Contact: Delis Alejandro  | 310-566-1530  | 

It's time for St. Monica Holiday Outreach! We have wonderful ways for you to share your holiday spirit and joy this season with our neighbors in need. Check out the opportunities below to contribute to our volunteer for Share the Season (Adopt-a-Family & Stockings for Singles), the Angel Toy Drive, and the St. Joseph Center Holiday Party. 

Gift giving has little to do with money and everything to do with expression. The most meaningful gifts can be something handmade, time spent with a friend, a simple act of kindness, or helping those in need. God has given each of us gifts and resources to serve others.

This Advent, St. Monica Catholic Community offers many ways you can share your gifts with individuals and families in need of comfort and joy. Visit our Holiday Outreach teams in the Grand Pavilion after all weekend Masses December 2–3 and December 9–10.

Adopt-a-Family & Stockings for Singles

For over 30 years, St. Monica parishioners have brightened the holidays for families of the St. Joseph Center,
a multi-service community agency in Venice that assists low income and homeless individuals with emergency food, employment services, homeless support services, mental health services, and much more. Last year, St. Monica parishioners donated holiday gifts and meals for 1,000 people! Share the joy of the holiday season with a donation
based on family size from 1–10 people.

How does the program work?

Adopt-A-Family

You can donate money that is used to purchase gift cards for the program's recipients. We provide St. Joseph Center with the funding to purchase gift cards and distribute to the families. This is more of a "Secret Santa" program that provides St. Joseph Center recipients with the independence to choose perfect gifts for their children and enjoy a festive holiday meal.

This year, you have the option to provide us with the donation you want to give and we pick the family that you support or you can stop by our table after mass December 2-3 and December 9-10 to choose the family you wish to support. We will also have a binder with family profiles at the Caruso Center Reception Desk during office hours. 

Stockings for Singles

St. Joseph Center also has many other programs such as vocational programs - programs for seniors where the clients are on their own. These single clients at holiday time are provided with stockings that include a market/food card. Donors from St. Monica provide the funds towards this market/food card.

How much should do we donate?

For Adopt-a-Family St. Joseph Center recommends donating $50 towards each child for a gift and meal card and $25 for each adult. For example, a family of four with two adult parents and two children has a recommended donation of $150.

For Stockings for Singles, your donation will be $25 per person for the purchase of a grocery gift card.

We ask that all donations towards the families or singles be in by December 17.

How do I actually donate funds?

• Donate online at https://stmonica.net/holidayoutreach 

• Donate by cash or check at our Parish Office (every day but Sunday) or the Holiday Outreach Table after mass. We are in the Grand Patio.

• Send in a check made out to "St. Monica" including "Share the Season" on the memo line. Please drop off your check at the Caruso Center Reception area or mail it to the Parish. Our mailing address is St. Monica Catholic Community, 725 California Avenue, Santa Monica, 90403.  ATTN: Share the Season.

If you have any questions please contact us in the office. You can call or email us:

Delis Alejandro   (310) 566-1530

Layla Alvarado   (310) 566-1543

Click to Donate Online

 Angel Toy Drive

Each year St. Monica collects toys for local schools—Muir, Grant, Edison, McKinley, Will Rogers,
and Covenant House (a shelter for runaway teenagers and their babies). We welcome toys and gifts for children, male and female, ages 5–11. Bring toys after weekend Masses through December 10.

Be An Elf! Help us collect, sort and asseemble gift packages for children in local schools.

Contact Delis to help out 

St. Joseph Center Holiday Party

Saturday, December 16

11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Auditorium

Click to Volunteer as an Elf

St. Monica will host the annual St. Joseph Family Center Holiday Party. Our auditorium will become a hub of energy as over 300 children and their parents enjoy carnival games, a tasty lunch, music, an exciting raffle, and a visit from Santa! Many elves are needed to assist with hospitality, parking, running games and craft projects, serving food, and taking photos.

Thank you, Shelly Aydin and the St. Joseph Center family, for allowing us to host this wonderful event again. Here is hoping we get to do it all over again next December!