Starting on Saturday, November 16^th - Sunday, November 24^th you can select your Angel Tree gift tag and support one of the charities listed below!  With so many wonderful local charities in need of assistance, we wanted the Angel Tree to truly reflect the desire to support the local community and to align with the teachings of Jesus Christ—love thy neighbor.  Matthew 22: 39 With this goal in mind, several new charities have been added this year.

Please feel free to take as few or as many tags as you want, but know that the committee and the charities are counting on these gifts being returned by the dates noted.  Trees and angels will be available at both churches.

These charities Angels will be available at St. Thomas More.  These gifts to be returned to STM:

Holy Family Institute is rooted in the rich tradition of Catholic social teaching, and helps empower children and families that are dealing with debilitating financial limitations or crisis situations build communities that support and encourage each other.  They provide supportive services like parent-child therapy, career training assistance, mental health and substance abuse counseling, family decision-making therapy, educational assistance, provide in-home supportive services and even energy assistance.
 
Operation Homefront’s mission is to support both active military and Veterans, helping them build stable, secure families that can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Relief. Resiliency and family support are what Operation Homefront is all about—from financial assistance with food, auto and home repairs to transitional housing to caregiver support to holiday toy drives.
 
Lunches for the Hungry lovingly packs over 150 brown bag lunches every other week.  Each lunch includes fresh fruit, a granola bar and a spiritual note; and are delivered to St. Mary of Mercy for distribution at The Red Door.
 
Angel’s Place is a cooperative community and a home away from home. It is a place where children feel cared for and where families can feel supported, and involved. Our family-centered child care services and early childhood education programs are available at no cost or at significantly reduced rates to qualifying parents. Our goal is to provide a clean, safe, fun and comfortable environment where families are free to play, grow and learn.
 
HIM: Howard International Ministry was formed for the purpose of bringing the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to the poor and needy of Pittsburgh by providing hot meals, clothing, assistance, Bibles and weekly spiritual encouragement.  This Pittsburgh Street ministry assists over 90 homeless people weekly both physically and spiritually, rain or shine.
 
These charities Angels will be available at St. John Capistran.  These gifts to be returned to SJC:

Sisters Place provides safe, affordable housing and a sense of stability to over 32 once-homeless single parent families and their children. Help with child care, after-school programming, summer camps and parent education and career planning programs are available and are designed to help families move towards self-sufficiency.

Genesis House, established in 1983 is a one-of-a-kind maternity care facility for woman who are pregnant and in need of shelter. The program offers a self-help, home-like environment aimed at fostering responsibility and independence, including pre-natal classes, CPR and infant care/parenting skills training. Residents are encouraged to complete their education, seek employment and to become a self-sufficient parent post-delivery.
 
Outreached Arms serves over 100 meals each Tuesday evening in downtown Pittsburgh. Volunteers serve hot meals, provide stimulating conversation, a friendly smile, as well as a packed lunch to go.
 
The Plea School roots are founded in the hope to make a difference for individuals and families dealing with autism, mental health issues and developmental difficulties.  For over fifty years, PLEA has provided educational assistance as well as behavioral health assistance to children experiencing difficulties due to behavioral or developmental challenges and one-to-one and group activities focusing on wellness and recovery for adults who may also be suffering from behavioral health issues.
 
The Ward Home mission has been to serve at-risk foster youth ages 16 to 21 by providing nurturing environments located in neighborhoods throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. Ward Home’s Supervised Independent Living (SIL) Program is a community-based, residential program that serves in apartment-style housing with 24-hour supervision, where they are taught vital life skills with an emphasis on developing social skills, obtaining and maintaining employment and/or volunteer work, completing an education plan, staying safe, and developing healthy relationships.
 
ALL gifts are to be returned to either STM or SJC as noted, no later than Sunday December 1^st. 

• Gifts MAY be returned earlier to the parish office due to the holiday weekend (if needed).
• Gifts should be placed in a gift bag, but be unwrapped, with the ANGEL attached for identification purposes and tracking.

Thanks greatly for your support!  Without you and your generosity this ministry would not be able to provide for so many this Christmas season!
Questions: Call Mary Kirk at 412-805-5522 or Kristine Fishell at 412-915-0528