The Valley Catholic April 25, 2017 | Page 10

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COMMUNITY

April 25 , 2017 | The Valley Catholic

Santa Clara University and Saint Vincent de Paul Society Raising Awareness for a Cause

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Dora Hyson ( SVdP ), Hannah Hawkins , Tucker Smith , Nicole Fite , and Eric Peters .

A Communications class at Santa Clara University ( SCU ) was given a challenging assignment . Select a local non-profit organization , partner with them , and launch a program to raise awareness and funds to support their cause . St . Vincent de Paul ( SVdP ), who has been providing outreach support for the needy in Santa Clara County since 1946 , and has a mission on campus where students who refer to themselves as “ The Vinnies ” and “ The Nightriders ,” was selected because of its long history of helping the needy in Santa Clara County and well-established presence at SCU .

The team , which consisted of four students , contacted SVdP to share their vision and gain a better understanding of the SVdP Society . Their strategy was to bring awareness of SVdP to the SCU students through a campus wide Fun Sock Fundraiser . They leveraged Facebook , started an Instagram page , and promoted the event on KSCU College Radio and the local College newsletter . In order to ensure the students walked away with an understanding of what SVdP does for the community , they inserted a flyer into each pair of socks ! When the event was over they sold more than 100 pairs of socks and delivered the proceeds to SVdP to be used in helping others . SVdP treasures our young volunteers who represent the future of continuing our mission of compassion and care . Dora Hyson , VP for SVdP said , “ The students of SCU have been a blessing to the society and the efforts the students put forth were innovative , rewarding , and inspiring .”

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Core team members of Saint Joseph ’ s Table . Front row - Sabrina Rodriguez , Briell Delisle , Efrain Salas , Jr ., Trinity Chester and Jasiu Bawol . Back row - Rose Pucan-Meagor , Alexa Nazareno , Olivia Cordova , Katelyn Jimenez , Veronica Molina , Zachary Meagor , Grace Gallego and Giulia Gallego .

Saint Joseph ’ s Table Collaboration Continues Tradition

The rain came down steadily on March 24 , but that did not stop the organizers of the third annual Saint Joseph ’ s Table Produce Giveaway at Saint Catherine Parish . Saint Joseph ’ s Table is a collaborative community service project between Saint Catherine Middle School Ministry and the Italian Catholic Federation ( ICF ). It is a re-imagining of the tradition of Saint Joseph ’ s Table in which Sicilians shared their bounty with the poor and set up altars with symbolic objects on Saint Joseph ’ s feast day , March 19 .

The project consisted of the fresh produce giveaway followed by a soup supper . A core team of middle-schoolers organized the produce giveaway , led by Trinity Chester , a home-schooled eighth grader and Efrain Salas , Jr . and Briell Delisle , both seventh graders at Saint Catherine School . “ Over the last three years , we ’ ve served almost 200 families and received donations from about 20 sponsors each year . For an event organized entirely by middleschoolers , I think this is phenomenal ,” explained Trinity who came up with the idea as a sixth grader .

Matt Kanter , who donated organic carrots , beets and Savoy cabbage , shared , “ I really enjoy participating in the Saint Joseph ’ s Table event , the students from Saint Catherine ’ s do an amazing job . I ’ m proud of the work they do for our community , they are the future leaders of our society .”

ICF members decorated the altar to Saint Joseph and made the soup for the soup supper . Giulia Gallego , president of ICF , echoed Mr . Kanter stating , “ The event indeed continues the tradition of Saint Joseph ’ s Table . We are feeding the hungry with fresh produce and the soup supper . It is wonderful to make this happen with the middle-schoolers !”