Every year, Old St. Mary’s hosts a Giving Tree to support local charities during the holiday season. The Social Justice Ministry is putting up the Giving Tree on November 19. Each ornament on the tree has a gift that may be purchased for an adult or child at one of the parishes, or agencies, helped by Old St. Mary’s. If you would like to participate, please take an ornament from the tree, and purchase the gift shown on the ornament. Then please follow the wrapping instructions on the ornament, attach the ornament to the outside of the gift, and return the gift on or before December 12th. Alternatively, you can also donate by selecting Give on the OSM Parish App. Scroll down and select Giving Tree.
If you have not downloaded the parish app, you can still give online by clicking on this link. Giving Tree Donation
Or you can scan the QR code on the right.
Below are descriptions of the organizations that are supported by the Giving Tree initiative.
Zacchaeus House
Zacchaeus House is a not-for-profit, non-treatment home for men, providing a safe, supportive and spiritual home to those in transition and in need of healing and God’s grace and mercy. They emphasize spiritual development and acceptance of the fundamental dignity and self-respect of all people. Zacchaeus House is run by the Black Catholic Initiative at the Archdiocese of Chicago and is self-funded by donations only. The Old St. Mary’s community has been helping Zacchaeus House for over 10 years with Christmas gifts and monetary funding.
Our Lady of Sorrows (OLS)
OLS is a Catholic parish in the East Garfield neighborhood on the west side of Chicago. Its outreach program has been feeding and clothing the homeless and poor of the community since the great depression! During the holiday season they provide food and toys to over 400 families. The church has numerous family and friends from OSM that have been helping out for years by volunteering, donating coats, hats and gloves, and monetary funding.
Envision Unlimited
For over 70 years, Envision Unlimited has served people with disabilities across all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Today, their wide array of home and community-based programs benefit over 2,000 individuals across the state of Illinois. Envision provides day programs, community living services, employment services, a foster care program, and mental health services.
Kolbe House
Kolbe House provides in-jail, family, and re-entry ministries as well as a restorative justice. Priest, religious and lay volunteers from across the Archdiocese visit Cook and Lake County jails to provide prayer and communion services and one-on-one pastoral ministry. Kolbe House also provides pastoral accompaniment for families with a loved one in jail, and emergency assistance when necessary, and resources like public aid, counseling, and community support. Just two blocks from Cook County jail, their location allows them to meet immediate needs of individuals when they are released, including food, CTA passes, clothing, and connections with housing and other support.
Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly
Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly has been dedicated to relieving isolation and loneliness among Chicago’s elders since 1959. Women and men 70 and older who are aging alone have a family in Little Brothers. For 60 years now, they’ve been providing steadfast friendship to thousands of elders who no longer have friends and family to rely on. All of our programs and services are always offered at no cost, and they do not receive any government assistance. Little Brothers depends on the generosity of donors to bring conversation, companionship, celebration and connection to the elders they serve.