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Services
provided by the Saint Vincent Pallotti Center of Boston
Our mission is to promote volunteerism in the spirit of St. Vincent Pallotti, who believed in every baptized Christian’s call to serve Jesus by serving the poor. College Outreach One of the ways we do this is by
outreach efforts to over 130 colleges and universities in New England, totaling
over 500,000 students. By visiting
colleges and universities, speaking about Christian service after student
Masses, setting up display tables at volunteer and nonprofit fairs,
distributing copies of Connections, and other appropriate means, we hope to give
every New England college student the opportunity to prayerfully consider giving
a week, a month, a year, or more of their lives to God through full-time,
faith-based volunteering. We
believe that young people today hunger for an experience that will profoundly
challenge them, teach them to use their gifts and talents to make a valuable
difference in other peoples’ lives, and through which they can come to better
know and love God. It is our
experience that, in addition to serving the needs of the poor, volunteering is
always a life-changing experience for those who serve. In order to promote awareness of the
needs of our local community, about 14 years ago, we created The Christ
Connection. Each summer, we update
this free, ever-expanding directory of part-time volunteer opportunities in
Greater Boston. We currently
profile about 110 agencies that offer one-day, weekly and monthly service
opportunities. Part-time volunteer
agencies include Pine Street Inn, Rosie’s Place, Lazarus House Ministries, St.
Francis House and dozens of Catholic Charity agencies. We distribute this
directory at local volunteer fairs, Archdiocesan events, in parishes, and in
other appropriate ways. To help us better serve college students and get the word out about volunteering, we’ve established satellite offices in Providence, RI; Amherst, MA; and Burlington, VT. We chose these areas because they are heavily populated with college students. Our representatives share their passion for volunteerism with area students by making themselves available to meet with interested students, visiting Career Service and Campus Ministry offices of nearby colleges and universities, accepting invitations to give talks and publicizing services provided by the Saint Vincent Pallotti Center of Boston. Education We are available to speak at
parishes, high schools and colleges, to CCD classes, campus ministers or any
other group interested in learning more about volunteerism and the many
opportunities available. Discerning the right place to volunteer can be an overwhelming process. We are available to talk with those looking for the right volunteer placement, be it part-time, full-time, long-term or short-term. Volunteer
Program Consultations We act as a consultant on an
as-needed basis for the 9 programs in the Archdiocese that use full-time
volunteers. We are able to offer
insights and suggestions to program directors, especially as new directors come
to the area. Special
Projects We
adopt projects on a regular basis that are consistent with our mission. Here are some recent examples: Ø
In
conjunction with Service Committee of the Office for Young Adults (OYA), we were
instrumental in beginning a program called “Service in Your Backyard”.
The program organizes day projects for young adults at agencies spanning
across the five regions of the Archdiocese.
Agencies are selected from among those listed in The Christ Connection. These trips still take place on a regular basis. Ø
We
worked with the OYA Service Committee to begin service trips down to Appalachia,
where volunteers worked at Christian Appalachian Project (CAP).
These trips also continue to take place regularly. Ø
We
held the first meetings to bring people down to Peru with the Society for St.
James. Ø Twice we've hosted a 13 part television series on Boston Catholic Television entitled “Serving Two Cities.” Annual Celebration Event Each year, Pallotti friends and
supporters from around the Archdiocese gather to meet new people and support our
work. Our Annual Celebration Event
gives current volunteers a chance to meet
with formers as their year of service comes to a close. In addition, the evening serves to bring together various
local social service agencies, as well as local volunteer programs.
It also provides us with the opportunity to present our Volunteer of the
Year Award to a hard-working, local volunteer and to invite a guest speaker with
a heart for volunteerism. The event
is held at The Down Town Club, which offers a panoramic view of the city.
Attendees enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, some great raffle and
door prizes, piano music, and one of the best views in Boston! Board
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