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Outreach & Justice Ministries

Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's Faith in Action Team
 

Caring for someone with memory loss can be both isolating and exhausting for family members. THESE FAMILIES NEED YOUR HELP! Belonging to a Care Team, you only give the time you can when you can because there are several of you to share the role of helping the family. The average volunteer offers just 2-3 hours per month. The team provides non-medical support and friendship. All volunteers are offered training and continued support from the staff at Eddy Alzheimer’s Services. If you would like to receive more information about a St. Edward’s Faith In Action Care Team Program either to volunteer or to request information on receiving assistance from a team please contact the coordinator directly.​

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Contact:

Mary Coleman

Phone: (518) 238-4167

Email: mary.coleman@sphp.com


Birthright
 

Birthright is available to assist any young woman distressed by an unplanned pregnancy. Volunteers listen nonjudgmentally and support lovingly. Services include free and confidential self-administered pregnancy tests; referrals to medical, mental health, social services and adoption providers; layettes and essential baby items; and emergency funds. New volunteers are always welcome into our “family.”

 

There is a pretty, white bassinet in the gathering space of church. The following items may be left in the bassinet: new or gently used baby clothes up to 12 months, receiving/crib blankets, infant towels/washcloths, sleepers, undershirts, booties/socks, sweaters, hats/mittens, baby powder/lotion/shampoo/wash, diapers (Newborn, Size 1, 2, 3, or 4), baby wipes, diaper rash cream, rattles or small infant toys (new only). Monetary donations can be left at the parish office. Thank you and God Bless.

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Hours: Monday thru Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or anytime by appointment.

 

Contact:

Birthright, Inc. of Saratoga County

Susan Barry, Director

1490 Saratoga Road (Rt 50)

PO Box 661

Ballston Spa, NY 12020

518-430-7922

ballstonspa@birthright.org


Care Links & Community Outreach

 

Trained volunteers provide supportive services, at no cost, to persons 60+ in the towns of Clifton Park, Halfmoon, Mechanicville and Malta. Friendly visiting, transportation, respite care, light housekeeping, yard work, shopping and errands, telephone assurance, information and referral handy helping.

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Contact:

Bob & Carol O'Connell

Phone: (518) 371-8210


EMBRACE (Efficient Meal Brigade And Compassionate Efforts)
 

EMBRACE (Efficient Meal Brigade And Care Engine) is a new St. Edward’s ministry offering assistance to families and individuals who are facing difficult circumstances. Our goal is to ease the burden on people who are dealing with family crises by providing meals and offering support through our parish community.

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​We all need a little help now and then. Here’s our chance to EMBRACE someone who could use a hand.

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Contact:

Mary Jo Brue

Phone: (518) 371-7372 ext 223

Email: maryjo.brue@stedwardsny.org

 

Beth Lee

Phone: (518) 877-7501

Email: leebee880@gmail.com


Emmaus Project (Cohoes Community Meal & Mary's Corner)
 

The Emmaus Project is a St. Edward’s outreach effort focused on inner city Cohoes in collaboration with other Christian Communities and agencies. It is located at the United Church of Cohoes and includes Food and Clothing Support, a Community Meal once a month and Mary’s Corner, a support group for young mothers:


Cohoes Community Meal

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The Cohoes Community Meal is a once-a-month community meal prepared for and provided to the community and members of The United Church of Cohoes. This generally takes place on the fourth Saturday of every month. The food is prepared and served in the Social Hall of the United Church in Cohoes. Volunteer’s alternate months cooking, preparing and serving up to 250 meals. There is a diverse population who come to break bread. To participate is indeed a blessing for all those who volunteer.

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Contact:

Mary Ann Sekellick

Phone: 518-371-7372 x224

Email: maryann.sekellick@stedwardsny.org

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Mary's Corner

 

Mary’s Corner is an outreach program which provides support for children ages newborn to three years of age and the adults who care for them, all of whom are residents of the City of Cohoes. Mary’s Corner provides baby items including but not limited to clothing, blankets, formula, baby food, diapers and wipes, strollers, body wash and shampoo, toys and books. Volunteers meet at Mary’s Corner one morning per month on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 9:00 AM to noon. Please contact Mary’s Corner liaison at St. Edward’s, Mary Ann for further information.

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Contact:

Mary Ann Sekellick

Phone: 518-371-7372 x224

Email: maryann.sekellick@stedwardsny.org


Fair Trade
 

Members of this ministry volunteer once a month as available to sell fair trade coffee, tea, and chocolate bars to parishioners after all Masses. Purchase of these fairly traded products assists small-scale farmers in third world countries to build a better future for themselves and their families as they receive a fair price for their crop, allowing them to stay on their land and send their children to school. Any profit St. Edward’s makes from the sales of these items is donated to the Limerick/Peru Mission. Volunteers are needed to assist with sales and create marketing materials and signs.

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Contact:

Inge Peyron

Email: peyron1@yahoo.com

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Steve Valenti

Phone: 518-649-2764


Nurses Program
 

Faith Community Nursing, also known as Parish Nursing, is a practice specialty that focuses on the intentional integration of the practice of faith with the practice of nursing so that people can achieve wholeness in, with and through the population which the faith community nurses serve.

 

It is important to note that faith community nurses are not expected to provide patient care in the church or at a patient’s home but rather to be a source of referrals for services in the community.

 

Faith Community Nurses serve in several roles, including:

 

Health Counselor

Assists individuals and families understand and cope with health-related concerns. May visit with parishioners in their homes, in hospitals and long term care facilities, or at established times in a parish office.

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Health Educator

Provides and arranges presentations, programs and discussions on health-related topics in an effort to promote the understanding of the relationship between lifestyle, faith and health.

 

Referral Source

Facilitates the connection of parishioners with resources and support services in the parish and surrounding community.

 

Facilitator

May coordinate volunteers and support groups within the parish.

 

 

PARISH NURSING ACTIVITIES AT ST. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR CHURCH

 

The Parish Nurses have been active here at St. Edward’s since 2001, offering monthly blood pressure screening, annual flu clinics, health education material and organizing the annual American Red Cross blood donor drive.

The nurses also offer their service to support the Pastoral Care Ministry and partner with the Knights of Columbus to bring Health Education Programs to our community.

 

Monthly Blood Pressure Screening Clinic

Coordinator: Maureen Norris, RN

 

Health Education Promotion

Coordinators: Maura Kenny, RN and Joanne Denovio, RN

 

Pastoral Care Support

Coordinator: Becky Crowley, RN

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Contact:

Maureen Norris, R.N.

Phone: (518) 541-2068

Email: rnorris@nycap.rr.com

 

Addie Burkitt

Phone: (518) 406-5215

Email: adelinejb@me.com

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St. John's / St. Ann's Welcome Table
 

St. John’s/St. Ann’s Outreach Center, a diocesan run facility, is located in the south end of Albany. One of their many services is Welcome Table which is held each Tuesday and Saturday. On the 2nd Tuesday of each month, St. Edward’s provides a full course meal for 200-250 people. On the Monday previous to serving day, a group gathers in St. Edward’s kitchen to begin food prep. On Tuesday we meet at St. Edward’s, car-pool, and transport the food to Albany. There we complete the food prep, set up tables, serve the meal restaurant style, and clean up. Those of us who serve feel a great deal of gratification from our work and sometimes wonder who has gained the most from this experience, those we serve or ourselves.

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Contact:

Dolores Bobersky

Phone: (518) 878-6831

Email: twaitt@nycap.rr.com


R.E.C. (Residents Encounter Christ)
 

It is the mission of the R.E.C. program to serve the Lord by encouraging the prison population in our Diocese to become more active Christians during and after incarceration. Several parishioners from St. Edward’s participate in the R.E.C. ministry at Coxsackie Correctional Facility and other facilities throughout the Albany diocese.

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Contact:

Charles Burre

Phone: (518) 371-2899

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Anne Wasielewski

Phone: (518) 860-3753

R.E.C. Website

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Visits to Homebound & Medical Facilities
 

We have many parishioners that are homebound, in nursing homes and in hospitals that would welcome a visit and to receive communion during their time of illness or infirmity. Local hospitals and nursing homes are visited in a regular(Beacon Point & Schuyler Ridge) and on an on-call basis. Training is provided.

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Contact:

Mary Ann Sekellick

Phone: 518-371-7372 x224

Email: maryann.sekellick@stedwardsny.org

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Birthright
Care Links
Embrace
Emmaus
Fair Trade
Nurses
St. John's
REC
Visits to Homebound & Medical Facilities
Cohoes Community Meal
Mary's Corner
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