags.
  • Contact: Wendy Wood, (845) 820-4366 or [email protected]

Sisters of Life: Rockland County and Manhattan, all ages with adult

  • Religious community dedicated to protecting and enhancing the sacredness of human life. Volunteer days are periodically held to support this mission and donations such as diapers are always appreciated.
  • Contact: Coworkers of Life, (646) 882-1087

Good Counsel Homes: Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester and Rockland Counties

  • Home for homeless, expectant, and new mothers to support them through pregnancy and motherhood. Contact your local organization to inquire about ways that individuals, classrooms, or families can serve or items that you can donate.
  • Contact: Sandra Jones, (201) 795-0637 or [email protected]

40 Days for Life: Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, Orange, and Dutchess Counties

  • Volunteers sign up for slots to pray and hold vigil outside of abortion facilities for 40-day-long campaigns twice a year.
  • Contact: Visit the website to find a campaign near you.

Learning to Forgive

Thrive for Life Prison Project: Manhattan

  • Donations are needed for prison libraries and Welcome Home care packages for individuals who have been released from prison. Find information about requested books, clothing, toiletries, and food on the website.

Forgiveness in your own life:

  • Write a letter or call someone to whom you need to offer forgiveness.

 

Caring for Those in Need

Diocesan food pantries and soup kitchens:

  • Contact your local food pantry or soup kitchen for information about donating food or volunteering.

Celebrating Special Needs

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding: Putnam County

  • Provides horse-riding therapy for individuals with special needs. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities for younger students and classrooms.
Immigration

Welcome Refugees to the US:

  • Contact your local refugee resettlement agency to ask if they would be open to your class making “welcome to the USA cards” or donating other needed items.

Honor immigrants of the past: Manhattan

  • Visit Ellis Island to learn more about the men, women, and children who made the United States their home from 1892 to 1954. If you can’t visit, explore their website to learn about the rich history of immigration in our country: https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

Caring for the Elderly

ArchCare: Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, and Dutchess County

 

Rosary Hill Home: Westchester County

 

Meals on Wheels: Multiple locations, all ages with adult

 

Citymeals on Wheels: Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, all ages with adult

  • Deliver meals to home-bound elderly individuals, help with meal preparation in a local senior center, or make holiday-themed or birthday cards to be delivered by volunteers. Anyone can donate cards; apply through the website to volunteer.
  • www.citymeals.org

 

Celebrate the beauty of old age in your own life:

  • Interview a grandparent or another elderly person in your life! Ask about their childhood, their family, and the lessons that they have learned in their journey through life. This interview can even be transcribed and preserved to contribute to your family history.

Marriage

Celebrate family in your own life:

  • Plan an activity or outing for your family!

Pray for marriages in your own life:

  • Write to religious community asking for prayers for the marriages of your family members and friends. There are so many religious communities that would love to receive your prayer requests; below are just a few.
  • The Dominican Nuns of Summit, NJ
  • The Dominican Nuns of Bronx, NY
  • Corpus Christi Monastery 1230 Lafayette Avenue Bronx, NY 10474
  • The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration

 

Caring for Creation

Nature preserves and parks:


Grades 4-6 (listed by topic)

Loving Our Neighbor

Reconciliation Monday: Archdiocese

  • The Archdiocese of New York offers a full day of confessions in all parishes throughout the entire Archdiocese before Easter and Christmas.

Perpetual Adoration:

Life is a Gift

Orange County Right to Life: Orange and Dutchess Counties

  • Assemble “Blessing Bags” of small gifts or tokens of love that will be given to women visiting abortion facilities. The bags communicate care and love to each woman as well as providing an opportunity for a conversation. Groups, families, or classrooms can contact Right to Life to discuss materials needed and the procedure for assembling bags.
  • Contact: Wendy Wood, (845) 820-4366 or [email protected]

Sisters of Life: Rockland County and Manhattan, all ages with adult

  • Religious community dedicated to protecting and enhancing the sacredness of human life. Volunteer days are periodically held to support this mission and donations such as diapers are always appreciated.
  • Contact: Coworkers of Life, (646) 882-1087 or Sr. Ann Catherine, [email protected]

Good Counsel Homes: Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester and Rockland Counties

  • Home for homeless, expectant, and new mothers to support them through pregnancy and motherhood. Contact your local organization to inquire about ways that individuals, classrooms, or families can serve or items that you can donate.
  • Contact: Sandra Jones, (201) 795-0637 or [email protected]

40 Days for Life: Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, Orange, and Dutchess Counties

  • Volunteers sign up for slots to pray and hold vigil outside of abortion facilities for 40-day-long campaigns twice a year.
  • Contact: Visit the website to find a campaign near you.

Learning to Forgive

Thrive for Life Prison Project: Manhattan

  • Donations are needed for prison libraries and Welcome Home care packages for individuals who have been released from prison. Find information about requested books, clothing, toiletries, and food on the website.

Forgiveness in your own life:

  • Write a letter or call someone to whom you need to offer forgiveness.

Caring for Those in Need

Diocesan food pantries and soup kitchens:

  • Contact your local food pantry or soup kitchen for information about donating food or volunteering.

Don Bosco Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry: Westchester County, 10+ with adult

  • Volunteers needed on weekday and Saturday mornings to help with food distribution.
  • Contact: Carmen Linero, (914) 552-9541 or [email protected]

Global Medical Relief Fund: Staten Island, 13+ or 1 adult for 5 kids under 12

  • Helps children from war-torn areas who come to the US for medical treatment. Volunteers might help with cleaning, yard work, or reading to the kids.
  • Contact: (718) 448-6984 ext. 103

Celebrating Special Needs

Best Buddies: Rockland County or anywhere for E-Buddies, 10+

  • Friendship program fosters one-on-one friendships between students with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) through group and individual activities. E-buddies program is a safe place online for these friendships to be built through a pen-pal program. Sign up through the website.

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding: Putnam County

  • Provides horse-riding therapy for individuals with special needs. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities for younger students and classrooms.

 

Immigration

Global Medical Relief Fund: Staten Island, 13+ or 1 adult for 5 kids under 12

  • Helps children from war-torn areas who come to the US for medical treatment. Volunteers might help with cleaning, yard work, or reading to the kids.
  • Contact: (718) 448-6984 ext. 103
  • https://gmrfchildren.org/

Welcome Refugees to the US:

  • Contact your local refugee resettlement agency to ask if they would be open to your class making “welcome to the USA cards” or donating other needed items.

Honor immigrants of the past: Manhattan

  • Visit Ellis Island to learn more about the men, women, and children who made the United States their home from 1892 to 1954. If you can’t visit, explore their website to learn about the rich history of immigration in our country.
  • https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

 

Caring for the Elderly

ArchCare: Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, and Dutchess County

Rosary Hill Home: Westchester County

Meals on Wheels: Multiple locations, all ages with adult

Citymeals on Wheels: Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, all ages with adult

  • Deliver meals to home-bound elderly individuals, help with meal preparation in a local senior center, or make holiday-themed or birthday cards to be delivered by volunteers. Anyone can donate cards; apply through the website to volunteer.
  • www.citymeals.org

Celebrate the beauty of old age in your own life:

  • Interview a grandparent or another elderly person in your life! Ask about their childhood, their family, and the lessons that they have learned in their journey through life. This interview can even be transcribed and preserved to contribute to your family history.

 

Marriage

Celebrate family in your own life:

  • Plan an activity or outing for your family!

Pray for marriages in your own life:

  • Write to religious community asking for prayers for the marriages of your family members and friends. There are so many religious communities that would love to receive your prayer requests; below are just a few.

Caring for Creation

Nature preserves and parks:

Advocacy Campaign

Serpentine Art & Nature Commons: Staten Island, all ages with adult


Grades 7-9 (listed by topic)

Loving Our Neighbor

Reconciliation Monday: Archdiocese

  • The Archdiocese of New York offers a full day of confessions in all parishes throughout the entire Archdiocese before Easter and Christmas.

Perpetual Adoration:

Life is a Gift

Orange County Right to Life: Orange and Dutchess Counties

  • Assemble “Blessing Bags” of small gifts or tokens of love that will be given to women visiting abortion facilities. The bags communicate care and love to each woman as well as providing an opportunity for a conversation. Groups, families, or classrooms can contact Right to Life to discuss materials needed and the procedure for assembling bags.
  • Contact: Wendy Wood, (845) 820-4366 or [email protected]

Sisters of Life: Rockland County and Manhattan, all ages with adult

  • Religious community dedicated to protecting and enhancing the sacredness of human life. Volunteer days are periodically held to support this mission and donations such as diapers are always appreciated.
  • Contact: Coworkers of Life, (646) 882-1087 or Sr. Ann Catherine, [email protected]

Good Counsel Homes: Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester and Rockland Counties

  • Home for homeless, expectant, and new mothers to support them through pregnancy and motherhood. Contact your local organization to inquire about ways that individuals, classrooms, or families can serve or items that you can donate.
  • Contact: Sandra Jones, (201) 795-0637 or [email protected]

40 Days for Life: Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, Orange, and Dutchess Counties

  • Volunteers sign up for slots to pray and hold vigil outside of abortion facilities for 40-day-long campaigns twice a year.
  • Contact: Visit the website to find a campaign near you.

Learning to Forgive

Catholic Mobilizing Network: 12+

  • Advocates for restorative justice and an end to the death penalty. The website highlights current campaigns and facilities opportunities to speak out and take action in your own community.

Thrive for Life Prison Project: Manhattan

  • Donations are needed for prison libraries and Welcome Home care packages for individuals who have been released from prison. Find information about requested books, clothing, toiletries, and food on the website.

Forgiveness in your own life:

  • Write a letter or call someone to whom you need to offer forgiveness.

Caring for Those in Need

Diocesan food pantries and soup kitchens:

  • Contact your local food pantry or soup kitchen for information about donating food or volunteering.

Don Bosco Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry: Westchester County, 10+ with adult

  • Volunteers needed on weekday and Saturday mornings to help with food distribution.
  • Contact: Carmen Linero, (914) 552-9541 or [email protected]

Global Medical Relief Fund: Staten Island, 13+ or 1 adult for 5 kids under 12

  • Helps children from war-torn areas who come to the US for medical treatment. Volunteers might help with cleaning, yard work, or reading to the kids.
  • Contact: (718) 448-6984 ext. 103

Part of the Solution (POTS): Bronx, 14+

  • Assists individuals living in poverty with a wide range of services. Volunteers needed for dining room serving, meal prep, and food pantry stocking. Sign up through the website.

 

Celebrating Special Needs

Best Buddies: Rockland County or anywhere for E-Buddies, 10+

  • Friendship program fosters one-on-one friendships between students with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) through group and individual activities. E-buddies program is a safe place online for these friendships to be built through a pen-pal program. Sign up through the website.

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding: Putnam County

  • Provides horse-riding therapy for individuals with special needs. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities for younger students and classrooms.

John A. Coleman School: Westchester County, 14+

  • School for children with special needs ages 1-7. Volunteers assist in classrooms, help at special events, and work at the reception desk.
  • Contact: (914) 294-6114

Immigration

Global Medical Relief Fund: Staten Island, 13+ or 1 adult for 5 kids under 12

  • Helps children from war-torn areas who come to the US for medical treatment. Volunteers might help with cleaning, yard work, or reading to the kids.
  • Contact: (718) 448-6984 ext. 103
  • https://gmrfchildren.org/

Justice for Immigrants:

Welcome Refugees to the US:

  • Contact your local refugee resettlement agency to ask if they would be open to your class making “welcome to the USA cards” or donating other needed items.

Honor immigrants of the past: Manhattan

  • Visit Ellis Island to learn more about the men, women, and children who made the United States their home from 1892 to 1954. If you can’t visit, explore their website to learn about the rich history of immigration in our country.
  • https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

Caring for the Elderly

ArchCare: Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, and Dutchess County

Rosary Hill Home: Westchester County

 

Meals on Wheels: Multiple locations, all ages with adult

 

Citymeals on Wheels: Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, all ages with adult

  • Deliver meals to homebound elderly individuals, help with meal preparation in a local senior center, or make holiday-themed or birthday cards to be delivered by volunteers. Anyone can donate cards; apply through the website to volunteer.
  • www.citymeals.org

 

Celebrate the beauty of old age in your own life:

  • Interview a grandparent or another elderly person in your life! Ask about their childhood, their family, and the lessons that they have learned in their journey through life. This interview can even be transcribed and preserved to contribute to your family history.

Marriage

Celebrate family in your own life:

  • Plan an activity or outing for your family!

Pray for marriages in your own life:

  • Write to religious community asking for prayers for the marriages of your family members and friends. There are so many religious communities that would love to receive your prayer requests; below are just a few.

 

Caring for Creation

Nature preserves and parks:

Advocacy Campaign

Serpentine Art & Nature Commons: Staten Island, all ages with adult


Grades 10-12 (listed by topic)

Loving Our Neighbor

Reconciliation Monday: Archdiocese

  • The Archdiocese of New York offers a full day of confessions in all parishes throughout the entire Archdiocese before Easter and Christmas.

Perpetual Adoration:

Life is a Gift

Orange County Right to Life: Orange and Dutchess Counties

  • Assemble “Blessing Bags” of small gifts or tokens of love that will be given to women visiting abortion facilities. The bags communicate care and love to each woman as well as providing an opportunity for a conversation. Groups, families, or classrooms can contact Right to Life to discuss materials needed and the procedure for assembling bags.
  • Contact: Wendy Wood, (845) 820-4366 or [email protected]

Sisters of Life: Rockland County and Manhattan, all ages with adult

  • Religious community dedicated to protecting and enhancing the sacredness of human life. Volunteer days are periodically held to support this mission and donations such as diapers are always appreciated.
  • Contact: Coworkers of Life, (646) 882-1087 or Sr. Ann Catherine, [email protected]

Good Counsel Homes: Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester and Rockland Counties

  • Home for homeless, expectant, and new mothers to support them through pregnancy and motherhood. Contact your local organization to inquire about ways that individuals, classrooms, or families can serve or items that you can donate.
  • Contact: Sandra Jones, (201) 795-0637 or [email protected]

40 Days for Life: Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, Orange, and Dutchess Counties

  • Volunteers sign up for slots to pray and hold vigil outside of abortion facilities for 40-day-long campaigns twice a year.
  • Contact: Visit the website to find a campaign near you.
Learning to Forgive

Catholic Mobilizing Network: 12+

  • Advocates for restorative justice and an end to the death penalty. The website highlights current campaigns and facilities opportunities to speak out and take action in your own community.

Thrive for Life Prison Project: Manhattan

  • Donations are needed for prison libraries and Welcome Home care packages for individuals who have been released from prison. Find information about requested books, clothing, toiletries, and food on the website.

Forgiveness in your own life:

  • Write a letter or call someone to whom you need to offer forgiveness.
Caring for Those in Need

Diocesan food pantries and soup kitchens:

  • Contact your local food pantry or soup kitchen for information about donating food or volunteering.

Don Bosco Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry: Westchester County, 10+ with adult

  • Volunteers needed on weekday and Saturday mornings to help with food distribution.
  • Contact: Carmen Linero, (914) 552-9541 or [email protected]

Global Medical Relief Fund: Staten Island, 13+ or 1 adult for 5 kids under 12

  • Helps children from war-torn areas who come to the US for medical treatment. Volunteers might help with cleaning, yard work, or reading to the kids.
  • Contact: (718) 448-6984 ext. 103

Part of the Solution (POTS): Bronx, 14+

  • Assists individuals living in poverty with a wide range of services. Volunteers needed for dining room serving, meal prep, and food pantry stocking. Sign up through the website.

 

Celebrating Special Needs

Best Buddies: Rockland County or anywhere for E-Buddies, 10+

  • Friendship program fosters one-on-one friendships between students with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) through group and individual activities. E-buddies program is a safe place online for these friendships to be built through a pen-pal program. Sign up through the website.

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding: Putnam County

  • Provides horse-riding therapy for individuals with special needs. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities for younger students and classrooms.

John A. Coleman School: Westchester County, 14+

  • School for children with special needs ages 1-7. Volunteers assist in classrooms, help at special events, and work at the reception desk.
  • Contact: (914) 294-6114

KEEN New York: Manhattan and Bronx, 16+

  • Serve as a personal coach for athletes with special needs. Apply through the website.
  • Contact: (212) 768-6785

Cardinal Hayes Home: Westchester County, 15+

  • Home and school for youth with disabilities. Individual volunteers join in classroom activities.
  • Contact: Cathy Varano, [email protected]

Immigration

Global Medical Relief Fund: Staten Island, 13+ or 1 adult for 5 kids under 12

  • Helps children from war-torn areas who come to the US for medical treatment. Volunteers might help with cleaning, yard work, or reading to the kids.
  • Contact: (718) 448-6984 ext. 103
  • https://gmrfchildren.org/

Neighbors Link: Westchester County, 15+

  • Builds community and helps to integrate new immigrants. Volunteers help with family and child programming – see website for description and instructions to sign up.
  • Contact: Amy Werner, (914) 666-3410 ext. 16 or [email protected]
  • https://www.neighborslink.org/

Mercy Center: Bronx

Justice for Immigrants:

Welcome Refugees to the US:

Honor immigrants of the past: Manhattan, all ages

  • Visit Ellis Island to learn more about the men, women, and children who made the United States their home from 1892 to 1954. If you can’t visit, explore their website to learn about the rich history of immigration in our country.
  • https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

Caring for the Elderly

ArchCare: Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess County, 15+

Rosary Hill Home: Westchester County, all ages

Meals on Wheels: Multiple locations, 16+ or all ages with adult

Citymeals on Wheels: Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, 16+ or all ages with adult

  • Deliver meals to homebound elderly individuals, help with meal preparation in a local senior center, or make holiday-themed or birthday cards to be delivered by volunteers. Anyone can donate cards, apply through the website to volunteer.
  • www.citymeals.org

Celebrate the beauty of old age in your own life:

  • Interview a grandparent or another elderly person in your life!
  • Ask about their childhood, their family, and the lessons that they have learned in their journey through life. This interview can even be transcribed and preserved to contribute to your family history.

 

Marriage

Celebrate family in your own life:

  • Plan an activity or outing for your family!

Pray for marriages in your own life:

  • Write to religious community asking for prayers for the marriages of your family members and friends. There are so many religious communities that would love to receive your prayer requests; below are just a few.
  • The Dominican Nuns of Summit, NJ
  • The Dominican Nuns of Bronx, NY
    • Corpus Christi Monastery 1230 Lafayette Avenue Bronx, NY 10474
  • The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration http://ssfpa.org/prayer/
  • Pray the rosary for your family!

Caring for Creation

Nature preserves and parks:

Advocacy campaign:

Serpentine Art & Nature Commons: Staten Island, all ages with adult

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