Sacred Heart Greenwich celebrated its annual day of service November 16.  Across four sites with over 60 volunteers, the service day encourages students, faculty, and families in the Sacred Heart community to pursue Sacred Heart’s Goal Three, “a social awareness which impels to action.”  Sacred Heart initiated the day of service last year to honor the Bicentennial of the network. 

The school’s Education to Mission Committee, which helps incorporate service into the lives of the students and organize community service activities at Sacred Heart, directed the day’s activities.  This committee includes Mrs. Susie McCloskey ’84, parent of senior Avery McCloskey and alumna Ms. Margot McCloskey ’14 and Mrs. Maureen Brown, chaired by Ms. Christine Di Capua, with help from Mrs. Kerry Bader, Director of Upper School Social Justice and Service.

The participants of this service day had a choice of four different service experiences: helping in the food pantry at Caritas of Port Chester, an early morning breakfast run into New York City to provide toiletries for the homeless, a “Read Aloud” program with young children at the Don Bosco Community Center, and playing bingo with residents of King Street Nursing Home.

Mrs. Bader discussed the importance of service at Sacred Heart and how she helps to work with different organizations to make this day possible. 

“Community service is a central component of a Sacred Heart education,” Mrs. Bader said.  “By building awareness, we are able to instill in our students a desire to be productive change agents for good in the world.” 

Mrs. Bader facilitates many different community service opportunities for the girls at Sacred Heart and continues to incorporate Sacred Heart’s core beliefs through service work.

“Students of Sacred Heart continue to interact with local and broader communities, including a weekly Saturday program at Don Bosco Community Center, a program at Caritas Food Pantry and volunteer opportunities at the Saturdays at Sacred Heart program,” Mrs. Bader said.

Mrs. Bader talked about the effect this service day has on students, faculty, and families, and what it means to have service as a central component of a Sacred Heart Education. 

“Getting out into the broader community and showing that we care is what Sacred Heart Greenwich is all about,” Mrs. Bader said.  “Knowing that we can come together as a community, to respond to diverse needs in our world, is the essence of what it means to be a Sacred Heart school.  And, here at Sacred Heart Greenwich, we are committed to doing just that.”

Featured Image by Natalie Dosmond ’21