Below are the groups, descriptions of their work, requests and a contact person. Whatever you choose, tell them you read it in The Compass, so the project can continue.
The Wish List will be on our Web site, www.www.thecompassnews.org through Lent and the Easter season.
Horizon Adult Day Care, Antigo
This day care facility for seniors in Langlade County provides activities, companionship and peer support in a safe environment, especially for those suffering physical, emotional or mental impairment. Program coordinator Kerri Matz says most are women whose families work during the day. She said they would like a pinking shears to help with craft projects. Also needed are tempera paint, markers and garden supplies. They could also use a lift chair. Call Matz at (715) 627-0657.
Le Royer Hospice, Antigo
This end-of-life program at Langlade Memorial Hospital is sponsored by the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph. It cares for patients in five counties and helped more than 100 last year. Sr. Adele Demulling, director, says they would like money to buy booklets for families, “Gone from My Sight,” as their relatives approach death. She also would like a flotation cushion for recliners when patients cannot sleep in bed. The cushion protects fragile skin. Contact her at (715) 623-2331, ext. 437.
Fox Valley Warming Shelter, Appleton
This four-year-old nondenominational venture addresses emergency overnight shelter. They opened their first facility last fall. Brad Vivoda, executive director, said the shelter averages 35 people (men and women) each night. They need laundry and personal hygiene items. Since the shelter also transports clients from downtown Appleton each day, they also need gas vouchers for their van. Call him at (920) 277-1968.
Bridge-Between Retreat Center, Denmark
This rural retreat ministry, rooted in Dominican spirituality, serves 7,000 a year both on site and in parish visits. They have a working farm and organic garden. The center would like a computer with video projector for presentations. They could also use high efficiency (HE) laundry detergent and gas gift cards. Call Diane Eparvier at (920) 864-7230.
St. Vincent de Paul House of Hope, Green Bay
The house serves pregnant and/or single mothers, ages 18-24, and their children. They need new car seats to give out to mothers. They would also like $10 gift cards from Wal-Mart to give to mothers for unexpected needs like work shoes for a new job or child care needs. They would also appreciate snow plowing services. Call Chris Varela at (920) 884-6740.
Love Life Ministries, Green Bay
This ecumenical ministry provides baby needs to low-income families. Located at two churches in Green Bay, St. Joseph and Peace United Methodist, they would like Pack ‘n’ Plays, portable playbeds for newborns to sleep in. Co-coordinator Nancy Spiegelhoff said there is a tremendous need.” They also need disposable diapers and pull-ups, Contact Spiegelhoff at (920) 494-5423.
Marion House, Green Bay
This group home for pregnant teens helps an average of 20 teens and their children each year. Their wish is a large screen TV with DVD player for the resource room in the transitional apartments to help with the life skills training program. They also need size 3 and 4 diapers. Call Debbie Schaut or Pat VandeVoort at (920) 496-1478.
StreetLights Outreach, Green Bay
This nighttime outreach has provided a “feet on the streets” presence in at-risk neighborhoods for six years. They offer food and beverages weekly, from April to October, and monthly block parties attended by up to 250 low income people, including children. Each party’s food costs range from $250 to $350. They would appreciate gift cards to buying clubs to purchase food. Call Tony Pichler at (920) 680-6127.
St. John the Evangelist Shelter, Green Bay
This downtown homeless shelter, running from November to April, provides overnight shelter. It is an emergency facility, run by the parish with help from the Green Bay Diocese. Executive director Mary Kelly said their biggest wish is for a daytime facility for supportive services and group meetings. Also desired is transportation for clients who find work outside of the bus route area. Finally, they could use a multi-tiered rolling cart for food transport. Contact Kelly at (920) 436-9344.
Wellspring, Green Bay
This downtown, drop-in center, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross at Bay Settlement, serves disadvantaged women from various faiths and ethnic backgrounds. Newly named director Jane Shatswell says it “is a wonderful place where women are free to come and be supported for the amazing gift of who they are.” Their big wish would be for a new recliner to match their furniture. And for a smaller wish, “everybody agreed it would nice to have another bookshelf.” Call Shatswell at (920) 857-9587.
Elizabeth Ministry, Kaukauna
Elizabeth Ministry Retreat and Resource Center provides hope and healing on issues related to childbearing, sexuality and relationships. It is the headquarters for more than 700 chapters on six continents. Founder Jeannie Hannemann asks donors to consider purchasing items from the online store to be given free to those in need, such as a prayer shawl to donate to a mother who has miscarried. They also need carbon monoxide detectors for their retreat center and facial and bath tissue. Contact Hannemann at (920) 766-9380.
Mount Tabor Center, Menasha
This is the only retreat center in the diocese focused directly on youth, especially on grades three to 12. This year, they will give 140 retreats to 5,000 people. The evangelization team, SPIRITUS, consists of young adults giving nine months of service. The center would like an Apple desktop for SPIRITUS. The center also needs liquid laundry soap, copy paper and toilet paper. Contact development coordinator Margaret Eggen at (920) 722-8918, ext. 5.
Bella Pregnancy Medical Clinic, Oshkosh
This pregnancy resource center and medical clinic provides free services to women with unplanned pregnancies. Begun as “Labor of Love” maternity home in 1994, it has expanded into a medical clinic to help infants and new mothers. It also offers adoption information, medical referrals, ultrasounds, pregnancy testing and abortion recovery. They had 255 appointments in the last six months of 2010. They need a baby changing table for their bathroom. They could also use infant car seats, and baby goods such as newborn diapers. Contact Susan Kraus at (920) 231-6006.
Fr. Carr’s Place 2B, Oshkosh
For 36 years, the Place 2B has built a network of services for the needy and ill in Oshkosh, including a food bank and pantry, and three shelter facilities. Joe Geniesse, executive director, said they need funds for a chapel. He said they served 90,000 meals last year and had “40,000 beds slept in.” He said they need single beds and bedding, as well as personal care items and cleaning supplies. Call him at (920) 231-2378.
St. Francis Free Community Health Clinic, Oshkosh
Also located at The Place 2B, the clinic provides medical, dental and chiropractic volunteer services. Director Joe Geniesse said they need over-the-counter pain relievers and cold medicines (non-narcotic and non-alcoholic), as well as unused medical supplies. He would also like funds to build an on-site chapel. The center offers Mass on Friday evenings and Geniesse said he finds a growing need expressed for a place to pray. “More than food, shelter and healthcare,” he said, “has become a need for prayer.” Contact him at (920) 231-2378.
