Sixteen Law-Enforcement Cadets helped with gardening at Marydale Retirement Village. Dialog photos / Mike Lang | |
Delaware Law-enforcement Cadets Offer a Helping Hand at Marydale Retirement Village | |
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The familiar phrase attached to law enforcement is “protect and serve,” and on May 25, recruits from Delaware’s Basic Officer Training Course put the second half of that into practice. As has become the custom in the state Department of Corrections, the soon-to-be corrections, police, and probation and parole officers spent a day in service to others.
This year, 16 recruits and some of their superiors traveled to Marydale Retirement Village, the 108-unit subsidized housing for seniors on Salem Church Road. The men and women pulled weeds and plants, pruned bushes, raked leaves and mulched in the various courtyards in the complex.
“This facility has a long tradition of having volunteers help out with several tasks.
This is a first time with this Cadet group, and we’re delighted to have them.
Our gardens are in need of attention and their effort is much appreciated!”
– Cathy Weaver, Director of Marydale Retirement Village
Each resident has a space for gardening, Weaver said. Some are not interested in gardening and have grown the spaces over with grass. Some residents like to do the work themselves, while others are not physically able to do it. The cadets were able to give many of the residents a leg up on their landscaping.
Cadet Barry Lee, a probation and parole officer supervisor, said “Working in law enforcement, we don’t just protect and serve. We help out the community in any way. If it comes down to gardening, pruning, raking up leaves, we do it all. Service doesn’t end with protecting and serving. We try to better the community in any way possible.”
Having the cadets and other groups come to Marydale is important, said Fritz Jones, executive director of Catholic Charities. “A lot of our seniors have the skill to do their own gardening. You can see the beauty of their work as you walk around the grounds. But as our seniors age, it becomes more challenging for them. The maintained landscaping creates a community camaraderie and makes the community look better. Most importantly, it gives the tenants a sense of pride in where they live, which is really important.”
To read the full Dialog article, click here.
For those interested in helping out at Marydale, please call (302) 368-2784.
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Help Us Feed Those In Need
June is "Stock the Pantry" Month!
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Help us “Stock the Pantry” during June! Catholic Charities currently serves over 3,000 households each year. In a single month, we distribute over 10,000 pounds of food through our food pantries and cooperative programs. | |
Donation Suggestions:
- Canned goods, like tuna, salmon, beef stew, corned beef hash, beans, soups, vegetables, and fruit
- Boxed goods, like pasta, macaroni & cheese, rice, mashed potatoes, crackers, cereal, oatmeal, and pancake mix
- Jars of peanut butter and jelly
- Juice, coffee, tea, hot cocoa mix, instant breakfasts
- Shelf-stable milk – either dry or evaporated
- Condiments: spreads, ketchup, mustard, relish, barbecue sauce, pickles and pancake syrup
- Baby food, baby cereal
- Grocery store gift cards
We also accept cleaning products, dish detergent, paper goods, and personal care items like shampoo and soap.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Volunteer: The food cooperatives and food pantries welcome volunteers of all ages. Volunteers bag groceries for distribution, and stock the shelves with donated goods. Call the location you want to help to see what current opportunities are available. Volunteers must apply and be interviewed prior to begin work.
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Make a donation. Each location has the ability to store perishable and non-perishable food items. When your supermarket is having a “Buy one, get one free” sale, donate that free item to Catholic Charities. Please call ahead to make arrangements if you plan to donate perishable items such as produce or frozen meat.
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Organize a food drive. Ask your family, neighbors, church, fitness club or civic group to donate nonperishable and shelf-stable food items.
Click here to find Catholic Charities' locations near you.
Click here to learn more about our Food Assistance program.
Click here to make an online donation. Kindly designate your gift to “Food Assistance.”
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Catholic Charities Staff Attends
Raskob Foundation Orientation Program
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On June 3, 2022, the Raskob Family Foundation launched their weekend orientation program for new apprentices. Catholic Charities staff members highlighted the critical role grant-funding plays in supporting Catholic Charities’ programs over the last 190+ years. They also emphasized that good grant-funders are those like Raskob Foundation, who value strong partnerships with organizations to best meet the needs of the community.
Recently, Casa San Francisco was the grateful recipient of a Raskob Foundation Grant to support Catholic Charities clients’ transportation needs. Casa San Francisco is located in Milton, Delaware. They provide emergency shelter services and a food pantry aimed at helping low-income residents of Sussex County.
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Many thanks to Salesianum’s Rosaio House for their Diaper Drive contributions to Bayard House! | |
Spotlight on Success: Casa San Francisco | |
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Mary*, a 48 year old divorced female, became homeless due to a domestic violence situation. She had to leave another state, which left her without employment or a place to live. Also because of her circumstances, she had to make the decision to leave her vehicle behind as well.
Mary came to Casa San Francisco and developed a plan with her case manager. Every day she made calls, applied for employment, and searched for housing. Mary was able to obtain a part-time job at a local grocery store, but informed her case manager that that she would continue to seek employment in the field that she had been educated in and had experience with.
Within a few weeks, Mary applied for employment in Maryland, securing a position in a hospital where a close friend worked. She was able to move in with her friend and agreed to help with childcare on alternating shifts. They agreed Mary would start paying rent with her first paycheck.
Mary left Casa thanking staff for a safe place to stay that allowed and encouraged her to work on her goals and her future.
*Name has been changed for privacy.
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Save the Date! July 7, 2022
Community Wellness Health Fair
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FREE health services for the entire family!
Thursday, July 7, 2022
4:30pm - 7 pm
Catholic Charities
2601 W 4th Street
Wilmington, DE 19805
Free services include:
• Health and Wellness Screenings
• Prevention Information
• Dental Screenings
• Food Bank of DE Food Box Giveaway
Special thanks to our participating organizations:
- Beautiful Gate Outreach Center
- Christiana Care
- Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition
- Delaware Lt. Governor’s Challenge
- Delaware Health and Social Services Bridge Clinic
- Delaware Health and Social Services, Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
- Delaware Smile Check Program
- Food Bank of Delaware
- Highmark Delaware
- Partnership for Healthy Communities University of Delaware Community Engagement Initiative
- Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic Saint Francis Healthcare
- United Way of Delaware
Click here to download the Health Fair flyer.
Sponsored by Catholic Charities & The Salvation Army
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Save the Date!
Bishops 5K Run/Walk
Saturday, November 19, 2022
Saint Mark's High School
2501 Pine Creek Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
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This family fun event brings the community together to heighten awareness of the services that Catholic Charities' programs provide. Runners and walkers will engage in friendly competition and will be awarded medals, a complimentary race t-shirt and refreshments.
Registration details coming soon!
For information about Sponsorships, please contact Andrea Rotsch at arotsch@cdow.org or 302-573-3121.
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Mark Your Calendar!
Catholic Charities Annual Tribute Dinner
April 17, 2023
Chase Center on the Riverfront
Wilmington, DE
Each year, Catholic Charities honors outstanding individuals who have demonstrated a deep commitment to addressing the well-being of our communities’ most vulnerable – our own mission. We bestow upon these remarkable persons the Msgr. Thomas J. Reese Award, created in 1989 in memory of Msgr. Reese, a community activist and longtime director of Catholic Social Services, the forerunner of Catholic Charities.
For more info about Catholic Charities Annual Tribute Dinner or to become an event sponsor, please contact Andrea Rotsch at arotsch@cdow.org or 302-573-3121.
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To Support Catholic Charities by joining AmazonSmile and shopping through our page, click here.
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Catholic Charities serves the most vulnerable in Delaware and the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, regardless of religion, race, or ability to pay.
For more information about Catholic Charities, click here.
To make a donation to Catholic Charities, click here.
To learn about employment opportunities, click here.
Catholic Charities Mission
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington exists to help fulfill the Christian duty to love and serve God's people. Our mission is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The universal and local Church proclaims the Gospel and teaches the recognition of the dignity and sacredness of each human life and the belief that we are called to share our resources with the most vulnerable among us.
It is the mission of Catholic Charities to address human suffering and to promote and restore the well-being of people and society by:
- Providing, as a primary focus, caring service to families and persons in need;
- Coming together with members of the community to become informed about and to take action on critical social issues; and,
- Advocating publicly for social policies which enhance human dignity and safeguard basic human rights.
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501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
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