Students at St. Joseph School are very involved in community service and Christian outreach. As a school, we help to support a boy from Uganda through Unbound. Each month a different class raises the $30 for his sponsorship and writes letters or makes cards for him. At Christmas, there are several opportunities for Christian outreach, such as Operation Christmas Child, when students and families wrap shoe boxes for Christmas and fill them with small toys and toiletry items for poor children around the world. There is a school-wide collection for a variety of food pantries located in New Bedford, Acushnet and Wareham, and the National Junior Honor Society organized the collection of shoes for Africa and pet supplies and food for the local Fairhaven Animal shelter.
Ongoing throughout the school year teachers organize opportunities for community outreach to local nursing homes. Second graders socialize with the residents from Atria Assisted Living. Annually our middle school students spend a morning helping out at Gifts To Give and can also be found helping out at the M.O. Life food pantry. In March, grades 5 and 6 visit Alden Court to share their Science Fair projects with the residents. Each classroom often pursues their own community service project — such as the way grade 7 started collecting “Happy Hats” when they heard about Caiden Falcon, a toddler who died from cancer a few years ago. The hats go to children who have lost their hair due to the affects of cancer treatment. These service projects are connected to our Saint Joseph School Family and live the mission of caring for all God’s People.
We have participated in “The Box of Joy” project. The Box of Joy ministry provides teachers, parish leaders and other Catholic groups a unique opportunity for students, parishioners and group members to participate in a simple and tangible service experience that has both a material and spiritual impact on the poorest of the poor in developing countries.