The Social Concerns Committee is a ministry within St. Leo Parish focused on serving the needy of our community. This is done through various events to benefit those who are hungry, in need of clothing, sick, lonely, or displaced. Social Concerns events should:
- Encourage parishioners to join and feel a strong sense of gratitude in the St. Leo community while giving of their time, talent and/or treasure.
- Benefit the greatest number of recipients.
- Be effectively communicated both internally and externally.
Calendar:
September 13 -21 – Breakfast Bar Drive for St. Raphael Academy, Bridgeport
September 14 – Social Concerns Committee Meeting 9:00 am Parish Hall Room 6
September 20 – Blood Drive to benefit the CT Blood Center
October – Fall food drive – DATE TBD
November 8/9 – Thanksgiving NCC meal sign-ups in the vestibule
November 22/23/27/29/30 – Wish Tree Tag selection in vestibule
November 26/27 – Thanksgiving meal food return to NCC and serving
December 6/7 – Wish Tree Gift returns and sorting December 7 in Parish Hall
December 13/14 or 20/21 – Poinsettia Sale
Ways to get involved:
- Donate food, clothing, gifts, or blood to our various events.
- Join the Social Concerns Committee to help plan events.
- Volunteer to help at specific events.
For more information:
- Contact Carol Kennedy at cjkennedy@optonline.net, or
- Sign up for Social Concerns communication on Flocknote
EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE
New Covenant Center (NCC) Food Drives – Done twice annually, once during Lent and once in the Fall. Parishioners donate bags of food and paper goods to stock the New Covenant Center, which is our local food pantry. The NCC truck always drives away loaded with food from our generous parishioners!
New Covenant Center Thanksgiving Meal – Parishioners sign-up in advance and donate cooked turkeys (25-30), side dishes, beverages, and desserts. St. Leo volunteers prepare the meal, decorate the soup kitchen, and serve approximately 180 delicious meals on Thanksgiving Day.
Christmas Wish Tree – Parishioners donate gifts, gift cards and toiletries to benefit local organizations. In 2024, over 1600 gifts were donated with an approximate value of over $31,000. We support:
Seniors – SilverSource and The Villa of Stamford
Mental Health Services – Laurel House, Stamford
Pregnant and parenting mothers – Malta House, Norwalk
Needy children – Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC), ROSCCO after school program
Homeless – New Covenant Center
Clothing Drives – Winter and summer clothes, shoes and linens are donated each year by Parishioners to benefit The Father English Community Center in Paterson, NJ (part of Catholic Charities). In March 2025 a huge U-Haul truck was filled with our donations.
Blood Drive – Parishioners participated in 2 blood drives a year in 2025 to benefit the CT Blood Center. This gives the CT Blood Center the ability to save many lives!
Breakfast Bar Drives – Parishioners donate breakfast bars to help the Catholic schools of Bridgeport, CT, and other needy organizations. In 2024, we collected 2,000 breakfast bars for St. Raphael Academy, part of Catholic Academy of Bridgeport, to help feed hungry children.
Hope in Motion Cancer Walk and Talent Show – Over $1800 was raised at the St. Leo Talent Show and the Hope in Motion Spring Walk 2025.
Malta House Baby Bottle Drive – Parishioners filled baby bottles with spare change May-June 2025 and raised over $6000 to benefit the Malta House in Norwalk.
Recyclable Bottle Drive – Parishioners returned their recyclable plastic bottles to St. Leo and $900 was raised to benefit the New Covenant Center.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!