Holiday Appeal, 2015

Dear Friends,

The holidays are a festive time for our guests at Catholic Worker Hospitality House. As in years past, we kicked off the season with our annual Thanksgiving Dinner. It felt like a vision of the heavenly feast with hundreds of folks joining in to create and participate in a bountiful feast—some cooking, others setting-up and decorating the hall, others helping to serve, everybody enjoying the delicious food, and still others coming in late to assist with clean up. To see so many people together sharing how and what they are able, is really a beautiful sight.
Now we’re preparing for our Christmas celebrations: trimming the tree and decorating the shelter, and, of course, preparing for our big Christmas celebration on Wednesday, December 23. We will also have special meals for the shelter guests on Christmas and New Year’s. But we’re not the only ones spreading the joy during the holidays. Our guests are kept busy going from one feast to another—this group serving a lovely dinner, another distributing gifts. The generosity of the season is amazing and our guests are the grateful beneficiaries.
But come early January, the party will be over and it’ll back to “normalcy”: and the harsh realities of life. For those working, it’s back to making ends meet, trying to maintain their housing and meeting basic needs. For our guests who are on the streets, it’s the hardest time of the year; cold weather and winter storms makes living outside not only uncomfortable, but oftentimes dangerous.
Although the parties will be over, Catholic Worker Hospitality House will still be there. While our holiday events are anticipated with great relish, it’s our daily presence of the dining room, showers, and homeless shelter that are most needed and appreciated by our guests. We will be there in the cold and dark of January, and throughout the year, with plenty of hot food, strong coffee, a warm bed, dry clothing, sleeping bags, cold medicines and much more….and hopefully all will be served with a warm smile and loving heart.

We’re able to host festive holiday events as well as feed, shelter, and care for those in need in our community throughout the year because of your generous support. We thank all of you who made our Thanksgiving Dinner a bountiful feast, and hope you will help us bring cheer to our guests this Christmas and throughout the coming year.

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Peter Stiehler
For all of us at
Catholic Worker Hospitality House

CHRISTMAS DINNER NEEDS
Can you help us host our annual Christmas dinner for our guests by cooking part of the meal? We need:
–Ham, cooked and carved, enough for 10 people
–Potato dishes
–Milk or juice
–Cookies, pie, or cake
Please bring food donations between 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 23. We will be serving the meal between
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. that day. Food can be brought to our dining room at St. Bruno’s Church, located at 555 W. San Bruno Ave. in San Bruno. Please call us at (650) 827-0706 if you can bring anything or if you have any questions.
Thank You!

GIFT IDEAS
If you’re interested in providing a gift for one of our guests, may we suggest the following: sweatshirt, thermal underwear, hat and gloves, socks, or underwear. Whether homeless or housed, our guests spend a lot of time in the cold and would appreciate any of these items. Gift cards are also very much appreciated, especially for places where folks can pass the time: coffee houses, restaurants, movie theaters.
We thank you for your generosity in helping to make this holiday season special for our guests.

HOUSE NEEDS
Coffee, creamer, and sugar
Dish soap, disinfectant, and cleanser
Trash bags (all sizes)
Cold medicine
Shampoo and Conditioner
Money, for our ongoing expenses