Community Service Spotlight

We recently partnered with Catholic Charities Eastern Washington to enhance our schools’ service opportunities. We secured a bus and named it the “Volunteer Express.” To launch the project, we hosted “Leading and Learning by Example,” a service event for the principals and leaders from many of our sixteen Catholic schools.

“Leading and Learning by Example” was an opportunity for our schools’ leadership and volunteer coordinators to tour Spokane and learn about many different Catholic service opportunities, including the new Gonzaga Family Haven. We hope to increase our students’ involvement with the community around them. To do so, we are offering the “Volunteer Express” to our schools for transportation!

We are excited to welcome our Catholic school leadership to be the first to ride the Volunteer Express! Teachers boarded the bus a few weeks ago to learn more about Catholic Charities and how it is strengthening the community around us Moving forward, every Catholic school that partners with Catholic Charities Eastern Washington (CCEW) for service learning opportunities will have access to the bus for transportation to/from CCEW programs for volunteering at no charge! A well-rounded Catholic education includes preserving the dignity of our most vulnerable neighbors and caring for the community. We are very happy to announce this new opportunity for our Catholic schools.

Summer’s for Service

For the past eight years, Cataldo Catholic school has hosted “Summer is for Service and Fitness”, twice-weekly community service opportunities, and once weekly fitness activities. Annually the program has welcomed an average of 20 students 6th grade and up to serve the Spokane community. Janet Maucione, teacher and religious ed director for 24 years, developed the program in partnership with Cataldo where she currently works. The program is four weeks long. The Summer is for Service group partners with CAPA, 2nd Harvest, and St. Margaret’s Shelter to sort donations, help, and clean. The students also participate in volunteer chores for low-income senior citizens who need help around their homes. In between service days, students enjoy games, sports, instructed activities, and even professional American Ninja Warrior training! Offered through Cataldo, the program is open to students from any school. We appreciate our teacher’s extra efforts to serve during the summer, thank you, Mrs. Maucione!