Serving the World

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Outreach

St. Andrew’s has robust outreach offerings that serve our neighbors right here in Norfolk as well as neighbors all over the world. We frequently offer activities for the entire church including food drives for the Foodbank of Southern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, collecting presents for the Friends of Foster Care, packing Meals with Rise Against Hunger, hosting a Winter Shelter for our unhoused neighbors, and many other parishioner-led efforts. Here are some of our efforts:

  • The Outreach Committee: This ministry oversees our outreach programs in the community and determines grant support for organizations such as The Food Bank, Ghent Area Ministries, ForKIDS, and more.
  • Norfolk Winter Shelter: Partnering with houses of worship all over Norfolk, we open our parish hall to our neighbors experiencing homelessness to provide a warm meal, a safe place to sleep, and a breakfast.
  • American Red Cross Blood Drive: St. Andrew’s participates with 5 other Ghent area churches in hosting a bi-monthly blood drive on a rotating schedule.
  • Catholic Worker Sandwich Ministry: On the Friday before the 4th Saturday of each month, parishioners make and drop off sandwiches for distribution to those who receive food from the Norfolk Catholic Worker. We also have opened up our kitchen to them to help them prepare other meals to serve our neighbors
  • LGBTQ Cooking Ministry: Approximately every two months, a group of St. Andrew’s cooks get together to cook delicious meals to help support those in need in the LGBTQ community. Growing out of our AIDS Ministry that started in the late 1980’s, this group ensures that the queer community in Norfolk knows that God loves them, and we love them.
  • Laundry Love: Laundry Love is a once-a-month event where we provide paid laundry cards, dryer sheets, and snacks for patrons of the Soaps and Suds Laundromat on Colley Avenue. It’s a simple way to love and serve our neighbors that makes a big difference.
  • Rise Against Hunger Meal Packing Event: In the last 12 years, St. Andrew’s volunteers have packed over 150,055 meals to share overseas to combat food insecurity.
  • Creation Care: A team of dedicated parishioners have planted a native plant butterfly garden and worked to help us think about our environmental impact as a church.

To learn more about any of these groups, please email admin@standrewsnorfolk.org.