Posts Tagged ‘Rockland County’

Raising Five Tons of Fresh Vegetables for Hungry New Yorkers

Monday, May 20th, 2013

By Alice Kenny

Determined to raise 8,000 – 10,000 pounds of vegetables for the hungry, dozens of volunteers planted pepper, lettuce, broccoli, tomato and eggplant seedlings at the Catholic Community Services of Rockland “Garden of Love” on May 18. Vegetables from the garden are distributed to families through food pantries throughout the county.

The garden, preparing for its fourth season, has been expanded with the help of volunteers and those who donated materials including tools, soil and fences. Renewing its commitment to the community, organizers have recently renamed the initiative “Produce the Produce.”

Check out photos of your neighborhood volunteers and more Garden of Love updates in The Journal News.

Are you hungry and need help?

  • Contact us.  At Catholic Charities, no one is ever turned away.
  • If you live in Rockland County, please call 845 942-5791.

Help us help your neighbors in need.

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Posted in Hudson Valley, Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »

Rockland Youth Would Make Mother Teresa Proud

Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

 By Alice Kenny

After witnessing tens of thousands of starving children and families, Mother Teresa, a Catholic activist and saint, decided to keep her advice simple to fight these overwhelming odds.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people,” she told followers, “then just feed one.”

Inspired by this advice, St. Catherine’s Parish in Rockland County decided to make feeding the hungry their Lenten Challenge.  Mobilized by the New York Archdiocesan Feeding Our Neighbors campaign to shore up food pantries’ dwindling supplies, the parish asked children that attend the church to donate shopping bags filled with food from February 13 through March 30 during Lent.

Students broke into teams that competed to bring in the most food donations.  All told, the students brought in nearly two tons– 3,799 pounds – of food.

They donated this bounty to the food pantry run by Rockland Catholic Community Services.

“I was thrilled when I saw the amount of food the youth were able to collect,” said Catholic Community Services of Rockland Executive Director Martha Robles.  “I told them – and I’m sure – that ‘Mother Teresa is so proud of you.’”

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Posted in Agencies, Archdiocese News, Events, Feeding the Hungry and Sheltering the Homeless, Parishes, Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises, What We Do at Catholic Charities | 1 Comment »

Calling all CYO basketball players, cheerleaders, runners — and families and friends to cheer them on.

Friday, March 8th, 2013

 By Alice Kenny

Check out these upcoming events:

Saturday 3/9 and Sunday 3/10 - First Round of Archdiocesan CYO Basketball Playoffs

Ulster County:  John A. Coleman Catholic High School.  Games begin at 10:00 am on 3/9/13.

Staten Island:  CYO-MIV Center.  Games start at 9:00 am on Saturday, 3/9/13 and 1:00 pm on Sunday, 3/10/13.

Bronx:  Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. 3/10/13. Game times TBA.

Orange County: 3/9/13. Game times TBA.

Saturday 3/16 – 57th Archdiocesan CYO Cheerleading Competition at Fordham University 

The competition begins at 10:00 am

Saturday 3/16 - CYO Developmental Track Clinic and Relays at Fordham Preparatory School *

Clinic will be held with four-time Olympic Athlete (and CYO Board Member) Aliann Pompey.  Registration begins at 8:45 am


Saturday 3/16 and Sunday 3/17 – Second Round of Archdiocesan CYO Basketball Playoffs

Rockland County:   Pearl River High School and Dominican College.  3/16/13. Game times TBA.

Staten Island: CYO-MIV Center. Games start at 9:00 am on Saturday and 1:00 pm on Sunday


Saturday 3/23 - Archdiocesan CYO Basketball Championships

Held at the CYO-MIV Center and St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island.

Games at the CYO-MIV Center start at 9:00 am.

Games at St. Joseph by the Sea High School start at 11:00 am

Events are held for existing players on existing teams EXCEPT for the Track Meet/Clinic on 3/16.

*The track meet/clinic welcome athletes of all experience levels, with the focus strongly placed on education and participation.  The event is open to all CYO Teams throughout the Archdiocese of New York, and individuals may register and represent their parish.  All age levels and abilities are encouraged to attend.

Need more information? Call Sarah Masterson at 646-794-2062

Would you like to volunteer?  Click here.

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Posted in Events, Protecting and Nurturing Children and Youth, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »

CYO Tips Off Another Win

Friday, December 14th, 2012

CYO Tips Off Another Win

Catholic Charities CYO basketball is tipping off another win. Enrollment is up for the 2012-2013 girls and boys basketball season, says CYO Director Edwin Broderick.

The teams provide exercise, a healthy recreational outlet, guidance and a sense of community for children and teenagers throughout the more than 4,000-square mile Archdiocese of New York.

Here are some numbers to cheer:

  •  1600 teams throughout the
    Archdiocese of New York
  • 637 teams in Westchester County
  •  403 teams in Staten Island
  •  251 teams in Rockland County
  •   82 teams in Orange County
  •   49 teams in Ulster County
  •   37 teams in Dutchess County

“Our success  and growth would not be possible without the dedication and  support of our 4,000 volunteers, the hard work of our county  directors and the leadership and support of Catholic Charities Executive Director Msgr. Sullivan and Catholic Charities Community Services Executive Director  Beatriz  Diaz  Taveras,” Mr. Broderick said.

Would you like to become a coach or sign up your child for a team?  Contact your local parish or call Catholic Charities CYO at 646-794-3619.

 

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Posted in Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, New York City, Parishes, Protecting and Nurturing Children and Youth, Staten Island, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »

Rockland County Inaugural Hunger Awareness and Action Week

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

Catholic Community Services in Rockland County –along with a core group of representatives from Rockland county-based organizations that work to feed the hungry — are using National Hunger Awareness Month, September 2012, as a springboard to call attention to local needs and local organizations working to combat hunger.

They are proclaiming September 6 – September 13 as Rockland County’s inaugural “Hunger Awareness and Action Week” to increase donations to food pantries and feeding programs and step up efforts to raise awareness of the issue of hunger.

Click here to learn more about Hunger Awareness Action Week events that you can join to help feed the hungry.

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Posted in Agencies, Events, Feeding the Hungry and Sheltering the Homeless, Hudson Valley, Protecting and Nurturing Children and Youth, Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises, Uncategorized, Volunteering, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »

One Click Can Feed the Hungry: Vote for the “Community Garden of Love”

Monday, June 18th, 2012

You can help feed the hungry in less than 5 seconds (we timed it) — and for free. Just vote for the “Community Garden of Love” every day in the Gardens for Good grant contest on Facebook, and Catholic Charities could win $15,000 to help feed the hungry through an innovative program dedicated to improving the health and nutrition of the New York community.

“Community Garden of Love“, operated by Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland (CCCSR), is making it possible for the local community to take advantage of fresh, healthy produce. Thanks to the garden, individuals who use the CCCSR food pantry are now able to feed their families with more than just canned goods and non-perishables — they are able to receive fresh greens, fruits and vegetables for free, ensuring that their family’s nutritional needs are met, and that their children are healthy.

“While we work in providing food to the community, we consider ourselves public health workers,” said Jeanne McGettigan, Catholic Charities Community Services  Director of Emergency Food Services.

Vote for the Garden of Love today — with just one click, you can give our community the healthy food we all deserve.

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Posted in Agencies, Feeding the Hungry and Sheltering the Homeless, Hudson Valley, Volunteering | 1 Comment »

Rockland County Community Garden Provides Healthy Food for the Hungry

Sunday, May 13th, 2012

View more photos of the Blessing of the Soil and the Youth Art Show on Facebook. http://on.fb.me/Kuaosj

There is something special growing in Rockland County. Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland (CCSR) is making it possible for the local community to take advantage of fresh, healthy produce grown on-site at the agency’s community garden, named the “Garden of Love.”

For the third year in a row, the growing season was kicked off with hunger awareness art exhibition and a “Blessing of the Soil” ceremony. The ceremony celebrated CCSR’s successful efforts to raise community awareness of hunger and the need to build an integrated, sustainable, and cost-effective response.

Monsignor J. Weber, vicar of Rockland County, was joined by Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities, and Michael Kohut, mayor of Haverstraw. Head chefs from local restaurants, including Guarino’s, Ditto, Union Restaurant, La Hacienda de Manuel, Antoine’s, McGuire’s, and others presented cooking demonstrations focusing on healthy eating and the use of vegetables as ingredients and main courses.

The Youth Hunger Awareness Artwork Project displayed artwork by Rockland County youth focused on the theme of hunger. The public got the chance to learn about the preparation of vegetarian cuisine, meet the young artists and their instructors and learn about the growing problem of hunger in America.

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Posted in Feeding the Hungry and Sheltering the Homeless, Volunteering | No Comments »