Marist High School in Bayonne, New Jersey is proud to educate a large group of students who desire to serve in a variety of ways throughout each school year. From volunteering at local hospitals, senior citizen centers, community gardens, and churches - to bringing the message of Christmas to local elementary schools - the students of MHSB have a true heart for service. For this event, they were inspired by the three areas surrounding the National Day of Service: ‘Refugee and Migrant Children’; ‘Displaced and Vulnerable Children’; and ‘Unreached and Underserved Poor Children’. There are projects and events planned that highlight each area:

 

 

1. In solidarity with serving ‘Refugee and Migrant Children’, Marist Bayonne has paired up with the Catholic Charities of the Arch-Diocese of Newark to have students collect household goods needed by Syrian refugee families who continue to migrate into the community. The chapel will be converted into a sparse apartment to help our students visualize what these families are met with when they arrive, and then they will be asked to fill it. The project will be announced on February 22nd and run through March 27th.  The apartment will then be “furnished” with the donations students bring in throughout the month, which will then be prayed over during a Prayer Service on March 29th and delivered that afternoon.

 

 

2. In solidarity with the ‘Displaced and Vulnerable Children’, the school will pairing with “Pennies for Patients” where they will be making 200 cards of encouragement to give to children suffering with cancer. During the month of March students will also be ‘competing’ in “Penny Wars” to raise money for Childhood Cancer Research.  These donations will also be prayed over during the schoolwide Prayer Service and delivered that afternoon.

 

 

3. Finally, in solidarity with those ‘Unreached and Underserved Poor Children’, Marist Bayonne will continue their year-long service at the Hillside Foodbank on March 13th. Sophomore students will participate in a Hunger Banquet before heading out to sort and package food and supplies for families in need.  Both the Freshmen and Senior classes provided this service earlier in the year, and Juniors will have the opportunity before the year ends.