The Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County

Tri-Parish Outreach
(518) 929-4369

From Catholic Charities of Columbia-Greene

"September has been designated a 'National Recovery Month' to bring awareness and support to the millions suffering from addiction and those facing the challenges of fighting addiction in order to lead a healthier life for themselves and their families.  During the month of September Catholic Charities will be working with our community partners and posting on Facebook information and resources accessible to everyone in our community."  ~Courtesy of Theresa Lux, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties.

Volunteers for “Dining Out For Others,”

Many thanks to the volunteers who have engaged restaurants and supportive businesses to participate in the 10th annual "Dining Out For Others" fundraiser sponsored by Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties to benefit the emergency assistance fund (to which anyone is eligible to apply). Let's look forward to dining out on Wednesdays in November at our favorite restaurants in support of this cause. For the past two years "Dining Out" has been the highest fundraiser of Catholic Charities of Columbia/Greene.

Volunteers are needed Friday, October 14

Food Pantry: at the Church of St. Joseph/Stottville Friday, October 14 from 3-5 pm. Volunteers are needed in the morning to help unload the food trucks and late afternoon when we distribute food. Sorry, we are not accepting
donations of food, clothing, or household items. At the September pantry, food was distributed to 28 families totaling 73 people. Thank you to everyone who helps out by picking up the food, unloading the trucks, and
distributing the food!

Sidewalk Warriors of Troy:

WINTER COAT DRIVE: This year there is a great need for warm winter coats for both men and women. Please be sure they offer working zippers, no holes, stains, rips and most importantly, cleaned. We need size large to
2XL in both men and women. Parka style with hoods are wonderful. Please no wool. Bring your donations to the CCNCC offices at 1025 Kinderhook Street, Valatie. Please drop ALL donations off by Thursday, September 22.

HOODIES AND SWEATSHIRTS: As the days and evenings are becoming cooler, there is a need for hoodies and sweatshirts in sizes L, XL, and 2XL for both men and women. All items that are not new should be freshly laundered, no stains, rips or holes. Other ongoing needs: mac n’ cheese, crackers, canned soup or instant soup cups, and toilet paper.

Good Works Calendar:

Food Pantry—at the Church of St. Joseph/Stottville, Friday will be open from 3:00 - 5:00 PM on the following dates for the 2022 Calendar year. 

Volunteers are needed in the morning to help unload the food trucks and late afternoon when we distribute food. We are not accepting donations of food, clothing, or household items. 

Donations Sought for Our Ministries:
Fall Donation Drives:

Sept. 18 Non-Food Collection at St. James: This weekend has been set aside for the biannual (May and September) Collection of Non-Food Items to benefit the Chatham and Ghent food pantries.  Please support this endeavor by donating paper goods, healthcare products, laundry detergent and dryer sheets, shampoo, and conditioner, diapers (any size), etc. Our sister parishes in Valatie, Stuyvesant Falls, and Stottville are invited to participate in this project (as in all OutReach projects) to benefit their local panties. Thank you for your consideration.

Give-Away Program: The Chatham School District is working with OutReach to place a Wurlitzer spinet piano that has been donated to us.  Beds, chests of drawers, a drop-leaf table, and a wing-back chair are among a long list of household items presently slated for give-away. Please call the OutReach number (518) 929-4369 if you know of individuals or families in need of them,

Transportation Needed:  A woman who lives on Route 203 near Kinderhook Lake (approximately 1 1/4 miles north of the Niverville Quick-Stop) needs a ride to the supermarket once a week.  Can any neighbor help her by providing that transportation?

Food Pantries: suggested items for September when contributing to the Chatham & Ghent food pantries include: boxed raisins and individual containers of applesauce and fruit cocktail for school lunches, fall soups, hot cereals (such as instant oatmeal), and individual or full-size containers of fruit juices. Donations of foods featuring apples during autumn would be appreciated by all ages. As usual, paper products, laundry detergent, and dryer sheets are needed.  The Valatie Food Pantry needs cereals, pasta and soup.

Gardeners: Fall harvest-time has arrived for most fruits and vegetables! Please consider offering excess fruits and vegetables from the bounty of your garden to your local food pantry where you will be received warmly.

If you are aware of individuals or families in need of OutReach services, please fill out the brief clipping in this week's bulletin and submit the information to the St. James parish office for forwarding to our OutReach team. Your input is very important and we are highly appreciative of it.

The Preschool at Stuyvesant FallsSchool Supplies Drive

Around the Community

The Spencertown Academy Arts Center, 790 Route 203, will host benefit concerts for "Kids Need Music" at 3 P.M. on September 24 and 25.  General admission, #30, students, $15. Tickets may be purchased in advance via www.spencertownacademy.org and will be available at the door pending availability.  All proceeds will be used to purchase instruments so that more children can participate in the Hudson City School District's music program. "Kids Need Music" president Craig Bender advises that this program is made possible by the NYS Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature.

Fun Facts

Did you know?  The Diocese of St. Joseph of Irkutsk in Siberia is the largest diocese with 10 million square kilometers having 100 parishes serving 50,000 Catholics.