SND National Education Partnership

Sisters of Notre Dame National Education PartnershipAdvent & Christmas Service Projectsacross the United States2011

In January, 2012, schools in the SND National Education Partnership were asked to submit information about Service Projects carried out in their schools during the 2011 Advent Season.

Out of the 55 schools in the Partnership, the 23 who returned information are easily representative of all. A summary of the wonderful generosity of these school communities can be seen in the following slides. Some schools were recipients of gifts from other schools in the Partnership and yet they, too, gave to others in need. Several of the schools have been connected to the same places for several years.

When they join the Partnership, the schools are assured that a benefit of membership is that there are Sisters of Notre Dame praying for them all across the world. As we view these slides, let our prayer be one of thanksgiving to our good God for the students, their families and their teachers as they continue to be a transforming presence in our globalized world today.

Schools are listing in alphabetical order.

Cardinal Gibbons High SchoolRaleigh, North Carolina

$23,548 in toys & clothing collected forDiocese of Raleigh Hispanic Family Center and the Jordan Center in a drive sponsored by Natl Honor Society.Each period 1 class was asked to raise $200 for a child in one of the Centers. Their adopted child received winter clothes, socks & shoes, coat, an educational toy and other 4 other toys.

Also, another $10,000 was raised by a Box-a-thon. 28 students spent the night in large cardboard boxes on campus to understand the plight of the homeless.Cardinal Mooney High SchoolSarasota, Florida

Students donated over 900 new toys to Andrews Toy Box, an organization helping children in hospitals with life-threatening or chronic diseases.Students collected items for Bethesda House of Sarasota which assists families affected by HIV.190 Care Packages included hygiene products, bedding, batteries, school & coloring supplies.5Double ArcToledo, OhioStaff and friends collected food, gift cards and clothing for a clients family.

La Reina High SchoolThousand Oaks, California

25 families (111 people) from the Los Angeles area were assisted by the students, faculty, staff through the Adopt-A-Family program coordinated by the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.20 La Reina students and their parents went to the Cathedral for a 6:30 am prayer service, then delivery of the gifts to the families.Lial Catholic SchoolWhitehouse, Ohio

Metro Catholic SchoolCleveland, Ohio

Students became more aware of the abundance of water they have and learned how to conserve it through announcements and daily prayers.

$245 was collected to send to Uganda to assist with clean water projects there.

Notre Dame AcademyPark Hills, Kentucky

4-5 barrels of coats, hats gloves collected for St. Vincent de Paul300 used toys collected for the Brighton Center500 used books collected for ND Urban Ed Center

800 lbs. of hygiene & cleaning supplies and1100 lbs. of canned foods were given to Be Concerned300 new toys for 2 city elementary schools in Covington.Notre Dame Academy Elementary SchoolLos Angeles, CaliforniaAlso, money was collected for those on skid row in honor of deceased Father Chase who was called Father Dollar because of his generosity to the homeless.Notre Dame AcademyLos Angeles, California

Sponsored a Drive for St. Lawrence Brindisi Parish & School in the Watts area where many are struggling financially.

Childrens Toys and Target Gift Cards were donated and the Parish gratefully acknowledged the gift. Notre Dame AcademyToledo, Ohio

23rd year of providing for Harlan, KY, a rural mining town.

43 students, 9 parents, 3 staff, 2 SNDs traveled there bringing 1000 gifts.

Distributed gifts in toy store manner and hosted a Christmas party with a meal & entertainment.Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin SchoolChardon, Ohio

Metro Catholic SchoolProvided 35 students each with $100 worth of clothing, educational items, toysParents are given the gifts to distribute to their childrenToy Drive 100 toys given to Cleveland Cavaliers & Lake Erie Monsters, Toys for Tots, Spanish migrants in PainesvilleFood Drive3000 lbs. of food was collected for the Cleveland Food Bank & Geauga County Hunger Task Force Pantries.Notre Dame Elementary SchoolChardon, Ohio

Sold Candy-grams to raise money for SND Global Missions & other charitiesPreschool & Kindergarten: Giving Tree for Legacy3rd ,5th, 7th graders made cards, gave candy-filled stockings, caroled for the sisters at Chardon and cloistered sisters.

Outreach to Metro Catholic, Legacy Project Families and Coats for Kids

Made no-sew fleece blankets to go to the homeless in Cleveland via one of the sisters and St. Ignatius HS.Queen of Apostles SchoolToledo, OhioThe school adopted an anonymous family from the area Students brought non-perishable food itemsTeachers and staff brought toys and clothingAll were wrapped and delivered to the familyThe school community received a wonderful thank you from the family.

St. Columban SchoolLoveland, Ohio

St. Francis SchoolCleveland, Ohio

Connection to Eliza Bryant Village, creating a partnership with the residentsMade Christmas placemats; art classes made big hanging snowflake decorationsGospel Choir sang for and with the residentsSt. Helen SchoolNewbury, Ohio

K 4th grades collected baby items for Maggies Place in Parma for mothers & babies

5th 8th grades adopted families from our SND Legacy Project.St. John SchoolDelphos, Ohio

Delphos Community Christmas Project$2000 raised414 children received toys & clothes137 neighbors received fruit plates144 families received food basketsSt. Vincent de Paul SocietyFood collectionHoly Child Association$1000 from Advent BanksSt. Joseph SchoolCold Spring, Kentucky

Students raised money via a Dress Down Day for Prince of Peace School, an urban school in Covington.

The funds raised were used to supplement the Montessori program at Prince of Peace with teaching tools such as cylinders, number rods, color boxes.

St. Jude Catholic SchoolFort Wayne, Indiana

Chose to support The Troops this year through an organization called Blue Star Mothers

Collected personal hygiene items, energy bars, puzzle books to send in Care Packages to those in active duty. Items also given to local vets, transitional housing residents, the homeless.

St. Mary Magdalene-St. Justin Martyr SchoolEastlake, Ohio

800 infant & toddler socks collected for Birthright of Lake County.Over 2000 items were collected and shared with the St. Vincent de Paul Societies at both parishes

St. Matthias High SchoolDowney, California

RED BUCKET Food CollectionA local organization that works with schools to collect food for needy families.90 buckets were filled!Adopt-A-FamilyJSS days: Jeans, shirts & shoes days to raise money to buyClothes, bedding, pots & pans, cleaning items Toys & games for under the tree.St. Peter SchoolNorth Ridgeville, Ohio

For two families in the parish who had recent serious illness issues and a parent death: St. Peter students worked with the DiVencenzo Tree Farm and received part of the profits.Baked & sold bakery to cover the childrens tuition.

A hat & mitten drive was held during Advent to supply North Ridgeville Community Care.

St. Wendelin SchoolFostoria, Ohio

Caring for Kids Project K 1213 area families were provided with food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and gifts.

SWEL coordinated a mitten tree, collecting gloves, hats, scarves and mittens. 2nd graders even knitted 9 scarves on looms to add to the tree.

K 6 graders visited various senior centers and nursing homes, played bingo, made Christmas placemats.

6th graders made over 200 Christmas cards for those in military service and parish shut-ins.

All of this from just 23 of our schools reporting!!!What a contribution across the entire United States of America!CONGRATULATIONS!SND National Education PartnershipIn the United States, schools sponsored by our four provinces and diocesan or parish schools where we presently minister or have ministered are invited each year to join the SND National Education Partnership. The purpose of the Partnership is to support the schools carrying out our SND Educational Vision & Principles.

Through email, the internet and visits, information is shared and contact maintained with the schools. Among the benefits, the member schools are able to participate in the SND Distinguished Graduate Award program. Presently, there are 55 member schools in the SND National Education Partnership.

For more information, visit the website http://www.sndeducation.org.