"The Pure In Heart"
- by St. Mary's Center participant, George Tillman
"The Pure In Heart"
- by St. Mary's Center participant, George Tillman
"I was weak and tired,
partly because I am old,
but partly because I was demoralized....
My Senior Advocate helped see me through my pain
and showed me that you are never too old to enjoy life."
- quote from another participant
Donations | Great Gift Ideas | Volunteer Opportunities | Contact Us
The demands on St. Mary's Center's operating budget continually grow. Our participants sometimes say that our intent is upon "Growing Freedom." The work of the Center is dependent upon contributions from individuals, corporations and other organizations.
St. Mary's Center is a 501(C)(3) public benefit corporation — federal tax I.D. #68-017-2229
With a St. Mary's Center Life Income Gift you have the benefit of knowing that you are providing long-term help for people in greatest need and you receive secure lifetime income with generous tax advantages. Some examples include:
Are you interested in offering support to St. Mary's Center? For assistance in giving a Life Income Gift, contact our administrative offices: (510) 923-9600. Or if you would like to send us your tax-deductable donation, send checks or money orders to:
St. Mary's Center
925 Brockhurst Street
Oakland, CA 94608-4222
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St. Mary's Center has inspired the poet and the artist in people. Some have generously allowed us to share a few of their works, or creative expressions. Proceeds support St. Mary's Center programs to help seniors find housing and stay in their homes, to teach preschoolers, and to feed hungry families. The following items are available for purchase:
Greeting cards
with art by homeless and formerly homeless seniors
Each pack contains 6 cards of different images and costs $10.00 (includes tax and shipping). Cards are blank on the inside. All art work was created by seniors at St. Mary's Center. Some cards are displayed on our senior art page.
To order greeting cards call 510-923-9600.
Videos
"Visible Lives" (10 and 28 minute tapes) Features interviews with formerly homeless seniors who speak of their previously hidden experience of being homeless and the events that brought them to stability. The 28-minute video also presents the comprehensive case management and community program for homeless seniors at St. Mary's Center as presented in the book, No Place to Stay by M. Elizabeth Fuhr (see below under "Books"). Both videos were produced by Anne Sigler and released in 1996. More details:
To order "Visible Lives" call 510-923-9600.
"America Needs Human Rights" (23 minutes) Told in the voices of welfare mothers, homeless men
and women, low-wage workers, seniors, veterans, and health care workers, this video from
Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy uses a human rights framework to portray the
social ills of contemporary America and lay the basis for a powerful movement for fundamental change.
For more information or to order, click here.
Books
"No Place to Stay: A Handbook for Homeless Outreach" by M. Elizabeth Fuhr
(From the back cover:)
"This handbook will give much encouragement and practical help to seasoned workers, the educator/legislator, or the compassionate volunteer in their efforts to house the homeless. The author writes off no homeless person as being unmotivated; instead, she fasions a program with a pace and quality for interaction that accommodates the fears that must be overcome."
Upon graduation from highschool, M. Elizabeth Fuhr became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi at Marycrest, Denver, Colorado. While working as a highschool science teacher, Elizabeth found her forte in creating programs that empower people to participate in their own education and healing. She developed a community-oriented model for a youth correctional ministry program in Colorado, a self-help grief program in North Dakota, a church-based employment network in Littleton, Colorado, and recently at St. Mary's Center, a homeless senior empowerment program. Currently residing in Denver, she is helping build a holistic program that emphasizes the empowerment of women.
Elizabeth's education includes masters degrees in natural science, psychology and spirituality.
For more information and to order, click here.
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Bulk Mailings: Assist us with our bulk mailings in June, August, September, late November, and March. St. Mary's Center puts out a newsletter four times a year plus a Christmas appeal. We can always use extra hands for folding, scaling, labeling, and mailing!
Christmas Baskets: Assist with gift collection, organization, registration, telephoning, and distribution for 300 families.
Computer Input: St. Mary's Center needs assistance in putting a lot of data into our computer for a variety of grants as well as in maintaining our mailing list. If you are not computer-phobic, we'd love to use your energy!
Payee Representatives: If you are good at managing money, many of our seniors could use your valuable assistance!
Artists: We are always on the lookout for new programs and activities for our seniors. We would love to learn about your skill if you are an artist and would care to teach a class!
Transportation: St. Mary's Center staff members are often asked by our senior clients to arrange transportation for shopping or for a doctor's appointment. If you have a little free time and a car, our seniors would greatly appreciate your assistance in reaching their destination!
Friendly Visitors: If you have some free time, enjoy socializing, and assisting seniors in their homes, our Outreach and Advocacy Program would welcome your efforts!
Food Donations: Our Food For All Ages Program and Preschool always can use donations of coffee, sugar, lunch meat, peanut butter/jelly for our Preschool and Senior lunches. A canned goods drive would greatly benefit our emergency food bag program!
Work Crews: St. Mary's Center would appreciate the efforts of a work crew in maintaining our grounds, or in cleaning our kitchen or dining hall!
Preschool Volunteer: Whether you like to tell or read stories to young ones, assist current staff, or to make sandwiches and snacks for our children, our Preschool Program welcomes the efforts of teachers, aides, and volunteers!
Advocacy: Your continued and vigorous efforts on behalf of the poor to bring about social justice and to maintain existing senior and children's program funds, makes an enormous difference to our low-income and disenfranchised clients!
For more information call 510-923-9600 Ext.222.
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We welcome referrals, inquiries, gift orders, and donations. Please let us know if you have questions, or would like to visit St. Mary's Center for a first-hand look at our programs. You can reach the Center by telephone, letter, fax, or email.
St. Mary's Center
Telephone: (510) 923-9600 Fax: (510) 923-9606
Email: info@stmaryscenter.org
Mail:
St. Mary's Center
925 Brockhurst Street
Oakland, California 94608-4222
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(The office is closed from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. for lunch.)
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