serving others

in our community

Lake County Outreach

PADS Crisis Services, Inc (Lake County)

Contact: Dave Secor

This is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to providing emergency shelter, permanent housing, and supportive services to families with children and individuals who are experiencing homelessness in Lake County. PADS provides a safe and warm place for the homeless to sleep, as well as a nutritious evening meal and a sack lunch for the following day. St. Lawrence parishioners staff a local PADS site one night a month. Volunteers serve in five shifts (6:30 - 9:00 pm, 9:00 - 11:00 pm, 11:00 pm - 3:00 am, 3:00 - 5:00 am and 5:00 - 7:00 am) on the fourth Tuesday of each month, October - April, at the Wildwood Presbyterian Church. The sign up sheets to prepare food for the evening meal and for the three shifts will be out on the table in the Narthex two weeks before.

Chicago Diocese Outreach

Episcopal Charities and Community Services (ECCS) (website) is a network of 12 social service agencies organized as official agencies of the Diocese of Chicago, and linked through the ECCS central office at the Episcopal Church Center in Chicago. St. Lawrence supports these agencies at different times throughout the year.

Cathedral Shelter (website) is an inner-city agency of the Chicago Diocese of the Episcopal Church, working with homeless alcoholics and addicts to help them attain sobriety, find jobs and get off the street. The Shelter also runs a food pantry and a thrift shop that helps to support their programs. Every Christmas, Cathedral Shelter runs a huge Christmas basket campaign. St. Lawrence participates in this effort, preparing food and gift baskets for about 50 people. This year the Seeking Sophia group volunteered one Saturday to help load donations for delivery to needy families.