The mission of social outreach is to witness God's love by providing physical, emotional, and educational support to the community through social outreach programs. Volunteers and/or various kinds of donations are needed to support these ministries. In addition, persons are needed to help constantly reassess our fulfillment of the seven themes of Catholic social teaching and to suggest and initiate new ministries.

Contacts: Gina Milliken, ghmilliken@att.net or Donna Carr, fivecarrs@comcast.net

Christmas Giving Tree

Barb Treacy, 719-528-6577, 

Mary Vujcevic, joevuj@msn.com

• The Christmas Giving Tree project gives St. Francis parishioners the opportunity to provide for those families and seniors needing a little extra help and cheer to celebrate the Christmas season. Families from school Districts 20 and 11, Silver Key seniors and other local organizations benefit from the parishioners’ generosity. Parish families may participate by taking ornament gift tags from the tree and shopping for the items requested on the tags. By participating in the Christmas Giving Tree project, parishioners are not only providing Christmas gifts, but also giving the gifts of hope, promise, and love. If you would like to become more involved, please allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours of volunteer time to cut tags, shop, or sort.
  

Christmas Tree Project

Donna Carr, fivecarrs@comcast.net

• The Christmas Tree Project is a local organization that collects artificial Christmas trees, lights, ornaments, tinsel, candy canes, Christmas decorations/decor, toys, stuffed animals, games, etc., to be distributed to those in the community who cannot afford to have the Christmas spirit in their homes. St. Francis collects items for three weekends in November/early December to support The Project, which is the main big drive. However, items can be dropped off at the Church all year long. (Not to be confused with the Christmas Giving Tree.)
  

Environmental Stewardship-Creation Care

Larry Reisinger, larry.reisinger@gmail.com

• Promotes the principles of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “St. Francis Pledge” to steward the environment and care for creation by informing and encouraging parishioners to live sustainably.

Family Promise/IHN

Amy Spencer, 319-333-4738, Chelsey Cerrillo, 719-271-0392

• Provides shelter, meals, and support services to families without homes. St. Francis of Assisi partners with St. Michael’s Episcopal Church to serve as afternoon hosts, dinner preparers, and overnight hosts, and laundering linens at St. Michael’s for one week in the fall and again in the spring. The Network provides a case manager to assist in acquiring employment and affordable housing for independence and self-sufficiency. Volunteer time commitments vary depending on what’s needed. For example: serving as an afternoon or overnight host at the church, helping to prepare food for dinner, launder linens after hosting week, etc.

Food Pantry

Lynn Waite, ricklynncos@msn.com, Sandy Bauers, 719-410-0579

• Collects food and prepares packages for distribution each month to those in need inricklynncos@msn.com our parish and the greater local community. Parishioners are encouraged to pick up extra food items when shopping throughout the month for donation on food pantry weekends.
  

Fostering Hope

Margaret Beaty, magsbea33@gmail.com

• Program volunteers work as a team to assist and support a local foster family in the important work they do in caring for childen in foster care. Team members work together in various tasks to help the foster family: transporting children to appointments, bringing in meals on busy days, helping with yard work, tutoring, watching children so foster parents can have a "night out", etc. Strong relationships are formed and children's lives positively impacted with the love of Christ shown through the volunteers' actions. One interaction a month plus attendance of the monthly meetings are the minimal requirements for the ministry.
  

Habitat for Humanity

Bernie Redlinger, bredli.iaco@gmail.com,  719-337-3006

• Organizes fundraising and volunteer labor in four-hour shifts on our scheduled build dates. Since 2006, and in cooperation with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity and other local parishes, St. Francis has co-sponsored and completed several affordable Habitat homes in the Pikes Peak Region. 
  

Human Trafficking Awareness

Jean Martin, tjmartin6@gmail.com, Barbara Sullivan, cbsullivan1@msn.com

• Human Trafficking Ministry is an effort to inform people of the extent of this growing problem, introduce ways to recognize human trafficking, and show what can be done to stop it. We also support Bakhita Mountain House, a facility that offers lodging and support to rescued women who were victims of human trafficking.

Kids in Need

Joan Sutula, joansutula@hotmail.com

• The Kids in Need annual drive is committed to helping children by collecting needed items for local organizations dedicated to serving children. The drive is held for two consecutive weekends, usually the first two weekend of March. 
  

Marian House Soup Kitchen

Margaret Beaty, magsbea33@gmail.com

• The St. Francis Soup Kitchen team is responsible for the meal on the 4th Saturday of every month of the year. A meal is planned for approximately 600 people. Leadership team volunteer opportunities include: Supplies on Hand Scout: 1 hour/month; Shopper: 2-3 hours/month; Dessert Retriever: Large vehicle needed. 2 hours/month; Bread Handler: Place bread order in advance, pick up at bakery and deliver on duty day. Large vehicle needed. 2 hours/month; Dessert Collector: Collect donations from parishioners, at your home, and deliver on duty day. 1 hour/month. Monthly Volunteers are needed from 7:30 am-1:00 pm: Jobs include preparing and serving food, cleaning up, and monitoring clients.

One Nation Walking Together

Larry Gray, l.m.gray@comcast.net

• Ongoing collection of winter coats, jackets, blankets, personal hygiene products, mattresses/box springs, furniture, kitchen supplies such as dishes, pots and pans, towels and sheets, etc. One Nation delivers these items to various Native American reservations. Volunteer opportunities include making announcements after each Mass one weekend, as well as delivering items collected to One Nation’s local office.

Respect Life

Stacie Mohrman, samohrman@comcast.net, Genevieve Leonard, 925-487-9875

• Focuses on education and support of Pro-Life activities in the parish and greater community. Supports pro-life legislation and organizes parish participation in the annual Roses for Life project. Coordinator sits on the larger Diocesan Respect Life Committee.
  

Thanksgiving Brown Bag

Judy and Steve Schwenk, jschwenk@bellsouth.net

• Annually organizes collection and distribution of donated food items for needy families in Colorado Springs. Volunteer opportunities include: bringing food items to church before Mass on the designated day in November; drivers and vehicles are needed to collect items and take them to the collection point; a coordinator to oversee the project which includes advertising, organizing drivers’ schedules, and follow-up.