Giving of ourselves to our church community and to our neighborhood communities is essential to our way of living out our faith. Below are some of the ways we do it. We welcome all new ideas and volunteers to make them happen.
- Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis Feast Day
- Samaritan House Donations
- Senior Stuffers Christmas Program.
- Second Harvest Food Bank Donations
- Raising funds for the Rotary Elementary School at Mongkol Borei, Cambodia
- Use of the Building by local choirs and other community organizations
Blessing of the Animals
On October 1st, we celebrated the Feast of St. Francis by blessing pets and their owners at church services and at the Foster City Dog Park.
Typically, 30 members of the larger community and their two-legged guardians receive a blessing from our priests.
Outreach Donations
Most of the Outreach activities in which we have participated have been severely circumscribed by the coronavirus. However, the financial need of the programs we support has never been greater. Below are the contributions we have made this year:
| Program |
|---|
| Cambodia Academy |
| Church Divinity School of the Pacific |
| El Buen Pastore |
| Episcopal Relief and Development – Haiti |
| Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) |
| Home and Hope |
| Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County |
| Total from Outreach Budget |
Approximately $8,800 was budgeted, plus special appeals donations for unexpected disasters.
Cambodia Academy of Mongkol Borei : St. Ambrose pays for the tuition, books, uniforms, meals, and transportation for two students. We have sponsored Mai Chantra (boy) and Chheng Vipha (girl) since 2017. The Cambodia Academy provides an education for over 300 students and is open to students who are too poor to attend Cambodia public schools.
El Buen Pastor : This year St. Ambrose raised its annual contribution to El Buen Pastor, the Episcopal Church’s Spanish-speaking congregation on the Peninsula. Its Vicar, the Reverend Anna B. Lange-Soto, retired in 2020. “Mother Anna” was a regular visitor and speaker at St. Ambrose events. EBP’s continuation had been in doubt, but in October the congregation received the good news that the Diocese had given them full-fledged recognition.
Episcopal Relief and Development : Episcopal Relief and Development works with partners worldwide to alleviate hunger, create economic opportunities, respond to disasters, promote health, and strengthen communities.
Samaritan House is the only organization in San Mateo County that delivers essential services and support to help people living in poverty achieve financial independence and remain active, successful members of our community. Our compassionate and experienced team works with each client to develop a personalized plan that puts them on a path to financial stability.
Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County : Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County – One of our church members has been a volunteer to this important organization to help seniors in care facilities in Foster City.