Events

Calling Christmas Angels to Serve Meals to the Poor

For over fifteen years, generous families and friends of Our Lady of the Wayside have supported a wonderful cause — helping St. Benedict Parish in Chicago feed 300+ homeless and lonely folks on Christmas Day.

Last year, we served a beautiful Christmas Dinner. This year, we plan to continue the tradition and will caravan to St. Benedict to set up and serve Christmas meals to those in need. We anticipate 300 guests (to allow for proper spacing and safety) and will follow the latest Covid guidelines. All servers need to be at least 12 years of age.

Please spread the word amongst our Wayside community. We need the next-generation of volunteers to build on this ministry and assure its success for years to come!

Individual & Family volunteers are needed for THREE SHIFTS:

1. FIRST SHIFT delivers the food to St. Benedict’s on Christmas morning and then helps set-up the gym and prepare the food for the servers.
2. SECOND SHIFT plates the food and visits with the guests. Many appreciate a warm smile and conversation as much as the generosity Wayside and St. Benedict provides.
3. THIRD SHIFT arrives after the meal is served, to help with clean-up.

Click HERE for more information and to SIGN UP

If you are not able to attend in-person, there are several opportunities to contribute.  Please consider…

• Providing cooked food for the meals. We need to purchase and prepare cooked turkeys, hams, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Sides like corn, gravy, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce are needed as well as beverages and desserts
• Purchasing and wrapping hats and gloves (separately) to be distributed as gifts to our guests
• Providing gift card donations for guest raffle prizes

Click HERE for more information and to SIGN UP

Have questions, ideas or suggestions? Please e-mail Randi Rooney rrooney@shanleypump.com or Steve Perille sperille@outlook.com. Veteran experience to restart this ministry would be much appreciated!