Respect Life Ministry: Our mission is to stand for Life and defend the dignity of Human Life from Conception to Natural Death. We gather monthly to inform, educate, and act on important life-related issues. We have several programs that allow us to be a witness of Life in various areas. If you are interested in attending the 40 Days for Life Campaign, a local or national March for Life,  a Life Chain, a pro-life event. Or maybe be part of the Walking with Moms in Need program and help organize our Baby Closet for our monthly baby supplies giveaway, participate in our Breakfast with Babies, our annual Baby Shower or interact with local Pregnancy Centers. 

Please consider joining us, there is a place for everyone!  Let’s remember what read in Jeremiah 1:5, “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart”.  Together we can build a culture of LIFE and a civilization of LOVE.

St. Vincent de Paul: The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organization that aspires to live the gospel message by serving Christ in our neighbors in need with love, respect, and hope. We meet, pray that we can see His face in those we visit, and discern the very best way to help our brothers and sisters. We have a place for you if you would like to join our conference. If you are comfortable going into the homes of those in need, or would you rather answer the voicemail line to relay messages to members, attend local meetings, or write up info to share with the parish? Please consider joining us at a meeting to hear more about SVdP’s mission to help our neighbors through discerning financial assistance, providing referrals, and sharing prayer. 

Emergency Groceries: We read in Matthew, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” This is the goal of emergency grocery ministry. We do not want to ever find out that someone was hungry, and had no food. Should you decide to volunteer in this ministry, you will be contacted via email, and asked to select and provide certain food items, for four weeks. The need is never predictable, but the procedure will be explained each and every time an email is sent out. Please consider signing up. 

Aurora PADA Staff: SJN volunteers also prepare and serve breakfast and dinner, once a month, on the second Thursday evening, or Friday morning at Hesed House.

As a helper at Hesed House,  you will work on the breakfast shift from approximately 4 AM until 7 AM, making and serving breakfast.  The dinner shift runs from 5:45 PM until 8:30 PM, warming up dishes and serving the guests. People on this shift most likely would only do it every other month as there are a number of volunteers currently helping with this shift.

Aurora PADS Drivers: Drivers arrive at St John Neuman on the second Thursday of the month at 4:45 to pick up all the food donations. They then deliver these donations to Hesed House in Aurora. 

Neumann Needlers. Do you enjoy knitting or crocheting or would like to learn? Join us on the 1^st Monday of the month, September- June, froma 9-11 am to provide handmade item for those in need in the community.

Northern Illinois Food Bank. Much of the donated food needs to be inspected, sorted and packaged before it’s distributed to our hungry neighbors. Your help as a volunteer is greatly needed. Last year, food bank volunteers donated more than 136,000 hours of their time, the equivalent of 65 full-time employees. We have reserved 20 spots at their Geneva location, on the 3^rd Thursday of the month,  from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to volunteer. Join us as an individual or invite your family and friends, and serve together. Register in the form below.

Prison Ministry: Are you called to bring the Hope and Love of Our Lord Jesus to our imprisoned brothers and sisters? We minister at the Kane County Jail. Please sign up to receive information on our next Training Workshop Session.

Holiday Food Baskets – SJN provides food in a form of “baskets” 3 times per year during Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter. Volunteers are needed during that time to assemble, sort and deliver food to different agencies in our community. If you would like to be part of this ministry, register today in the form below and someone will contact you shortly with details.

Giving Tree:  We have a tradition here at St. John Neumann to outreach our community with gifts during Christmas.  We meet a couple of times beginning in September to plan for the event.  Agency Leaders oversee a group for a particular agency by helping to organize,  sort, count, pack, and check off gifts on master lists and oversee shopping for missing gifts.  Commitment: 1-2 meetings and 2-3 hours for sorting day, once/year. Volunteers are also invited to plan and help organize the Kick-Off event, held in November. As well as sorting and counting gifts during the Collection Weekend.

Blood Drive – 4 times a year a Blood Drive takes place in conjunction with St. Patrick Parish, with location alternating between St. John Neumann and St. Patrick Crane Road. Volunteers are needed to help with donor calling, promotion, registration, food, and donor guidance at the drive. Register below if you would like to be part of this ministry. To donate blood stay tuned to our bulletin for the dates of the Blood Drive!

Lazarus House—Volunteers prepare or purchase specific food items and deliver them to the homeless shelter at 3rd and Walnut Streets in St. Charles or they can help staff the shelter overnight.  Our parish helps on the 1st, 4th, and 5th Wednesday of each month.  Commitment: Volunteers choose which dates are best for their schedule. 

Holiday Food Baskets – SJN provides food in a form of “baskets” 3 times per year during Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter. Volunteers are needed during that time to assemble, sort and deliver food to different agencies in our community. If you would like to be part of this ministry, register today in the form below and someone will contact you shortly with details.

Literacy Tutor –  Would you like to make a difference in the life of someone in our community? Volunteers help an adult learn English and adapt to our community. You do not need to know a second language or have a professional teaching background to impact their lives. You will get guidance and support when you need it. Experienced tutors are glad to share what they have learned. Sign up below to receive information about the next training workshop, there are opportunities to serve with Literacy Volunteers of Fox Valley or at the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora.

Domestic Abuse Ministry – Our mission is to inform our St. John Neumann parishioners on ways to recognize, prevent and respond to domestic abuse with compassion. We are called to offer HOPE, HELP & HEALING to all harmed by abuse by being first responders and referring people to the proper services available to help them. We gather on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am. If you would like to be part of this ministry, please register below. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233.

Peace & Social Justice – This ministry is organized to respond to the Church’s call to safeguard and enhance the dignity of every human person, especially the poor, the dispossessed, the marginalized, and alienated members of our society. We need volunteers to serve our immigrant brothers and sisters in the Refugee Resettlement Program in our Rockford Diocese. Use the form below to register.

Rosary Ministry – On the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., we gather to make rosaries and to pray! All materials are provided. If you would like to help us spread this Catholic devotion, by making rosaries in our community, please register! Our Blessed Mother is asking us to Pray the Rosary daily.

Habitat for Humanity – Many volunteers are needed to improve the living conditions of our neighbors, together we can give them the chance to live in affordable and safe homes. Opportunities are available to work with a local family in the construction of their new home, to work at the Habitat for Humanity Restore office in Elgin and to put your photography and web designing talents in action. Please register below for this important ministry!

Family Peace Ministry – A family that discovers and experiences both the joy of having a gift and of being a gift for the Church and society, “can become a light in the darkness of the world”. Would you like to learn skills and values to promote PEACE in your family? Would you like to be a part of a ministry that helps build strong and healthy families in our St. John Neumann community? Join us!