Week of Service

Why a Week of Service?

For 10 years, we have gone into our neighborhoods to serve and address needs, just as our founding Sisters did 375 years ago in Le Puy, France. This year, we will tend to community gardens, clean up riverbeds, cook and serve meals, pack food boxes, clean for families, build community, support unhoused families, and so much more!

In the early years of the beginning of the Sisters of St. Joseph in France around 1650, the Sisters gathered in 3’s or 4’s to live in community and to serve the needs of the “dear neighbor” around them. They would go out into the neighborhood and seek out those in need and do their best to meet the needs of the poor. When they returned to their houses in the evening, they would sit around the fireplace in the kitchen while making lace and they would share what was in their hearts, where they had encountered God’s presence in their ministry that day.

Today, we stand on their shoulders, guided by their support and wisdom, in moving forward their mission in serving our “dear neighbor.”

2025 Service Locations

BREAD OF ANGELS | Saturday, September 20 | 7:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Bread of Angels is a ministry at St. Angela Merici Church tending to the needs of the dear neighbor experiencing homelessness and others who are in need. Every guest is treated with dignity, respect, and compassion. Volunteers will serve by cooking breakfast & lunch, serving, setting up, engaging with clients, and cleaning up. If time permits, volunteers may also bag groceries for families in need. Limit: 10 Address: 585 S. Walnut Ave, Brea, CA 92821 Note: Volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes and a face covering. Anyone with shoulder-length hair is required to wear a ponytail or use a clip. Aprons will be provided.
YARN WITH PURPOSE | Saturday, September 20 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Join with Sisters and lay partners in building community, while crocheting and knitting to keep babies warm. This is an ongoing project. Knitters meet on one Saturday of each month throughout the year. The group will agree on meeting dates and times. Volunteers will have the opportunity to knit/crochet baby blankets and bonnets for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) or other places in need of warm clothing. Limit: 15 Address: St. Joseph Center 440 S. Batavia St., Orange, CA 92868 Note: This project is geared specifically for folks who already know how to crochet and/or knit. Please bring your own supplies. Anyone who feels ill is asked to stay home.
L’ARCHE WAVECREST | Saturday, September 20| 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

L'Arche Wavecrest is a nonprofit that recognizes and shares the gifts of people to create vital, healthy, spiritually rich homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Volunteers will have an opportunity to affirm the dignity of our brothers and sisters with intellectual disabilities by assisting the staff at L’Arche Wavecrest with their backyard makeover and housecleaning. Duties will consist of pulling weeds, trimming branches, sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, etc. Volunteers will enjoy lunch and board games with residents. Limit: 10 Address: Tustin, CA Note: Anyone who is feeling ill is asked to stay home.
HOMEAID OC | Monday, September 22 | 9:00 AM-11:30 AM

HomeAid is a nonprofit that provides shelter for families who are at risk of homelessness. They work to be a vital force in providing dignified services for families who are in need of emergency food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, employment, financial assistance, and other essential needs. While families are away, volunteers will serve by decorating the shelter where families reside for the upcoming fall season. There might be other duties, such as cleaning and making sandwiches. Limit: 10 Address: Orange, CA 92867 Note: Anyone who is feeling ill is asked to stay home.
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OC FOOD BANK (CAP OC) | Tuesday, September 23, | 1:00 PM-3:00 PM

CAP OC seeks to end and prevent poverty by stabilizing, sustaining, and empowering people with the resources they need when they need them. Their food bank unites with communities to end hunger and malnutrition by partnering with 230 local charities, soup kitchens, and community organizations to serve low-income families and individuals. Volunteers will serve the community in need by working on assembly lines packing a variety of food items into boxes that will be provided to low-income seniors. This is a high energy, fast-paced project. Limit: 10 Address: 11870 Monarch St. Garden Grove, CA 92841 Note: Wear closed-toed shoes only. Volunteers will be working in a warehouse. Please dress in comfortable clothes. Must be able to lift up to 32 pounds. Repetitive tasks will be performed.
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE - CLEANING PROJECT | Wednesday, September 24 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Ronald McDonald House Orange County (RMHOC) provides a comforting "home away from home" for the families of seriously ill children receiving treatment in Orange County hospitals. The doors of the Orange County Ronald McDonald House opened in November 1989, and since that time, it has adjusted to meet the urgent needs of families. Volunteers will serve the families by cleaning the communal spaces, such as the inside, outside, and around each of the three floors. This cleaning project will help provide peace of mind for families as they go back and forth between the hospital and work. Limit: 15 Address: 383 S Batavia St, Orange, CA 92868 Note: RMHOC serves families of immunocompromised patients. Volunteers must be symptom-free of contagious illness (fever, productive cough, unexplained rash, etc.) for five days before their service. Anyone needing to cancel, please let Damaris know.
ST. FRANCIS HOME | Wednesday, September 24 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

The Saint Francis Home is a private, non-profit retirement residence for low-income senior women. The home is operated by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and relies 100% on donations and resident income. Volunteers will serve by assisting staff with organizing projects and cleaning common spaces. Limit: 10 Address: 1718 W. 6th St., Santa Ana, CA 92703 Note: Anyone who is feeling ill is asked to stay home.
GOSPEL SWAMP FARM | Thursday, September 25 | 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

A part of the Heritage Museum’s property, this 3-acre urban micro-farm and living seed library provides opportunities for museum visitors to learn about horticulture and sustainable farming, immerse themselves in the Children’s Sensory Garden, and the restoration of the natural flora and plant species of the region. Volunteers will serve by working on the farm planting winter crops in the community garden, which provides families with an opportunity to grow sustainable and healthy produce. There will also be planting California native plants/flowers and working on art projects. Limit: 20 Address: 3101 W Harvard St., Santa Ana, CA 92704 Note: Volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes. Hats and sun protection clothing is strongly recommended. Gardening gloves will be provided.
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE - FAMILY ACTIVITY NIGHT | Thursday, September 25 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Ronald McDonald House Orange County (RMHOC) provides a comforting "home away from home" for the families of seriously ill children receiving treatment in Orange County hospitals. The doors of the Orange County Ronald McDonald House opened in November 1989, and since that time, it has adjusted to meet the urgent needs of families. Family Activity Night brings the families of the house together for fun! Volunteers will serve by interacting with the families and assisting with setting up, facilitating the activity, distributing prizes, and cleaning up after the activity. Limit: 15 Address: 383 S Batavia St, Orange, CA 92868 Note: RMHOC serves families of immunocompromised patients. Volunteers must be symptom-free of contagious illness (fever, productive cough, unexplained rash, etc.) for five days before their service. Anyone needing to cancel, please let Damaris know.
ORANGE HOME GROWN FARM | Friday, September 26 | 9:00-11:00 AM

This community urban farm aims to increase access to education around locally grown food and reintroduce the local community to the opportunities of local farming. Volunteers will serve by engaging and working alongside others who help provide urban farming education to the neighborhoods around them. They will have a chance to connect with nature and enjoy the garden while assisting staff in maintaining the farm by harvesting, planting, weeding, separating seeds, and more. Limit: 20 Address: 356 N. Lemon St., Orange, CA 92866 Note: Volunteers must sign a waiver ahead of the volunteer date. An orientation and assignments will be given at the start. Bring your garden gloves.
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION - SANTA ANA RIVER CLEAN UP | Saturday, September 27 | 9:00-11:00 AM

Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. The North Orange County chapter encompasses cities in the Santa Ana Watershed area. Volunteers will serve by walking through the Santa Ana Riverbed picking up any trash that has found its way into the river before it heads to the ocean. Limit: 10 Address: Huntington Beach, CA 92646 Note: Volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes and long pants as they will walk through tall grass and weeds.

Week of Service

Why a Week of Service?

2025 Service Locations

Registration