Frequently asked questions about our Outreach Ministries
Why is ASEC involved with so many outreach activities and programs? Wouldn’t it be more effective to consolidate?
Why does our Outreach budget initially appear relatively low?
What’s the difference between Social Justice and a Mercy Mission?
What’s next for BOLD Justice?
What is the Jubilee Center?
What is the St. Laurence Chapel?
What is Broward House?
How do we support the Children's Diagnostic Center?
What is Seafarers' House?
What are the panhandler packets in Narthex?
- Why is ASEC involved with so many outreach activities and programs? Wouldn't it be more effective to consolidate?
We could be more effective and efficient doing just three things well but that was before we toured all these organizations and witnessed the ever increasing needs of each. We also wanted to support outreach activities that our own parishioners are involved in as volunteers, board members and benefactors. Their passion is contagious.Through our passion and diversity we do a lot of outreach very well. We are known throughout the Diocese and throughout the religious circles of South Florida for our demonstrative commitment to care for our neighbors. Yet unfortunately I weekly turn down potential outreach activities due to limited financial and volunteer resources.
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Our financial contributions to outreach only paint part of the picture and also reflect our lean budget. Financially the Outreach Committee would like to see a 12% budget growth rate for outreach by our centennial in 2012 along with 20 active participants in the Outreach Committee. In addition, our music concert series and a lot of our activities at the Centro and Intercession are outreach activities addressed in other budgetary pieces of the pie. Our volunteer hours are worth $10,000 annually just with "Beds Around the Altar." Your actual donations amount to tons of life-saving materials and are probably worth at least double our annual outreach budget. Our parishioners are a generous, caring folk.
Jesus said that we will always have poor. Despite the Great War on Poverty in the United States since the 1960s and the Millennium Development Goals we still have poverty that, because of economic conditions, is only worsening. Our mercy missions include: the Jubilee Center, St Laurence Chapel, Broward House, Seafarers' House, and Children’s Diagnostic Center. All are direct service agencies that help people in immediate need.
Social justice helps change systemic problems, obstacles that prevent people from escaping poverty and reaching their God given potential. Micah 6:8 gives a scriptural basis for walking humbly with God and acting justly. We support BOLD Justice (Broward Organized Leaders Doing Justice), a direct action agency, which, through the power of people, has pushed and demanded that representative officials in Broward County construct an affordable dental plan for all, that the county convert over 1,000 affordable rental units to low-income housing, and that Workforce One provide a local fix for clerical errors on unemployment applications.
Mark your calendars! We will be riding on buses once again to the all important—do—not—miss—event –of—the—year: the Nehemiah Action on April 22, 2010, location to be announced. We need you this one night of the year to work for justice, to help your neighbor. Please join 100 of your fellow Parishioners on this fun-filled journey. Watch for upcoming announcements concerning the social justice action issue for 2010! ASEC financially pledges to BOLD Justice out of our Outreach budget.
The Jubilee Center is located in Hollywood. Their mission is “to offer relief from hunger and despair.” Jubilee provides a hot, nutritious 1800 calorie lunch Monday through Friday; a bag of groceries to the walking homeless (some are families); bus passes for medical and job appointments; clothing; legal aid; VA benefits; HIV testing, counseling; food stamps (one out of 10 Floridians is now on food stamps); case management and family reunification; substance abuse and mental health counseling; child care for homeless children. What you can do to help? Pledge or join us for the walk against hunger at the St John’s Episcopal Church in Hollywood at 3 p.m., Sunday, November 22. This fun activity is their annual fundraiser. For more information contact Joyce Curtis at (954) 920-0106 or
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. Also please continue to bring in the items listed on our website for Jubilee to put in our Outreach Box in the narthex.
One out of six Broward County residents experiences some level of hunger. ASEC financially supports the Jubilee Center from our Outreach Budget. Many of our parishioners volunteer there. Parishioner George McAleese is a board member.
St. Laurence Chapel is located in the western Pompano. In addition to the services that the Jubilee Center offers, St. Laurence Chapel also offers a nurse on staff (thanks to United Way); temporary storage for personal belongings (very important to the homeless as it is all they have left); breakfast and lunch; bathroom and shower facilities; and a Workforce Once employment kiosk. St. Laurence Chapel assists what we would call the “hard-core” homeless. It is a day shelter respite for the homeless which number over 10,000 in Broward County, which only has 1,050 emergency beds. Many of the homeless walk the streets at night fearing to fall asleep and becoming victimized or even murdered. Most of our 400 pairs of men’s new and used shoes went to the St. Laurence Chapel. They can always use more shoes as well as men’s clothing. Please contact our own This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for volunteer opportunities. And both of us want to thank you for the record contributions this year. Your shoe and sock contributions have actually prevented foot and leg amputations. ASEC financially supports the Episcopal mission of St. Laurence Chapel from our Outreach Budget.
Broward House is much more than an HIV testing and counseling center. It is also one of the nation’s most successful drug abuse rehabilitation centers. Recently I had the pleasure and honor to watch the graduation for those who had completed the rehabilitation process. Transformation and a profound spiritual journey is not enough to describe what happened to those who have made it. Not all do. Some of their clients are just released from jail or from the hospital. Our January outreach bus tour participants remarked on the professionalism of the staff at Broward House. We support them financially through our outreach budget and also have in-gatherings. Last year ASEC conducted a bloomer drive to provide new underwear for the clients, helpng to restore their dignity. One of our parishioners brought cases of tampons from a friend in the business and they were donated to the Broward House. We are not shy about our outreach!
Broward County has the fastest rising number of HIV infections in the country and it is across all demographic groups. ASEC financially supports the Broward House from our Outreach Budget. ASEC members and friends also participated in the spring 2009 AIDS Walk and met 500% of our goal and look forward to stepping up our commitment in 2010.
This summer ASEC made a onetime grant to the Children’s Diagnostic Center so that family members could travel in an air conditioned bus with their HIV+ children (the children have severely challenged immune systems which would be compromised with a non a/c bus.) to a summer camp after a previous sponsor dropped out. Our generosity prompted other churches to step up and help. The community cared.
Like St. Laurence Chapel and the Jubilee Center, the Seafarers' House originated with direct Episcopal support either through the diocese or local parishes. Cynthia Floria and Jon Floria as well as Cynthia Cone are active volunteers year-around with numerous other parishioners who help deliver the Shoebox Christmas to our seafarers in need. During the Christmas season (late November through mid-January) shoeboxes filled with toiletry and other items are given to the crew of every cargo ship that enters Port Everglades. Last year 2,469 boxes were distributed to men and women (14 were female) from 40 different countries. Please help supply the products that fill these boxes. Shaving cream, regular size, and work gloves are especially needed now.
The panhandler packets contain nonperishable food. You may purchase them for $2 for one packet or $5 for three packets. Keep some in your glove box or purse and hand them out to panhandlers in lieu of cash.
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