Brown Bag Lenten Project
About
This is our Lenten service project that allows us to pray for and give alms to Houston-area organizations.
Have Questions?Donate to the Brown Bag Lenten Project
During Lent, individuals and groups may pick up a brown bag each week and buy items for the assigned charity of the week.
You are also welcome to donate online.
Donate OnlineOpportunity to Serve
Pick up a Brown Bag at the completion of Ash Wednesday Services or after Mass the following weekend through March 9th or you can your own bag. Brown Bags with booklets are located at every Church exit and in front of Mercy Center.
Additional questions and volunteering opportunities, please contact Ana Garza-Ibarra (aibarra@pophouston.org).
Read the booklet! The complete instructions are there for you.
During the first four weeks of Lent, leading up to Holy Week, pray for the “Charity of the Week”. Learn about how these charities serve people in need – those who are poor, sometimes those who are poor in spirit, who are lonely or sad.
At the end of each charity’s designated week, select an item(s) from their list of needs and place your donation(s) in the brown bag and bring them to the drop-off locations: front entrances of the Main Church or the front of Mercy Center. Volunteers will be available to accept your donations.
Click here to sign up to volunteer- The last days for returning your bags are Saturday evening March 15th or Sunday, March 16th before or after Masses.
Approach Holy Week with a feeling of accomplishment, knowing that our Father in Heaven is well aware of your sacrifices and your mercy for other people!
Rejoice on Easter Sunday for a Lenten journey that was well done, worthy servant of the Lord!
2024 Charities/Ministries
St. Dominic Village is the only Catholic senior care facility in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. They have provided a welcoming and safe home for nearly 30,000 residents since 1975. St. Dominic Village is a non-profit, continuing-care retirement community dedicated to Caring for Our Elders with Compassion of Christ. St. Dominic Village is a member of the Texas Medical Center and a ministry of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. They provide a seamless continuum of care comprised of short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing care, assisted living, independent living, the Joseph A. Fiorenza Priest Residence, and respite care services. We serve approximately 300 long-term and 300 short-term residents each year.
St. Dominic Village Needs
All New Items Needed
- Blankets (single bed)
- Small Blankets (throws)
- Large print bibles
- Crucifixes (10-12 inches, wall hanging)
- Pull-over hats and scarfs
- Warm up tops and bottoms
- Slippers
- Reusable water bottles (transparent)
- Socks
- Rosaries
- Linens (single bed)
- Pajamas (all sizes especially medium and large)
- Self-adhesive labels
- Grippy socks
- Black and white journals (no wire binding)
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Mouthwash
- Q Tips
- Cotton Balls
- Shampoo
- Shave Cream
- Lip Balm
- Razors
- Baby Wipes
The Mission of Yahweh offers shelter and many lifechanging programs focused on ending the cycle of homelessness and dependency. The goal is to take a holistic approach to the restoration process for the residents. Many programs and tools are put to use to help their residents move forward in life. These include, but are not limited to, case-management, spiritual counseling, classes in financial management, parenting, job readiness, and character building.
Mission of Yahweh Needs
All New Items Needed
- Bottled water
- Masks for women & children
- Large disposable gloves with no powder
- Clorox wipes
- Disinfectant Spray
- Hand Sanitizer
- Laundry
- Disinfectant/Sanitizer
- Shower shoes/flip flops, sizes 6 – 10
- Canned vegetables, size 10 cans
- Condiments (Ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings, honey)
- Coffee/Tea
- Sugar & Creamer
Camp Hope provides interim housing for our Wounded Warriors; veterans and their families suffering from combat related PTSD in a caring and positive environment. The facility opened in 2012 and is located in a quiet and safe setting in Houston, allowing veterans and their immediate family members to find healing, help, and hope while benefiting from an intensive peer support and Center and a ministry of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. They provide a seamless continuum of care comprised of short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing care, assisted mentoring program for post-traumatic stress (PTSD). Traditional counseling is combined with job placement assistance with the end goal of embracing our veterans as they seek the rewarding and fulfilling lives they so richly deserve. living, independent living, the Joseph A. Fiorenza Priest Residence, and respite care services. We serve approximately 300 long-term and 300 short-term residents each year.
Camp Hope Needs
All New Items Needed
- Pancake Mix
- Pasta
- Grits
- Milk
- Peanut Butter
- Toilet paper
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Trash Bags (55 Gallon)
- Plastic Utensils
- Paper Plates
- Napkins
- Binders 1”
- Highlighters
- Dry Erase Markers
- Coat Hangers
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B
- Gloves
- Beanie Hats
Arms Wide is a non-profit, no-fee foster care and adoption agency that works in conjunction with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to provide permanent, loving families to children in foster care who have been removed from their biological homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. Arms Wide is proud to provide a full range of care, including foster care, foster care adoption, post-adoption and kinship support services, all at no cost, to support children and families throughout their journey to permanency and beyond to ensure each family’s long-term health and success. Established in 1977, Arms Wide has connected more than 2,250 children with forever families during its 46-year history and provides life-changing support to more than 1,000 children and their families each year.
Arms Wide Wish List
All New Items Needed
- Gift Cards to Target, Walmart, or Amazon
- Diapers, Sizes Newborn to 4
- Pull-Ups 2T-4T
- Baby Wipes
- Baby Toiletries, culturally sensitive
- Underwear
- Socks
- Full-size Deodorant
- Hair Care Items for Natural Black/ Curly Hair
Volunteer for the Brown Bag Lenten Project
All are encouraged to volunteer and donate. Families are welcomed to volunteer to staff the “donation baskets” the each of the 4 weekends in Lent after any weekend Mass.
Volunteers help accept, sort and pack the donations for each non-profit organization.
The four Sundays of Lent, volunteers may sign up to collect and sort donations after Mass(es).
Because you will be able to make a difference in people’s lives by providing essential items and food to those in need.
If you are 18 years old and above, our archdiocese requires all adult volunteers to complete safe environment training.
This short one-hour online training teaches people how to create a secure and protected environment for everyone, especially children, by recognizing and preventing potential risks or harm.
Click here to register for Safe Environment Training.
Contact Us
Mercy Center Office
Manuela Rodriguez (Bilingual)
Mercy Ministry Receptionist
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."