The Sophia Community, believing and acting on the statement from Scripture that “What ever you do to the least of my brothers or sisters, you do to me,” is committed to reaching out to the poor and marginalized. The description, “poor and marginalized,” may be interpreted in multiple ways.
Our initial outreach is to those Catholics who feel, for whatever reason, marginalized by the institutional church. We provide a home of welcome, an ear to listen, and a heart of love, for each person who comes to the Community. We repeatedly experience healing, joy, and unity, among those who come, and a consequent desire to reach out to others.
Our outreach to others has taken two primary forms:
Pathways 2 Prosperity
We have committed to support Pathways 2 Prosperity in Sussex County whose vision is “To develop the capacities of adults and children to sustain healthy lifestyles by providing services designed to foster addiction-free lifestyles, emotional wellness, financial stability and safe communities. Our support is both monetary – with regular donations, and practical – with members of our Sophia Community volunteering time and expertise to Pathways to Prosperity – a campaign to end poverty.
Read about Pathways 2 Prosperity at
https://norwescap.org/what-we-do/employment-and-career-assistance/pathways-2-prosperity/
Here is an example of what Sophia has done for Pathways for Prosperity
Poverty Simulation
Here is a link to the Compadres initiative for children. https://norwescap.org/compadres/
Sister Parish in Rochester, New York
The Sophia Community Supports the ministry of a Roman Catholic Woman Priest who ministers to migrant workers. Because of the concern for the safety of these often undocumented workers, we will not disclose any more information other than the fact that we contribute monetarily as well as have provided children books written in Spanish to the community. Of course, we pray for them each Sunday.
Sparta Community Food Pantry
Home | The Sparta Community Food Pantry (thespartacommunityfoodpantry.com)
The Sophia Community Supports the Food Pantry with a monthly monetary contribution.
To view the hours of operation, please visit the Food Pantry’s website. The most common food needs are peanut butter, breakfast cereal, oatmeal, soup, protein items, and desserts. Volunteers are needed for sorting foods on a seasonal basis. (Some heaving lifting is required.)
RAMP
Refugee Assistance Morris Partners
Refugee Assistance Morris Partners (RAMP) seeks to assist families currently held in Middle Eastern refugee camps to transition to productive lives of dignity, safety, and hope in the Morris County area of New Jersey.
Refugee Assistance Morris Partners (RAMP) is a volunteer organization which seeks to assist vetted and documented refugee families and individuals from countries in which their lives are threatened by war or violence to transition to productive lives of dignity, safety, and hope in Morris County, New Jersey.
Situational Outreach
The community supports both local charities as well as world-wide programs with whom our members often have a direct association.
2024:
– Kayenta Arts Foundation – Festival of the Americas
– Walk-A-Thon for National Multiple Sclerosis Society
– Money “as needed” for moving supplies for P2P members
– Walk-A-Thon for Marfan Foundation
– Local Annual Fundraisers e,g, Sparta Community Food Pantry
– Social Justice evening presenters
2023:
– P2P Education Fund
– RAMP – Funds for arrival of new family from South America
– Kayenta Arts Foundation Scholarship Fund
– Social Justice evening presenters
– St. Joseph’s Indian School – In memory of Sophia member
– Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation – In memory of Sophia member
– Windows for Serenity House (sister parish) – in memory of Sophia member
– Gas cards for P2P
– Stanhope Food Pantry
2022:
– Summer Camp for young RAMP immigrant
– RAMP – Assistance with Engineering Course and Exam for new immigrant
– Good Shepherd Home in Cameroon – Water for Life
– Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief
As needs and emergency actions become appropriate, the Sophia Community offers its prayers and also joins people around the world in contributing to disaster relief. After the Earthquake in Haiti, the decision was made to contribute to both Catholic Relief Services and Doctors Without Borders. The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in Japan, elicited a similar response.
