As a mother of four, it's important to teach my children that God calls us to serve others and follow the example that Christ gave us. One way to do this is by setting the example ourselves, but also by getting our children involved in the ministry of helping others.
If you have older children, this may be easier, but finding opportunities for your younger pre-school and grade school children may be
a bit more challenging. It doesn't have to be!
If you are a Christian parent living in Southwest Orlando, or if you have recently moved to the area and you're looking for ways to help your community, then read on...
For the last four years, the M.O.M.S., St. Rita Ministry and Family Focus ministries at Holy Family Catholic Church have been reaching out to our local domestic violence shelter in Orange County, Harbor House of Central Florida. Our entire church community has been very generous of their time, participation, donations and support of our outreach activities throughout each year.
The holidays are a very difficult time of year for the women and children taking refuge in safe shelters, so this December, the St. Rita Ministry at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando is sponsoring our 4th Annual Tree Trimming Celebration at Harbor House of Central Florida to help brighten this holiday season for these families.
Each year, leading up to this special event, we provide an opportunity for our children to also get involved in this cause, as it is such a wonderful opportunity to teach our children that domestic violence is wrong and it hurts all of us. As parents, it's our responsibility to talk to them when they're young, before their ideas about relationships are shaped. By doing this, we can help end domestic violence by preventing it from happening in the first place.
As a parent, there's nothing more special and rewarding than seeing your child beam with the joy of knowing that something they did brought a smile to someone in a less fortunate situation.
So, if you're looking for an opportunity to get your kids involved in communty service this holiday season, then please consider this invitation & join us in the Social Hall of Holy Family Catholic Church on Nov. 20th, from 3:30 - 5:00 pm for our community outreach project for kids. Holy Family is located at 5125 South Apopka Vineland Rd.
For more information, please contact: Carla Bellonzi carlabellonzi@bellsouth.net or 407-295-9634
To download a printable PDF flyer to present to your ministry, employer, friends or family click here.
Thank You For Your Continued Support!
Harbor House of Central Florida is a non-profit organization that provides shelter, advocacy, counseling and emotional support to survivors of domestic violence and their children, empowering them as they work to reclaim control of their lives. Through education and advocacy, Harbor House strives to bring the issue of domestic violence to the forefront of the community's awareness.
The St. Rita Ministry is a Domestic Violence Resource Ministry at Holy Family Catholic Church developed to provide education, outreach and awareness to the issues of domestic violence and serves to be a resource for support and referrals to our pastoral staff, ministry volunteers and individual families within our parish community. As a faith community we must support and help victims and encourage our friends and family to do the same. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, Harbor House of Central Florida can help. 24 hr Emergency Hotline: 407-886-2856. To learn more about domestic violence or for additional information please visit our website at http://SaintRitaMinistry.CatholicWeb.com
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