By Fr. Christopher Kubat
In my latest meeting with Angela Reiling, our volunteer coordinator in our Lincoln office named after St. Joseph, she gave me an update of some of the volunteer projects on the near horizon.
If you ever wondered why we call our outreach program for women who are escaping domestic violence and the pressures of abortion “St. Gianna’s Women’s Homes” instead of simply “St. Gianna’s,” it is because we have multiple sites. Our biggest site is a beautiful, 24-apartment complex run by the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln. There to assist the sisters are a crew of women volunteers. That said, we have another home in the Lincoln area and others we use in the greater Hastings area. Since the home in the Lincoln area has a big yard with many nearby trees, we conduct a big spring and fall cleanup. It is amazing how much work a big group can do together.
There are many projects and tasks that are needed in our four fixed locations in Imperial, Hastings, Lincoln and Auburn; named after St. Isidore, St. John Vianney, St. Joseph and St. Francis, respectively.
In addition to needing ladies to volunteer at St. Gianna’s Women’s Homes, we need people to help out answering phones, doing clerical work, sorting food and helping in our food pantries, mowing, yard work, snow removal, painting, window washing, maintenance work, cleaning, making and distributing sandwiches, helping at our fundraising events, working at any one of our four thrift stores, working at Gianna’s Java & Gelato (my favorite gelato flavor is chocolate hazelnut, but Snickers is a close second), warehouse help, and more areas.
We have had individuals and groups of all ages help: grade school, middle and high school groups; women’s groups and Knights of Columbus groups; and many others. Those who help experience a joy that cannot be explained, because whatever is done for the least, it is done for Jesus Christ, as outlined by the famous passage on the general judgment on the last day (Mt 25:31-46).
If you are interested in volunteering, please do not hesitate in stopping in any one of our four offices. It truly is astonishing that last year we had a total of 660 volunteers across the diocese who donated 25,228 hours—which translates to $275,742. It is truly amazing! I cannot tell you how appreciative I am for them all! Glory be to God!
