How do you help others?
This Winter 2018 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine highlights works that Catholic schools, parishes and parishioners are doing to help the poor and vulnerable in their communities. As she traveled throughout Vermont covering some of these stories, Content Editor/Staff Writer Cori Fugere Urban asked people just how they help others. Here are their answers.
Fran De Gasta, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Norwich:
I help raise funds. I help with the needy and the veterans in the Upper Valley and in the Norwich area as well as provide gifts for the children and families that are in need.
Emily Benz, Christ the King/St. Anthony Parish, Burlington
My mom is a kindergarten teacher at a school in the Old North End of Burlington, and I tutor her kids in math skills and in reading. And they are all immigrant children.
Rachel Guyette, junior, Rice Memorial High School, South Burlington
I volunteer at St. Joseph’s Home in Burlington. I help out in the kitchen, I serve food to the residents, and I help with preparations for Mass.
Rita Glidden, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Middlebury
I’m a volunteer here at Middlebury food shelf at HOPE, and I am very blessed to be here. It makes me more aware of not judging people. It has helped me tremendously to count my blessings that I before took for granted. I get so much from coming in and satisfaction of going out of here feeling like I’ve done something.
Jon Sines, teacher, St. Monica-St. Michael School, Barre
I think that teachers enter the field for a goal of helping others from the get-go, and I feel here, teaching at a Catholic school, I’m really able to help students as best as I can — a wide variety of students through multiple different grades with smaller class sizes.
Deacon Richard Anderberg, Our Lady of Mercy Church, Putney, and the West River Missions
I visit those that are in nursing homes and the imprisoned at the Springfield prison and those in hospitals.
Cole Young, St. Augustine Church, Montpelier
In my community I help by collecting for the local food shelf. It’s a big help for the church and the community because we don’t have too many volunteers.
Barry Emerson, Our Lady of the Valley Church, Townsend
I am involved with our local hospital as a member of the board of directors, a position in which I can advocate for the ill. And I work at the local food shelf on a regular basis feeding the hungry.
—Originally published in the Winter 2018 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.