Merry Christmas from Passaic!

We are grateful for so much this Christmas!  Some anonymous donors shared a Christmas Jar with us.  Are you familiar with Christmas Jars?  They present an opportunity for folks to share their blessings.  Here's what ours (which contained about $75 in donations) said: "Please accept this Christmas Jar in the spirit that it is given, with an open heart and an opportunity to share our blessings with you.  Everyone needs money, everyone needs love and everyone needs hope.  It is truly amazing all that can fit into one Christmas Jar:  One Jar, One Birth, One Savior."  (Go to www.christmasjars.com for more information about this wonderful project.)  Thank you, donors, for our Christmas Jar.

We had the opportunity to celebrate with some of our women during the week before Christmas (and we'll continue the celebration as we note the arrival of the Three Kings in January.)  We'd like to share a slideshow of "The Week Before Christmas" with you.  Click here to view it.  Please note that all of the decorations and gifts you see in the photos come from generous donations.  We are grateful to the donors.  Additionally, we are grateful to all of you for your support during our first three months.  You are in our prayers.  We are taking a few days off for the holiday and will re-open on Thursday, January 2.  We look forward to sharing 2014 with you. 

Coming Soon: Wellness Wednesdays

In response to the stated needs of our women, we will deepen our partnership with the Community Health Education Department of St. Mary's Hospital, Passaic, to offer "Wellness Wednesdays" beginning January 22.  Preventive health care, nutrition and access to health care are three of the many topics that will be covered in this weekly series.  We continue to be grateful to the folks at St. Mary's Hospital, who have assisted in this ministry from its inception.  In order to be effective and efficient, health care in the 21st century must move beyond the walls of buildings into the community being served.  Through this partnership, we hope to assist in growing a healthier Passaic.

Thanks for another fine article in The Beacon

Yesterday's edition of The Beacon, newspaper of the Diocese of Paterson, NJ, contained a great article about last week's meeting of Bishop Serratelli with the religious superiors of  the Diocese of Paterson and the subsequent visit to the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women.  We are very grateful to editor Rich Sokerka, reporter Cecile San Agustin and photographer Joe Gigli -- and everyone  at The Beacon -- for their great work and support of our mission.  Click here to link to a pdf of the article.

November Numbers

We are so grateful to our volunteers, who served 140 hours during the month of November!  Additionally, during November there were 84 visits by women and 32 visits by children.  We continue to thank God for all of our collaborators in this ministry and for the graces of working together in Passaic.

Online Donations Now Accepted

We have added a "Donate" button to the blog to make it easier for our friends to support us financially.  To access the blog and find the online donation button:
1.  Go to womenscenterpassaic.blogspot.com
2.  Click on "Donate" under the heading "Support Our Mission."
3.  Follow the directions:  Either use your PayPal account or click on "continue" under "Don't have a PayPal Account?" to use your credit card or bank account.

If you have any problems with this online donation process, please contact Sister Ann Marie at sam@patersondiocese.org or at (973) 470-0844.

As always, donations are also accepted by "snail mail" or in person.  Our address is:  Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women, 153 Washington Place, Passaic, NJ  07055.

Thank you and may God bless you for your generosity.