Outreach

The Holy Name preschool class partners with Catholic Charities Adult Day Center. The Adult Day Center provides respite for families and caregivers of adults with disabilities. Our students and the participants at the Adult Day Center are Art Pals. The preschool students enjoy creating seasonal art projects throughout the year that they send to the participants at the Adult Day Center. The adult participants also send seasonal art projects that they make at the center to the preschool students. The joy of creativity, connection, and receiving a gift of art brings many smiles.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by volunteering or supporting Catholic Charities and their Adult Day Center.

The Holy Name kindergarten classes partner with St. Elizabeth Briarbank Assisted Living for Women. The Daughters of Divine Charity run this facility, which is focused on the physical and spiritual care of the residents.

Our kindergarten students enjoy their partnership with St. Elizabeth Briarbank through activities of service and visits.

For more information about St. Elizabeth Briarbank Assisted Living, visit their website at     briarbank.com.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by volunteering or supporting St. Elizabeth Briarbank Assisted Living for Women and the Daughters of Divine Charity.

St. Elizabeth Briarbank
39315 Woodward Ave.
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Phone: 248-644-1011
Email: [email protected]

The Holy Name first grade classes partner with Paws with a Cause. This organization trains assistance dogs and places them with individuals with disabilities. These dogs help to enhance the independence and quality of life for those they assist. Paws with a Cause also works to increase awareness about assistance dogs through education and advocacy.

Our first grade students enjoy their partnership with Paws with a Cause. The students have fun making dog treats that they donate to Paws with a Cause for training purposes. Paws with a Cause trainers also bring in several dogs to meet the students, and to spend time listening to the students read and answering any questions the students have about the dogs. One of our Holy Name first grade teachers has personally volunteered with Paws with a Cause, taking an assistance dog in training into her home for the duration of the training. This teacher offers insights to the students based upon her hands-on experience.

For more information about Paws with a Cause, visit their website at pawswithacause.org.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by volunteering or supporting Paws with a Cause.

Paws with a Cause
4646 S. Division
Wayland, MI 49348
616-877-7297

The Holy Name second grade classes partner with Open Hands Food Pantry, a local food pantry that provides food to those in need in the community.

The students support Open Hands Food Pantry by making an annual field trip to the facility. Prior to their visit, the students collect canned goods and nonperishable items to donate and deliver to the food pantry. They also decorate and fill "birthday bags" filled with cake mix, frosting, and items for a birthday celebration and donate them to the pantry. The pantry gives these bags to families in need, to help the parents more easily provide the basics of a fun-filled birthday celebration for their children. This way, our second grade students are able to share food and joy with those in need. They also realize the blessings they have in their homes and families, and experience the joy of lending a helping hand by providing for the needs of others.

For more information about Open Hands Food Pantry, visit their website at openhandspantry.org.

Consider sharing in our students' experience through volunteering or supporting Open Hands Food Pantry.

Located inside St. John's Episcopal Church
26998 Woodward Ave. at 11 Mile
Royal Oak, MI 48067
248-546-1255
[email protected]

The Holy Name third grade classes partner with Meals on Wheels and St. Anne's Mead Senior Community. Our third grade students enjoy their partnerships, through which they bring joy to others and learn the fulfillment of helping to provide for the needs of others. During their visit to the St. Anne's Mead Senior Community, the students create gingerbread houses and share in joyful conversation.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by volunteering or supporting Meals on Wheels and St. Anne's Mead Senior Community.

The Holy Name fourth grade classes partner with Penrickton Center for Blind Children. This unique center offers free care to children who are blind and multidisabled, with the goal of bringing them joy and working with them to gain independence. Through our students' outreach activities, they grow in awareness and understanding of the needs of children their age with disabilities and have an opportunity to practice virtues as they support and interact with members of the center.

One activity the students participate in is a field trip to visit the Penrickton Center. During the trip, a staff member offers them a hands-on presentation that teaches them about blindness and the multiple disabilities that students at the center may have, which helps the Holy Name students step into the shoes of these children and gives them an understanding of the difficulties disabled students endure and overcome each day. Our fourth-graders are grateful for the blessings they have, and grow in empathy for those who are different than them. Our students also tour the center and see where the Penrickton Center's students spend their time playing, learning, eating, sleeping, and getting ready for the day.  This exposure helps the Holy Name students discover the many ways children with disabilities are similar, and gets them to think about the challenges the disabled students have and the resources they need to do activities able students often take for granted. A special part of the experience is that our students are able to meet and interact with some of the students at the center. The visit is full of joy, fun, and discoveries. During the visit, several students said they want to do more to help the center, and maybe volunteer at the center in the future.

The Penrickton Center houses 33 children ages 1 to 12 year-round, Monday through Friday (including nights). The center provide its services free of charge to the families through the generosity of many donations, big and small. The Holy Name fourth grade classes offer financial support to the Penrickton Center by raising money through their mini-society project sales. They are able to support a cause for which they have seen firsthand those who benefit.

The Penrickton Center welcomes visitors. Tours are available, and anyone can volunteer to stuff information envelopes that help the center raise awareness and raise much-needed funds. Individuals 18 years of age or older are able to volunteer with the students.

Consider sharing in your child's outreach experience by touring, volunteering, or supporting the Penrickton Center for Blind Children.

Penrickton Center for Blind Children
26530 Eureka Rd.
Taylor, MI 48180

For more information, visit penrickton.com or call 734-946-7500.

The Holy Name fifth grade classes partner with Gleaners Community Food Bank. This local organization assists families and individuals in need by distributing food to hundreds of soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries. Gleaners also offers nutrition information and runs a garden to provide fresh vegetables to those in need. Through our students' outreach activities, they grow in awareness and understanding of the needs of  others, and practice virtues as they support and interact with members of the organization.

One activity the students participate in is a field trip to visit a Gleaners facility. During this trip, a staff member directs them in a hands-on experience at the garden. Our students learn about the impact this garden has on those in need, learn about the process of gardening, and help prepare the garden and plant. The students have fun and are grateful for the blessings they have. 

Gleaners welcomes volunteers. Consider sharing in your child's outreach experience by volunteering or supporting Gleaners Community Food Bank.

Gleaners Community Food Bank
2131 Beaufait
Detroit, MI 48207

For more information, visit gcfb.org or call 734-946-7500.

The Holy Name sixth grade classes partner with Mary's Mantle. This organization offers a place to stay and provides assistance to pregnant mothers and new mothers who are in great financial need. Our sixth grade students participate in a diaper drive to help meet the needs of the mothers and their babies. The students also are visited by a staff member of Mary's Mantle who is able to share firsthand insight about Mary's Mantle's services and the women's experience.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by volunteering or supporting Mary's Mantle.

The Holy Name seventh grade classes partner with The Rainbow Connection. This organization grants wishes to children in Michigan who have life-threatening illnesses. In addition to planning and granting wishes, The Rainbow Connection staff stays connected with the families by offering encouragement and support. When a child is going through a particularly challenging or disheartening time, The Rainbow Connection reaches out to their family and sends a Happy Bag filled with games, fun items, and cards for the whole family. The organization also enables participating families to have free access to events where they can enjoy recreation together in special settings, offers financial support in times of need, and supports a scholarship program.

While volunteering at The Rainbow Connection, Holy Name's seventh graders prepared a mailing of invitations to the new Rainbow Connection Alumni Group, helped with Mother's Day and Father's Day cards, and created their own inspiring and uplifting cards to include in the Happy Bags. The Rainbow Connection staff led our students on a tour of their facility, and shared many stories about the impact the wishes that come true have made for these children and their families.

There are opportunities for your family to volunteer with The Rainbow Connection and make a difference in these families' lives. Information about the Kids Helping Kids program and the Walk for Kids event are linked below. For more information about The Rainbow Connection, visit their website at rainbowconnection.org.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by touring, volunteering, or supporting The Rainbow Connection.

The Rainbow Connection
621 W. University
Rochester, MI 48307
248-601-9474
[email protected]

Kids Helping Kids The Rainbow Connection Reflection

The Holy Name eighth grade classes partner with Angels' Place. This organization manages homes and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Angels' Place staff works to enhance their clients' lives through Christ-centered services and support. Our eighth grade students enjoy their partnership, through which they bring joy to others and learn the sense of fulfillment that comes from helping others. The students visit the residents at Angels' Place and also welcome residents from Angels' Place to spend an afternoon at Holy Name. These interactions foster a sense of community.

Consider sharing in our students' experience by volunteering or supporting Angels' Place.