DESALES SERVICE WORKS

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1 Summ A SERVICE MATTERS The Annual Newsletter of DESALES SERVICE WORKS 2014 DSW Summer Interns Evan and Emma ran a sports camp for kids in Northgate Park during the summer of The Needs are Many Every year one of the teachers at our parish grade school organizes a trip for students to visit the Jersey Shore. Even though most places in Jersey are within an hour drive from the ocean, half of the kids have never been to the beach! And at least half have never been to Philly except on school trips! Philadelphia is so close you can walk across the Ben Franklin Bridge or take the subway over and back for $2.50. If your world, your horizon, is small, you may not have perspective to evaluate things clearly. It likely contributes to the school dropout rate: 60 to 70 percent of Camden kids do not graduate high school. Obviously, you can be a good person without an education, but employment options will be limited Here the drug trade draws in many young people with its quick money, sense of belonging to a team, and tough-guy mentality. But everything about that business constricts horizons. Dealers hustle day and night, nose to the grindstone. Neighbors have to look the other way to continue on with daily life. Addicts ingest chemicals that create an anesthetized euphoria within their heads, so that they become self-centered, skinny zombies focused only on getting high. Whatever neighborhood or mental condition, it can be easy to lose perspective. DSW s Four Pillars- Addressing Needs in the Community PRAYER - SERVICE - COMMUNITY - SALESIAN SPIRITUALITY DSW is a ministry of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Salesian Prayer A group of volunteers from Georgetown Visitation take a break from work to pray for peace at a memorial where two teenagers were killed in 2012 St. Francis de Sales promoted a practice designed to maintain a healthy horizon that he called the Direction of Intention. It involves simply taking a moment to step back and offer whatever we do to God. It is an act of trust that whatever we face, God is present, and there is good to be accomplished, benefit to be found. Nothing is small in the service of God. My God, give me the grace to perform this action with you and through love for you. In advance, I offer to you all the good that I may do and accept all the difficulty I may meet therein. DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 PAGE 1

2 New Staff! In order to implement our plans of growth, DSW is happy to announce the hiring of two new staff members! Mike Morgan began at DSW as a Service Year Volunteer in 2010 after graduating from Virginia Tech. The Summer Intern program was created and coordinated by Mike in With the new role of Director, he will oversee the operations of DSW Camden as well as the expansion of DSW to Wilmington and beyond. Ready to Work! Walsingham Academy from Williamsburg, VA on a Service Retreat 2014 A Year of Growth for DSW Where We ve Been The Oblates started DSW to further LIVE JESUS! by being a presence in underserved communities. For the past five years, DSW has connected volunteers with the needs of Camden. What started with a Service Retreat center in 2009 grew into a program hosting year long volunteers and summer interns. That means yearround DSW is a center of activity and energy in the neighborhood, providing meaningful experiences to volunteers while meeting practical needs in the neighborhood. Where We re Going Wilmington and Beyond Father Mike McCue Spiritual Director neighborhood as we have in Camden. As a ministry of the Oblates, DSW seeks to have the greatest impact possible throughout the entire Oblate Province. Through the hiring of new staff members Mike Morgan and Zach Ryan, DSW is now positioned to not only grow its Camden roots, but to expand to include other Oblate apostolates. DSW began as a staff of one in Camden, and will grow to include several future locations. With the opening of a second DSW ministry in Wilmington, we hope to bring the same service opportunities and impact on the surrounding Mike Morgan Director of Operations Zach Ryan has brought volunteers to Camden from both Oblate schools he taught at, Bishop Verot in Florida and Salesianum in Delaware, where he currently works. Over the past six years as a volunteer coordinator, he has led over 100 service and mission trips in the US and Haiti. He will coordinate and provide additional DSW service opportunities in Wilmington. His passion and experience are an excellent addition to the staff! Zach Ryan Wilmington Coordinator DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 PAGE 2

3 service Prayer Community Salesian Spirituality Service Year Volunteer Program DSW Service Year is about giving a year serving others, living as a community, praying, and giving focused attention to the spiritual aspect of life. Year-long volunteers are recent college graduates, young people on a non-college career path, or students taking a gap year. They direct their energy and passion to give a year of direct service, which often shapes their careers. The year begins and ends each August. The Four Pillars of DSW are Pr ayer, Ser vice, Community, and Sales ian Spir ituality. Each pillar is important to forming consciences that lean towards the needs of others. Everything we do at DSW is based upon these pillars. We strive to live simply and find Christian service to be very rewarding. By living as a deliberate community in the context of a struggling neighborhood, we are committed to impacting the wider community while we LIVE JESUS! Benefits of a Service Year: Professional Work Experience Spiritual Formation Four Retreats throughout the year Connection to the Oblate network $175/month stipend Room & Board Health Insurance through CVN Your Service Year placement could be working at: Youth Education Center: Working with teenagers who dropped out of high school to help get them back on track to pursue college or other careers The youth learn website design skills and goal setting Family Service Center: Reaching out to families who have experienced violent crime. Service volunteers conduct life skills classes such as anger management and conflict resolution for grades 1-8 at Holy Name School Healthcare Facility: Provides healthcare for the homeless Legal Office: Offering neighborhood legal aid, focusing in the area of domestic abuse and immigration Homeless Shelter: Accommodating 75 guests and a variety of social services Catholic Grade School with a variety of positions available for teachers, coaches Ready to Apply? March 15 First round of Applications reviewed. Applications are accepted until all spots are filled Applications can be found on our website: DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 PAGE 3

4 Wall Mural by DSW Summer Interns Tim and Maddy in Photo by Maddy Mudd Summer Intern Program Bishop Ireton and University of Wisconsin students organize donated coats Supporting DSW DeSales Service Works relies on financial contributions from our supporters to ensure we can continue to meet the needs of those in our communities and provide meaningful retreat experiences. Delivering service Our incredible volunteers serve in the neighborhood with great passion and at times, a bit of muscle and sweat. We want to make sure that these volunteers have the tools and materials needed to maximize their contribution of time and energy. Your financial donations pay for materials such as the rakes, trash bags, paint, and cleaning supplies we use to enhance the physical appearance of our community. Hosting our retreat guests The DSW House on State Street in Camden is a special place that our retreat groups call home while in Camden. It currently can house 20 guests and has a full kitchen, dining room, living room area, chapel and DSW offices. Your contributions help us maintain this space and make it safe and comfortable for our guests. Funds will also be used to prepare our Wilmington location for guests. Donate Using your credit card or automatic bank transfer, make an online donation to DSW via the Oblates site, be sure to note DSW in the comments section. ONLINE DONATION Or Send your check to DSW at 522 State Street Camden, NJ The Intern Program is designed for students who want an in-depth service experience that a shorter service trip doesn t allow. Summer Interns will: engage in practical service together; learn about issues of social justice in an American inner-city context.; and have a specific project to complete. Whether you are artistic, good with a camera, or enjoy being a positive presence to kids, you will make an impact on someone s life while serving in Camden! Summer Intern Details: 6 Week Program, May 30 July 13 Applications Due April 1st 2014 Live, serve, and pray in community Ministry placement based on your gifts and community needs Summer Interns jump rope with campers in Northgate Park DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 PAGE 4

5 Thank You! Since opening in 2009, DSW has hosted thousands of volunteers who come to serve and learn in Camden. Many are high school and college students who travel from various parishes around the country. Some come for a day while others participate in week-long Alternative Break trips. Retreat Participants in 2013 Bishop Eustace NJ Bishop Ireton VA Boy Scouts of Camden Diocese Cristo Rey Philadelphia The Dolson Family- MD Father Judge High School Philadelphia Georgetown Visitation D.C. Holy Family Parish DE Holy Infant Parish NC Immaculata University PA James Madison University VA Morrisville College NY Niagara University NY Our Lady of Good Counsel VA Our Lady of Victory D.C. Padua Academy DE Rivier University NH Rowan University NJ Salesianum School DE St. Joseph s University PA St. Patrick s Parish MA Teens Against Poverty DE Temple University- Philadelphia U. of Wisconsin-Madison WI Villanova University PA Walsingham Academy VA University of Wisconsin on retreat during Holy Week in 2012 Service Retreats Bringing two worlds together through service Service Retreats offer people of all ages the opportunity to get away, reflect, pray and serve people in need. All retreat themes are rooted in the core teaching of St. Francis de Sales and involve direct service, facilitated reflection, presentations on Catholic Social Teaching, prayer and opportunity to celebrate Eucharist. Volunteers live, cook, and pray together in our accommodating Service Retreat center. Why do we serve? Low income, inner city neighborhoods provide particularly clear service opportunities. Volunteers come to do much-needed, practical service in a very poor community. They do alley cleanups, serve at soup kitchens, chat with the homeless, help kids with homework after school, and much more. Reflecting at days-end helps put service into a Christian perspective. The DSW-Camden house is located in a lively, immigrant neighborhood on a block with eight church and service related organizations. DSW Service Retreats provide an opportunity to deepen a Christian vision in order to more readily recognize need and the power of Christian virtues wherever we find ourselves. FAST FACTS In the last quarter of 2013, DSW hosted 632 3,600 who served volunteers a combined hours of service! DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 PAGE 5

6 SERVICE MATTERS Northwind Traders 4567 Main Street Raleigh, NC DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 Contact Us DSW/Oblate Upcoming Events Keep in touch with DSW through these upcoming events Table and Talk Series Once monthly potluck gatherings to hear different speakers discuss the background of Camden s political history as well as future plans for development. Dates TBA, check the DSW website! Live Jesus! Annual Oblate Event / March 15 in Vienna, VA Come and reflect on The Salesian Spirit of the Jesuit Pope. This years theme is Francis & Francis: Living the Gospel Today. Takes place at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, begins at 8am. Sign up is on the Oblate website: Summer Intern Welcome Cookout/ June 1 Annual community gathering to celebrate summer and welcome the next group of DSW Interns who will serve for six weeks in the neighborhood. When you meet the needy your heart grows bigger Pope Francis DESALES SERVICE WORKS 522 STATE STREET CAMDEN, NJ (215) DSW@OBLATES.ORG LIVE JESUS! DESALES SERVICE WORKS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2014 PAGE 6