Our Christmas Giving Trees focus on projects beyond U.S. borders that address basic human needs and are also closely tied to and supported by Holy Redeemer parishioners. In 2015 the International Tree benefitted the Togo Mission Project (our sister parish Our Lady of Gaudalupe in Togo, West Africa) and Farm of the Child in Honduras. 

Please visit www.togomissionparish.org to learn more about the extraordinary and vital work Father William Ryan is leading.  More information about the extensive work of Farm of the Child can be found at http://www.farmofthechild.org/ 

For any questions about the Giving Trees, please contact the rectory office at 301-942-2333
 

Holy Redeemer parish provides support for this program on an annual basis.  However, parishioners who wish to donate separately may do so through contacting the program's website at www.farmofthechild.org where they specify how to donate and identify specific items within the program for which funding is needed at the present time.

The mission of Farm of the Child is to care for and improve the physical, educational, spiritual and social welfare of orphaned, abandoned and neglected children of Honduras so that they may become productive Christian members of Honduran society.  Farm of the Child is an orphanage, a Catholic school, a medical clinic and outreach program serving one of the poorest regions in the western hemisphere.  A typical family of campesinos (peasant farmers) has little or no land to farm, is extremely limited educationally, and has no opportunity to earn a decent living.  Malnutrition is rampant and starvation is not unknown.  Families are weakened by hunger and disease.  In this society, children are the ones who suffer most.  Voluntary donations are essential to the ongoing maintenance and improvement of the physical plant and for support of services to these children in need.   Those who help are remembered in the prayers of those who serve.
 

Holy Redeemer Parish hosts the monthly meetings of the local Faith and Light Community meeting every second Saturday, 3:00-5:00 p.m. from September to May.  Families and friends, share friendship, pray together and celebrate life.  Meetings of the community are posted in the church bulletin.  Refreshments are provided.  Community Service for School Service Learning Center is welcome.  Please bring your school form.  For additional information about the community, visit the Faith and Light website at www.faithandlight.org.  You may also contact Vicky Geiger at 240-893-0401 or hathawaystaff@jubileemd.org.

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal benefit society.  The Order is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity.  If interested in knowing more about the local counsils of the Knights of Columbus, please contact Lawrence Grayson at 301-933-8731

Golden Girls Networking Group is a social group for women ages 60+ that meets at Holy Redeemer Church the second Thursday of the month from September through May from 1-2 pm. For more information, contact Julie Gardner at gardnersj@yahoo.com

Dealing with the death of a beloved spouse is never easy.  The Archdiocese of Washington promotes the Post Cana program for those who are faced with such bereavement.  Widows and widowers within Holy Redeemer are invited to come together and celebrate life, to share and enjoy each other's company in a warm and welcoming environment.  Annual functions are planned to provide the opportunity to get away for a day and enjoy, for example, on a bus tour, the fall splendor of leaves in autumn on the Sky Line Drive and partake of a meal together at the Lodge and visit a vineyard on the return trip.

All widows and widowers are invited to learn more about Post Cana by contacting Mary Dugan 201-873-3902 marydugan12@icloud.com

In the event you are in need of grief counseling or assistance due to loss of a loved one, the onset of serious illness or other distressing life situation, please contact the Rectory to arrange a meeting with one of our priests. Please do not hesitate to contact us in these circumstances.

Meals on Wheels is a non-profit, humanitarian service organization that delivers hot nutritious meals over the lunch hour, to homebound, elderly and disabled individuals in our community. The meals are delivered from our kitchen by volunteer drivers and visitors who provide a short visit along with the delivery of the meals.

Several of our parishioners are actively involved in this service and speak highly of its worth and the satisfaction they derive from helping the homebound by delivering meals to them.  It is  wonderful way to respond to Christ's call to feed the hungry and serve the poor.  The demand for this service is ever increasing to the extent that there is a waiting list of individuals who wish to be recipients of the service. 

Volunteer drivers and visitors are always needed.  They commit their time from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to deliver meals to client's homes.  Volunteers are also needed to work in the kitchen as meal Packers from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to pack food in individual containers. 

The program has a cook who prepares the meals each day in the kitchen at Temple Emanuel on Connecticut Avenue from which teams leave with the prepared food.  In order to volunteer as a driver or visitor you must be over 18 years of age, have a valid driver's license and have current auto insurance.  Because we have frail and vulnerable clients, volunteers may be subject to a background check.

Please contact Meals on Wheels of Wheaton (Kensington)at 301-942-1111 if you are interested in knowing more about this program or would like to volunteer.  There is also an opportunity to make a donation to the organization which will help defray the cost of meals.

Note About SOME Food Donations

Holy Redeemer Parish normally donates casseroles and fruit to SOME, a D.C. organization that fights hunger, poverty and homelessness. Since the pandemic began, SOME has not been able to accept prepared food. 

Parishioners can continue to support SOME through a monetary donation: https://www.some.org/give/donate-now-old-donate-page


We will collecting the monthly fruit donations for SOME on Second Thursday of the month. Please bring the fruit to the upper level of the main church side entry from parking lot by 9am. (SOME has indicated they prefer apples/oranges to bananas.)

The remaining schedule for the year:
April 8, 2021 - apples  
May 13, 2021 - oranges  
June 10, 2021 - oranges  
July 8, 2021 - oranges  
Aug. 12, 2021 - oranges  
Sept. 9, 2021 - apples  
Oct. 14, 2021 - apples  
Nov. 11, 2021 - apples  
Dec. 9, 2021 - apples  

An email for casserole cooks will communicate any updates for prepared foods.
 
Please contact Kathleen Neary (kathleenseiler@hotmail.com) with any questions.


Please contact HR's SOME coordinator, Kathleen Neary, at kathleenseiler@hotmail.com to be added to the email list for updates about our donations to SOME.

The recipe: Beef Noodle

2 lbs ground beef

(2) 28-ounce cans of chopped/diced tomatoes (with juice) 

(2) 16-ounce cans of peas (drained)

(2) cups of elbow macaroni®

2 teaspoons onion flakes 

            • Brown meat in Dutch oven and pour off fat

            • Add tomatoes with juice and onion flakes and bring to a boil

            • Add macaroni and boil until soft

            • Add drained peas, then cool

            • Pour into aluminum pan and cover with foil. Freeze.

Macaroni and Cheese 

2 cups elbow macaroni (measure out 2 cups dried, then cook it)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (warmed in microwave)
2 cups sharp cheddar
 
9x13 pan
oven at 350
Melt the butter over medium heat.  Blend in the flour.  Cook 2-3 minutes while stirring.  Take pan off heat and add milk slowly.  Cook and stir until thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add cheese slowly.  Mix with macaroni.  Bake 350 degrees until bubbly and brown (about 30 mins).

 Fruit and FROZEN casseroles must be left inside the lower chapel entrance by 9am the 2nd Thursday of every month. They may be left anytime after 6:45am.

Holy Redeemer parishioners donate food on the second Thursday of each month according to a prescribed menu.  There is an ongoing opportunity for parishioners to donate food and deliver it to the SOME kitchen once a month.  Food is left at the church lower level by donators and is then transported to the SOME kitchen in DC.  Parishioners can also make cash donations to the program, which has served Washington DC for over 40 years.  For more information contact Kathleen Neary at  301-946-5698 or Kathleenseiler@hotmail.com.     

Parishioners bring food on the first Sunday of each month for the St. Camillus Food Pantry in Takoma Park, Maryland.  Food is left at the back of the church under the steps leading to the choir loft. 

MOST NEEDED FOOD ITEMS: 
Masa Corn Flour, Vegetable Oil, Oatmeal, Fruit, Iron fortified Cereal, Rice, Black /Red Beans. Canned Tomato products, Tuna fish, Pasta, Spaghetti, Sugar, Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut butter and Jelly

 The food is distributed to those in need by the staff of the Pantry. 

Cash donations can also be made.  Pre-addressed envelopes are located in the vestibule of the church.  For more information please contact Meg McKenna at meg.mckennarn@gmail.com or 240-601-4929