Carmelite Home Service Project

The Carmelite Home is a facility that provides housing and special care for children who are in Foster Care for either a short or long term basis. Today, over 90 children, from infants to eighteen year olds live at the Carmelite Home for Girls.

Though it is designated as a home for girls, there is a great need for foster care in our county so the Carmelite Sisters expanded the home to offer emergency placement services for boys up to about the age of 10 years old.

Our monthly service project is for teens in middle and high school to offer support for these children and show them that other people care about them.

February 25, 2012 Permission Form

March 17, 2012 Permission Form

April 21, 2012 Permission Form

May 19, 2012 Permission Form

What do we do when we volunteer?

Our goal is to make one afternoon a month fun for the children ages 3 - 10 years old that live at this foster home.

If the weather is nice, we play games outside with the children.

If the weather is cold or rainy, we plan a variety of indoor activities including arts and crafts, painting, or other games.

During some visits we plan themes for the activities, like creating an Indoor Olympic Sports Competition during the time when the children were watching the Winter Olympics on television. Other themes included a Passion play during Lent, the story of Christmas, Noah's Ark or other biblical stories.

How long is the service project?

The project occurs one Saturday per month for 3 1/4 hours.

We meet at the parish office at 12:45 p.m. and return to the parish office parking lot by 4:00 p.m.

What do the Teens say who volunteer?

In response to the question, "What was your favorite part of volunteering?, the teens replied:

• The kids and how their faces lit up when they saw us.
• I loved the story-telling and helping with the paintings that the kids made.
• My favorite part was doing the arts & crafts and talking to my buddy.
• "My favorite part of this service project is: All of it! Leaving was too sad.

How do I sign up to volunteer?

• Pick up a permission slip in the parish office. The permission slips will be available for pick up approximately two weeks prior to the event date.
• Call the Service Project Coordinator, Teri Maurer, at 219-789-9641 to get your name on the volunteer list.
  NOTE: It is absolutely necessary to call the Coordinator so that enough drivers can be arranged for the car pool to get to the Carmelite Home.
• If your parent is able to drive and is Virtus trained, please ask them to contact the Coordinator.
• Return the signed permission slip either to the parish office or bring it with you on the event date.
• If something comes up and you are unable to attend after getting your name on the list, please contact the Service Project Coordinator prior to the event date.
• If you need service hours documented, please bring your service hour form with you on the event day for the Coordinator to sign.
• Feel free to invite a friend to join you for this service project. They will also need to complete a permission form and contact the Coordinator to get their name on the volunteer list.