List of Service Opportunities in Adobe Reader (pdf - 241 KB)

Confirmation Candidates (8th graders) and Pre-Confirmation Candidates (7th graders) are to seek service opportunities from each of the three categories below: Parish, School and Community).

Candidates may not complete their Year of Service requirement by serving in one category alone.

Religious Education Classroom Aide (PREP & TRE)

7th & 8th grade students in our parish are eligible to assist in the parish’s Religious Education programs as a classroom aide in one of the pre-K through 2nd grade classes on Sunday mornings or in the 1st and 2nd grade classrooms on Wednesday afternoons. Aides assist the RE catechists and students with activities during class. This opportunity requires a commitment to be present each week the RE classes meet beginning in early September through the end of April.

Interested students should contact the parish Religious Education office at 708-383-4185 ext 103 or send an email to mesullivan@stgilesparish.org.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word Aide

7th & 8th grade students in our parish are eligible to assist with the Children’s Liturgy of the Word each Sunday morning at the 9:30 am Mass. CLW is a year round program and this opportunity requires a student to commitment to be present for three Sundays or one month during the year. Aides assist the CLW leader with keeping the young children focused on the scripture readings, time keeping, and assist with guiding the young children to and from the CLW room located in the parish rectory.

Interested students should contact the parish Religious Education office at 708-383-4185 ext 102 or send an email to cj@stgilesparish.org.

PARISH EVENTS

Parish Block Party (Third Sunday in September)

7th & 8th grade students are eligible to assist with the parish block party by joining one of the many crews . A flyer with detailed opportunities for service and contact information will be post to the candidate page in early September.

Council of Catholic Women (our CCW)

Council of Catholic Women (our CCW) has numerous events during the year that 7th & 8th grade students are encouraged to help out with, information on these events will be posted on the candidate page of the parish website as soon as information is available.

Social Justice & Outreach Ministries

Social Justice & Outreach Ministries in our parish offer many opportunities for candidates and their families to be of service.

7th & 8th grade students are encouraged to seek out ways to be of service to their individual school by volunteering as:

School Office Helpers / Peer Mentors / Tutoring Programs / Afterschool Program Helpers / Crossing Guards / School Service Projects

Check with your school to see in what ways you can be of assistance!

Our community offers a number of organizations that provide serve / aid to those in need. Below you will find a list of those organizations that past candidates have offered their assistance. Please contact these organizations to inquire how you may offer you time to be of service to them.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES:

West regional office located on S. Austin Blvd. in Cicero houses a food pantry, clothing room, after-school tutoring program, and many more opportunities to be a person of Service.

Contact person: Esmeralda Zepeda

http://www.catholiccharities.net/locations/west/volunteer_opportunities

ANIMAL CARE LEAGUE:

Offers candidates and a parent the opportunity to care for and social stray cats & dogs in the shelter. Training in mandatory for all volunteers and children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a trained adult.

More information on how you can be a person of service visit: http://www.animalcareleague.org.

HEPHIZBAH:

This is a local organization that assists children without homes of their own. Candidates may volunteer as After-school tutors or as a Big Sibling for a Hephizbah resident.

For more details or to volunteer visit: http://www.hephzibahhome.org/site/c.atJSL7NPJrL8H/b.6374953/k.FA26/Volunteer.htm.

EXODUS WORLD SERVICE:

EXODUS WORLD SERVICE transforms the lives of refugees and volunteers. We educate churches about refugee ministry, connect volunteers with newly arriving refugees through practical service projects, and equip leaders to speak up on behalf of refugees. The end result is that wounded hearts are healed, loneliness is replaced with companionship, and fear is transformed into hope. Our parish assists refugees arriving to the Chicago area by collecting items needed for these refugees to set up a new home. Welcome to America Packs are assembled and delivered by members of the St Giles community. Interested candidates and their families can assist by holding a collection drive; offering to deliver and set up a Welcome Pack for a newly arriving family.

For more information about Exodus World Service visit: http://www.e-w-s.org/?q=about.

To volunteer for St Giles Exodus Ministry visit our Outreach / Exodus Page.

GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY:

This organization supports the 600 plus food pantries and soup kitchens in the Cook County area. Volunteers are needed to assist with various assembly projects, food pick ups, and more.

To volunteer at the Food Depository visit: http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diff_volunteer_volatdepository.

To volunteer at one of the many agencies supported by the GCFD visit: http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diff_volunteer_volatagency.

FRATERNITE SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME:

This organization provides bagged lunches for their 200 plus clients located in the Austin neighborhood. St Giles Parish provides volunteers on the 1st and 3rd Monday evenings each month.

To volunteer for a Giles crew contact SHARON BRESNAHAN at 708-637-8398.

CHRISTMAS CHEER:

We are an all-volunteer group that delivers prepared meals and toys to Chicagoland homebound and hungry on Christmas Day. Christmas Cheer has been in existence for over thirty years, growing larger each year. On Christmas Day, over 15,000 are served meals and toys are given to around 1/3 of the recipients who are children. Christmas Cheer meals and toys are delivered to people in Chicago and 30 or more suburbs.

For more information visit: http://www.christmascheer.org.

MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO CANDIDATES, DO SOME RESEARCH.

USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND SEE WHERE SPIRIT LEADS
YOU TO BE A PERSON IN SERVICE TO OTHERS!!!