COMMUNITY CARE

In addition to the Sisters' service, their ministries also provide "Community Care through Faith and Action." Here are just some of their activities.

At St. Mary of the Valley School...

Students, teachers and staff at St. Mary of the Valley School raise money and collect toiletries, household cleaning items and clothing for the Women’s Intercommunity AIDS Resource (WIAR). They hold food drives to benefit Providence Blanchet House, which provides affordable housing for seniors.

They also hold Read-A-Thons to raise money for Child-Aid, a global organization that helps children in Mexico and Central America.

Their recent Read-A-Thon will provide books for a new library in Guatemala, serving 300 children and up to 1,000 people.

At Valley Catholic School...

At Valley Catholic School, students and staff use their “Helping Hands” to organize monthly collections of needed items for the homeless. The items are sent to organizations including JOIN: A Center for Involvement, which helps teens explore the issue of homelessness, and other community groups.

At Little Flower Development Center...

The students and staff at Little Flower Development Center partner with the Oregon Food Bank.

They collect food and other needed items for “adopted” families during the holidays.

At Maryville Nursing Home...

The Sisters, staff, residents and families create holiday baskets to provide Christmas dinners and other items for families in need.

Maryville residents are also active in the community, taking part in Beaverton's annual Summerfest Parade.

Through The SSMO Associates...

The SSMO Associates – nearly 150 men and women who have a special relationship with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon – carry the Sisters’ charism into their communities through their church and civic activities. They provide hospice care, lead Bible study groups and do altar ministries, volunteer at food banks and blood banks, and assist at senior centers wherever they live – touching hundreds of lives.