SOS Lighthouse 2025 Needs your Help 

Our annual work with homeless families at SOS Lighthouse will be this Thanksgiving week, 11/23 to 11/29. SOS Lighthouse provides shelter and aid for homeless families in Oakland County, primarily mothers and their children ranging from teens to infants. Our parish has committed to support these families in a variety of ways, such as conducting family events like cookie night, providing evening meals, household goods, clothing, gift cards and cash contributions.  
Sign-up for volunteer activities and/or donations will start this weekend in Shepherd’s Hall, before and after Mass. Sign-up using this link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E4CA9A92BABF94-52715992-sos2024 
  
Groups have volunteered to prepare the main part of the meal, including Women’s Fellowship, Men’s Fellowship, Choir, St. Vincent de Paul, Bishop Foley students, Knights of Columbus and several SEAS parishioners. However, we will still have a number of opportunities to help such as:

• Additional food for evening meals – we will need food to round out the meals, such as rolls, cake, fruit cups, etc.
• Meal deliveries – meals for up to 72 people will need to be transported up to the Pontiac apartment building where the families are staying
• Children’s nights – this fun evening activity was a “hit” last year. To help the kids and Moms better enjoy the holidays, we will host a “Cookie night” and “Crafts night” for the children and parents after dinner. We need volunteers to work on both events.
• Gift cards for families, primarily for Meijer, Walmart or Kroger. We provide gift cards to the families for their use to buy needed food, clothing, diapers, etc.
• Items will be needed by the families, including new clothes, home goods, etc. There will be boxes available in Shepherd’s Hall for drop-offs, but please let us know by signing up
• Cash donations to help with the parish expenses to host this program. These donation can be made online using this link  SOS Online Giving 

Our parish family has been blessed to be able to help these homeless families get back on their feet, so please consider using your time, talent and treasure in a special way! If you have any questions, please reach out to Daron Gifford (daron.gifford@yahoo.com). Thank you and God bless your generosity!

The Giving Tree is up and ready, with many tags to choose from. All gifts will need to be returned no later than Monday, December 8th.
 
This year we are helping the following organizations:

• Jail & Outreach Ministry - this Christmas program helps families that have a loved one who is incarcerated.
• St. Vincent de Paul - gifts for local families who are being helped by our SEAS conference of SVdP.
• Capuchin Soup Kitchen Christmas Cheer Drive - provides books, toys, coloring books & crayons, games, and winter hats & gloves to nearly 1,300 children for Christmas.
• Catholic Community Response Team (CCRT) - we will donate store gift cards for their annual Cozy Christmas Gift Baskets program for needy families in Pontiac.
• St. Vincent de Paul SEAS Conference - gift cards to help local families who are struggling financially.

 
If you are unable to shop and would like to donate to the online Giving Tree, Click Here 
 
Please bring your purchased gifts to Shepherd’s Hall during the weekend Masses, or to the Parish Office Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday - Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office is closed for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. If you take a tag from the Tree that is for a gift card, please drop it off at the Parish Office.
 
Thank you for your generous support in giving families in need a wonderful Christmas!