SOCIAL JUSTICE
Frequently Asked Questions
Social Justice Mission statement
"Our mission is to build a community which welcomes and cares for all people, which reaches out to the deprived and oppressed and works for justice on their behalf."
St. Joseph the Worker Social Justice Board encourages us to be a community where Catholic Social Teaching and Ministry are central and integral, not fringe and optional, and where Social Justice is the shared work of every parishioner.
Social Justice Staff
Roxanne Smith-Director of Social Justice
763-425-6505 ext. 226
E-mail: rsstjoes@yahoo.com
Robin Gualt - Chair of Social Justice Board
E-mail: robingault6501@yahoo.com
Social Justice Links
Office for Social Justice
www.osjspm.org
"God doesn't want empty worship or meaningless religious exercises. He wants conversion of heart that produces justice, love, and mercy." Is. 58: 1-12
St. Joe's Outreach Ministries Volunteer Opportunity
Angel Network
St. Joe's parish reaches out to those in need during medical crisis. Your help is needed with preparing meals, doing laundry, and transportation for families we are assisting. Please contact Carole Lothian 425-6505 ext 406 to help.
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Christmas Project
As a parish we share with about 40 families for the holiday. We provide each family with a Christmas meal and gifts for each family member. We select families that are in transition in their lives, such as the St. Joe's Community Caring for Life. The remaining families are from our community and surrounding area who are also in need of help. Help is needed in donation of gifts, and delivery to the families.
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Families Moving Forward
St. Joe's has chosen to participate in this outreach ministry because we feel it is our responsibility to help with the huge crisis of affordable housing for low income families. Families make up the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. 41% of people in homeless shelters are working according to Wilder Foundation. On any given night, 21,329 people are homeless or precariously housed in Minnesota: 48% are children. Your smiling faces over dinner might be the only time they experience Christ that day in their search for permanent housing.
Questions can be directed to Deb Carlson at 763-553-7073 or dacarlson6501@msn.com.
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St. Joe's Community Caring for Life
This is our parishes response to any woman in a crisis pregnancy. We want to support her. Parishioner assistance is needed to help with child care, meal preparation, driving to medical appointments and responding to voice mail for messages requesting assistance. If you know of someone in need of this support during pregnancy have them call 763-425-6505 ext. 401.
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Loaves and Fishes
Is a care giving ministry providing meals and offering hospitality to the hungry. We serve an evening meal at Holy Rosary Church in south Minneapolis, on the third Wednesday during January, March, May, July, September and November. Volunteers prepare and serve the food as well as help with cleanup. Workers are always needed. Coordinated by Joe Vieau 763-424-2781
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Habitat for Humanity
Renovates and builds new homes for families in need, using volunteers and the recipient families to do the work on the homes. We have opportunities to work each summer. Volunteers are needed to help work at the site, prepare lunches and deliver food.
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Thanksgiving Baskets
We deliver food baskets to families in need during Thanksgiving week. If you are aware of a family in need, please contact the parish office during the month prior to Thanksgiving. Volunteers are needed to deliver the baskets.
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C.R.O.S.S.
C.R.O.S.S. is twenty area churches working together to try and reach out to the needs of the hurting in our local community. They distribute food, clothing and other essentials as available to them. You can help by providing food, good clean clothing, sorting clothing or restocking the food pantry. C.R.O.S.S. is open Mondays, Wednesday, or Fridays from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Food donations can be placed in the baskets located outside the parish office. Clothing must be taken directly to C.R.O.S.S. Financial assistance available also.
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Feed My Starving Children (FMSC)
FMSC operates a manual food packaging operation in Brooklyn Park to provide nourishing food to starving children throughout the world. Parishioners from St. Joe's can volunteer to share time packaging food on a one-time or ongoing basis. Families, group or individuals can volunteer. We package food on the 2nd Monday of each month. Link to FMSC: www.fmsc.org
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Newborn Collection
In February we have a collection of new and used newborn and maternity clothing to be given to new mothers by Northside Life Care Center and Robbinsdale Women's Center. Donations can be made during the year by calling Northside at 763-522-6589 or Robbinsdale Women's Center at 763-531-9554. Cribs are always needed.
Volunteer Driver
Would be willing to provide transportation on a one time basis to CROSS, CEAP, doctor or grocery store for a family in need.
Volunteer Caller
Helps with calling for special projects. People have volunteered for activities but need to be scheduled. This would require one to two hours per time.
Other Social Justice Opportunities
Housing for ALL in Maple Grove
St. Joe's is part of a collaboration of six area churches that is working for life cycle housing for all in our community. The group meets monthly at St. Joe's and is actively working for systemic change.
Click here for the Housing for All webpage.
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Immigration Team
We are working in collaboration with other Isaiah churches, businesses and legislators to create just legislation and policies regarding our new immigrant brothers and sisters. Core team leader is open.
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JustFaith
Click here to download the new flyer
The JustFaith program is offered each year beginning in September at St. Joseph the Worker. The aim of JustFaith is to empower participants to develop a passion and thirst for justice and, after the program, to express this passion in concrete acts of parish social ministry. This program is sponsored by Catholic Charities USA and is successfully operating in many parishes across the country.
Participants meet weekly for eight months and use discussion, prayer, books, speakers, videos, retreats and hands-on experience to learn more about scripture, our Catholic faith and Catholic social teaching. JustFaith members are not only part of a rigorous process of study and reflection but also become involved in the parish and larger community with other participants, sharing a journey of faith and compassion that is both life giving and challenging.
Contact the Social Justice Director to obtain a sign up form. We have a group meeting on Monday evenings.
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Sowers of Justice
Sowers of Justice is an Archdiocesan membership organization for Catholics committed to changing hearts and changing social structures on behalf of justice. It is a network that helps its members to act on behalf of justice in their personal life, their family life, their work life, and their political life. Sowers is faith based. Its members use the biblical principles of justice and Catholic social teaching as the foundation for their work to create a more just and humane society. Please call the parish office to request a sign up form.
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Catholic Campaign for Human Development
A C.C.H.D. collection is held every November. The funds collected are used to assist low income people break the cycle of poverty. Some of the organizations funded by C.C.H.D. are Acorn and Isaiah. C.C.H.D. grants are given to organizations that promote self help projects.
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Helping Hands Fund
Reaches out to members of our community with short term emergency financial assistance. Those in need may contact the Social Justice Director, Pastor or the parish office. If you are blessed and wish to share, your financial contributions are most welcome.
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Taste Testing
Volunteers from our parish share their time to do taste testing to benefit our community outreach programs. Product taste testing is done about five to ten times per year. Testers must be 18 to 64 years of age. Participants are compensated and St. Joe's receives payment also. Screeners can be obtained from the parish office to participate.
ISAIAH
St. Joe's is a member congregation of ISAIAH. This group meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at a member northwest church. For more information contact Sue Sack. Also, click here for the Isaiah webpage. Click here for flyer for the Isaiah Housing Forum on May 8, 2008.
What is ISAIAH?
ISAIAH is a collection of congregations who have committed themselves to each other in order to build power for a worldview that prioritizes racial and economic justice. Easy words, a very challenging reality. Challenging because the idea of creating community with one another, especially on a grand scale, is profoundly counter-cultural in America. And challenging because it is difficult to build all the bridges necessary to craft one organization out of the interests of new immigrants and old ones; liberals and moderates; city-dwellers and suburbanites; activists and people for whom acting in the public arena is new
Our current work is on Faith in Democracy. The ISAIAH Faith in Democracy Campaign is about people of faith acting powerfully in the world, casting a stirring vision of vital faith community that has the courage to declare, commit and act upon a set of values that will transform the dominant politics of isolation, scarcity and fear with a vision of community, hope and shared abundance for all people.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
It is a pattern of behavior that gets worse over time and stems from the desire of one person to have power and control over another.
It can be manifested in such behaviors as belittling, put downs, unreasonable demands, isolation, intimidation, control of money, control of friends, control of free time and emotional abuse.
This behavior can escalate to threats, physical violence or murder.
You may be in an abusive relationship if your partner makes all your decisions - about what you wear, who your friends are, what you do for fun - for you. You may be in an abusive relationship if your partner uses threats, fear or pain to make you do something. You may be in an abusive relationship if you are always worried about how your partner will react to what you do or say.
No one deserves to be treated this way.
Because domestic violence happens in a home, because it often happens within the context of a family, it is easy to think of it as a private matter, not our business. This is not true. Domestic violence brutalizes the victims - usually women and children - and corrupts the life of the entire community. Domestic violence is everywhere, it crosses all socioeconomic, cultural and religious lines, and it's our problem.
HOW BIG IS THIS PROBLEM?
It is very prevalent.
- In the last ten years, there have been 275 women and 127 children killed in Minnesota in incidents of domestic violence. (Source: MN Coalition for Battered Women)
- One out of every four women is battered. (Source: St. Paul Intervention Project)
- Four million American women experience a serious assault by an intimate partner during an average 12-month period. (Source: 2003 ABA Commission on Domestic Abuse)
- Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women aged 15 - 44 in the United States - more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report)
- Between 3.3 million and 10 million children witness domestic violence each year. (Source: St. Paul Intervention Project)
- Each year the St. Paul Police Department receives over 16,000 calls regarding domestic crimes, and Minneapolis and the suburbs receive over 30,000 calls. (Source: St. Paul Police Department and Hennepin County Courts)
It is very costly.
- Each year medical expenses from domestic violence total at least $3 to $5 billion. Businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity. (Source: Domestic Violence for Health Care Providers, third edition, Colorado Domestic Violence Coalition, 1991)
- Nationally, 50% of all homeless women and children are on the streets because of violence in the home. (Source: U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Violence Against Women: Victims of the System, 1991)
- It is impossible to calculate the human costs of women and children living lives encased in fear, indignity and instability.
WHERE CAN YOU GO FOR HELP?
- Call a 24-hour crisis response center: Crisis Connection (612.379.6363), First Call for Help (651.291.0211), Sexual Violence Center (612.871.5111).
- Call an emergency shelter: Home Free Crisis Line (763.559.4945) or Battered Women's Crisis Line (1.800.799.7233).
- Call a hospital: North Memorial Medical Center (763.520.5200), Mercy Hospital in Anoka County (763.236.7144), Unity Hospital (763.236.4144).
- Contact a community advocacy program: Home Free Community Programs (763.545.7080), Project P.E.A.C.E. (763.536.1850), Sojourner (952.933.7422)
WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE?
There are many different things you can do if you want to help break the silence around the issue of domestic violence, depending on your particular interests and the time you have available. Action options would include - but not be limited to - joining the Isaiah Domestic Violence Task Force, being trained to help present informational Road Shows at churches throughout the Twin Cities area, and going with other Task Force members to meet with legislators during the legislative session to discuss funding for battered women's shelters and crime victims services.
Contact Susan Rivard at 763.559.5873 if you want to TAKE ACTION against domestic violence.
Social Justice Board
We have nine Board members who work with the Director to vision and plan our overall direction. Annual discernment is held for three year terms. The Board holds nine monthly meetings during the year.
From the "Common Good", the Pastoral Letter from Archbishop John Roach.
"I am asking each of you to make a personal commitment to become involved in two specific ways. First, if you can do so, I am asking you to volunteer some time each week or each month toward an activity or program that is directed at fighting injustice, especially with respect to poverty and racism. Secondly, I am asking you to use your voice and your vote in the political arena to advocate on behalf of social justice. I urge you to join one of the numerous organizations that maintain a legislative network to advocate for more just public policies." "To know the Lord is to act justly." Jer. 22:16
RESOURCE LIST FOR HELP
First Call for Help 651-291-0211
Prism 763-529-1350
CROSS 763-425-1050
Assistance for Food and Clothing
CROSS (Maple Grove, Osseo) 763-425-1050
CEAP (Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center) 763-566-9600
Shelter for Domestic Abuse
Home Free 763-559-4945
(24 hr. crisis line) Counseling and Placement for Runaway Youth
Point N.W. 763-493-3052
Crisis Pregnancy - Testing, Counseling & Support
Northside Life Care Center 612-522-6589
www.northsidelifecare.org
Robbinsdale Women's Center- 763-531-9554
Post Abortion Outreach
Marian Project 651-291-4515
Self Help Program for Food
Fare Share-651-644-9339
Kinship 763-536-0406
Adult volunteers serve as friend to children in need of caring relationships
Emergency Numbers -- (24 hour service)
Crisis Nurseries 763-591-0100
Adult Protection 612-348-8526
Crisis Connection 612-379-6363
Sexual Assault Resource Services 612-347-5832
Suicide Prevention 612-347-2222
CLOTHING CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT:
C.R.O.S.S. M, W, F
12915 Weinand Circle 9:30 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.
Rogers
763-425-1050
SHARING & CARING
425 N. 7th St.
Minneapolis
612-338-4640
C.E.A.P
7231 Brooklyn Blvd
Brooklyn Center Sat.
763-566-9600
Career clothing is always needed.
FURNITURE:
Used furniture & household items for homeless families.
Bridging - 952-888-1105
Families Moving Forward - 612-529-2185
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