Outreach Ministries: Serving the Community

Serving the community can take many forms. From picking up a stray piece of trash or helping your neighbor bring in their groceries to working at a soup kitchen or going on a mission trip. Sometimes the community we are serving is close to home and sometimes it's on the other side of the world. Below you will find information on volunteer opportunities to help our parish community, our Golden/Jeffco community, and our Archdiocesan community. We also have information about current collections as well as a list of organizations and programs our parish helps support. If you have questions, please call the Parish Office at 303-279-4464. If you are looking for a list of resources please click here for those in the Denver Metro area.

“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

— John 13:35

How you can Help

Homebound Visitation Ministry

The Homebound Visitation Ministry is a chance for ministers to “bring St. Joseph” to those who cannot come to Mass at St. Joseph. Whether the person is elderly, very ill, or unable to attend Mass temporarily due to surgery, an accident, etc., these ministers can bring Holy Communion, the bulletin, palms from Palm Sunday, Ashes from Ash Wednesday, and much, much more. The homebound visits can continue until the person is well enough to come back to Mass on their own. This gives the person who cannot come to Mass a chance to know they are not forgotten by our parish. Please reach out to Terri Huff to help with this ministry.

Outreach Volunteer Ministry

This ministry serves our volunteer needs at off-campus events. This may include off-site service projects, attending community outreach events, or helping fellow parishioners (by providing a meal, visit, driving them to a doctor’s appointment, helping seniors with yard maintenance/snow removal, or helping with a move). There is no need to commit to every event, just the ones that fit into your schedule and abilities. If you feel called to help, please join the Flocknote group “STJG Outreach Volunteer Ministry.” This is a ministry we are just starting to grow, so it may be awhile before volunteer opportunities are sent out.

Prayer Request Ministry

Join our prayer request ministry by joining the group “STJG Prayer Request Ministry” on Flocknote or by using the form here. The ministry prays for the intentions brought to us and is a wonderful opportunity to help others from the comfort of your home.

Helping Hands Hustle

Since 2011, the we have organized the “Helping Hands Hustle” 5k race in Golden. Funds raised from this annual event help to fund the CAG and Golden Rescue Fund. Volunteers are needed to help with setting up for the race and handing out water, and of course you can help by participating in the event which, while traditionally held September or October, will probably be rescheduled to spring 2022.

Family Promise Dinners (suspended, but in need of grocery gift cards for the families in the program)

St. Joseph's Catholic Church is part of the Golden Family of Churches Health Ministries which provides meals for families that are sponsored by Family Promise of Greater Denver. Family Promise of Greater Denver is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization independently associated with a national organization comprised of more than 200 affiliates in 42 states. Family Promise partners with diverse congregations to provide shelter, meals, and hospitality to families experiencing homelessness.

St. Joseph's is responsible for providing four meals per year. For each meal, volunteers provide a dinner item, as well as sit down and visit with the families. We usually provide a meal for approximately 15 to 20 people. The meals are served between 5:30 to 6:00 pm at the Seventh-day Adventist Church gymnasium. If you are interested in this ministry, please join the "STJG Family Promise Dinners" group on Flocknote.

Food Collection Bins (please support the food pantry by leaving non-perishable food items on the table by the Office door)

Our parish collects food for the CAG on an ongoing basis at all the entrances of the Church. CAG provides assistance to all Golden residents and the parish office may refer our Golden resident parishioners when they are in need. Wondering what to donate? Some of the most requested items by food banks include applesauce, rice, canned beans, canned chicken, and olive or canola oil. When possible, choose cans with pull-top lids and avoid glass jars.

King Soopers Community Rewards

King Soopers has recently rolled out a new Community Rewards program where you can help St. Joseph’s receive a portion of King Sooper’s generous donation to our community by registering you SoopersCard (King Soopers rewards card). Please see here for instructions on how to sign-up. We use the funds collected through this program to help support the CAG and Golden Rescue Fund.

How to Sign-up for the King Soopers Community Rewards Program

Jail Ministry (suspended)

The Jail Ministry serves the spiritual and religious needs of Catholic inmates in our local county jail, as well as other inmates seeking to know about the Catholic faith and way of life. We provide this service through volunteers ministering in correctional facilities by leading Bible studies and sacramental preparation. This ministry also helps to supply the jail with Bibles, prayer cards, and other Catholic religious materials. Please contact us if you are interested in joining this ministry.

Soup Kitchen

The Catholic Worker Soup Kitchen serves its guests a nutritious mean consisting of soup, bread, salad, dessert, and a beverage and it does so with the dignity and respect to which we are all entitled as human beings. The guests are men and women who are generally unemployed or employed in low-income jobs and may be homeless. Every second Wednesday of the month, parishioners meet at the Education Center at 9:00 am to carpool to the Denver Soup Kitchen. Please join the "STJG Soup Kitchen" group on Flocknote to connect with this ministry.

St. Joseph Collections

We have regular collections at the Parish where we collect items to be donated to those in need. Please see below (or watch the bulletins) for information on current collections. In general, we collect socks and shoes during Lent to benefit Soles4Souls, Christ in the City, and the Catholic Workers Soup Kitchen; school supplies in June and July to benefit Catholic Charities, CAG, and the Action Center (Jeffco); diapers and layette/maternity items in October along with a Baby Bottle Drive to benefit Birthline, Alternatives, and Catholic Charities of Denver (Marisol/Gabriel House); and toys and gifts for seniors during November and December to benefit our local nursing homes and the CAG Santa Shop.

Respect Life Ministry

For people who are interested in Pro-Life activities at our parish and in our community. We’ve recently “rebooted” this ministry and are actively welcoming new members. We meet the second Thursday of the month. Whether you want to stay on top of current legislation, pray the Pro-Life Rosary here or in the community, help with collections that benefit local organizations like Gabriel House and Marisol Health, or just get to know other parishioners who are interested learning more about what it means to respect life as a Catholic, we hope you’ll join us for our next meeting. Please join the Flocknote group “STJG Respect Life Ministry” to connect with this ministry. You can learn more here.

stewardship in action

Graphic showing stewardship at our Parish, local community, wider archdiocese, and the world

The Poor Box

Funds from the Poor Box (located on the wall near the window of the Cry Room) support the following:

Golden Rescue Fund - administered by the Golden Police Department and Calvary Episcopal Church, the Fund serves our community by providing assistance with food, bus passes, gas, and prescription assistance. The program no longer provides help with emergency lodging since our previous provider stopped offering lodging.

CAG - since 1966, CAG has been provided “crisis” assistance to the residents of Golden through donations and sales from their Thrift Shop. They operate a Food Pantry as well as a Back to School program, which helps with school supplies, and a Santa Shop, which provides Christmas gifts to children in need.

Collections, Donations, and Fundraisers

Throughout the year, the Parish and our ministries and groups support the following:

Gabriel House (Catholic Charities)

Respect Life Month Layette Collection in October

Golden Salvation Army

Bell Ringing in December

Action Center

School Supply Drive in June/July

Knights of Columbus

Peaches (benefits Seminarians)
Tootsie Roll Drive (benefits the Campaign for People with Intellectual Disabilities)
Pancake Breakfasts (benefits St. Joseph)

Local Nursing Homes