Each Advent, Gesu "plants" a Christmas tree near the east altars and invites parishioners to trim this Advent Mitten Tree. The first Sunday of Advent marks the start of our annual-sharing project for the home with gifts of warmth: new mittens, caps, scarves and gloves for homeless children and adults of several shelters for Milwaukee’s homeless and victims of domestic violence. Since 2002, we have also planted a Haiti Children’s Tree, which parishioners decorate with bars of soap, toothpaste and brushes, underwear, shoes and socks, and hair clips and ribbons for the children of St. Jude, our twin parish in Haiti.

Parish volunteers assist with Spiritual Exercises retreats as retreat companions for persons in homelessness seeking change and growth to overcome homelessness.

Parish volunteers provide lunch monthly to assist persons in homelessness with histories of emotional and/or mental challenges participating in Tender Mercies permanent housing and supportive services.

The Centro Altagracia is dedicated to faith in action; promoting social justice through active collaboration with parishes, community organizations, and individuals and through initiatives that serve the needs of the community as those needs have been identified by the Hispanic community of northern Manhattan. We seek to awaken awareness within individuals of how their Catholic, Christian faith calls them to be aware of the issues impacting their community and to be engaged in action to address these issues. Among the Centro's programs are: Social/Pastoral Ministry Teams that serve as coordinators and catalysts for social awareness and action within parishes; H.E.L.P. (Hispanic Evangelization Leadership Program) that trains young adults for leadership roles within their parishes; and G.R.A.C.E. (Gaining Respect and Awareness through Community Education) which addresses the issue of domestic violence. The Centro also maintains a library of books and DVDs for community use.

The Dominican Outreach Center or Centro Altagracia de Fe y Justicia (Altagracia Center for Faith and Justice) was formed by the New York Province of the Society of Jesus in response to the unmet needs of the Dominican community of the Washington Heights area. In a period of slightly more than one year the Centro Altagracia has been able to make incredible strides in establishing itself in the community through its work with the ten parishes of the North Manhattan vicariate, various community organizations, and elected officials.
 

Since 2007, Project Homeless Connect is a one-day event held at Creighton that serves as a "one-stop shop", connecting homeless individuals to needed services, including: housing, healthcare, legal resources, Social Security, food-stamp benefits, and employment. Creighton University President Fr. John Schlegel who has served as chair and host of the event noted in 2010: 330 individuals were provided housing information, 80 moved into housing, more than 100 have received new dentures, and 540 received some form of health care-related service and of those 80 percent receiving follow-up treatment.

The social ministries are active year-round and open to all parishioners to join in making the social mission of the church the essential and central mission of the parish.  Examples of ministries include: parish twinning with St Jude's parish in Haiti, ongoing social justice eduation programs, and fair trade coffee sales.

Gesu Social Concerns Committee oversees a number of programs to the homeless including a regular Saturday meal program, Sunday breakfast bags. Gesu parishioners also partner with downtown congregations offering shelter and day programs to the homeless individuals and families and Gesu parishioners were instrumental in the establishment of a Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund

Gesu Church is a member of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) – a coalition of area churches, syna­gogues, and places of worship, which provide temporary overnight housing for homeless families at periodic weekly intervals during the year. Volunteers are needed to provide meals and companionship during times when Gesu hosts IHN guests in McAuley Hall.

Midnight Run is a volunteer service program which began in 1988. It focuses on the particular needs of the hungry and homeless people living in the community around Marquette. This program is organized by a coordinating team of Marquette students under the supervision of Campus Ministry. Volunteers serve meals and work in area meal programs and shelters. Service in Midnight Run is meant to challenge students to integrate their experiences with their faith. Midnight Run's philosophy is rooted in the gospel, with Matthew chapter 25 serving as its hallmark. Midnight Run is based on the fundamental belief in the dignity and worth of all persons and strives to cultivate a sense of responsibility for caring for all members of our community.

For over 20 years, the campus ministry program Midnight Run has utilized voluntary direct service (primarily nutrition and meal outreach) as its primary tool to “build relationships, and walk with those who are hungry, homeless, or suffer the consequences of society's unjust structures, honoring the dignity and worth of all.” Through reflection on service Midnight Run seeks to create men and women of service and develop agents of positive social change.

ANGEL TREE ministry arranges for and delivers Christmas gifts for children whose parents are in prison.
Contact: Dan & Brandi D’Orazio, dgdorazio@gmail.com

IGNATIAN HELPERS provide services for those who are recovering from surgery or otherwise incapacitated, including grocery shopping, meals and transportation to physical therapy.
Contact: Norma Hyder, shawgas29@verizon.net

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY PROJECT offers overnight retreats and days of recollection for homeless men and women who are in transition.
Contact: Colleen Moore, cmoore@mdmercy.com and Marilyn Dunphy, mdunphy1974@gmail.com.

JESSE TREE ministry provides warm gloves, hats, sweaters, scarves and other essentials which are given to homeless men and women at Christmastime.
Contact: Norma Hyder, shawgas29@verizon.net

JUSTICE & PEACE: The Justice & Peace Committee is chiefly engaged in education and advocacy. It educates parishioners by circulating materials or organizing events that clarify and advocate the Church's social teaching on economic and political issues that impact peoples and cultures throughout the world. It also identifies particular programs or organizations working for domestic or international peace and justice in which St. Ignatius may actively participate. The Committee organizes monthly sales of Fair Trade coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, and olive oil, as well as periodic collections of groceries for the Catholic Worker Viva House.
Contact: Sharon Davis, nelly6362@aol.com

LOAVES & FISHES prepares and delivers meals and warm clothing to the poor and homeless in downtown Baltimore on Saturday and Sunday evenings from November to April.
Contact: Beth Leonard, bl7010@hotmail.com

MEALS FOR MY SISTER'S PLACE provides and serves lunch twice each month for homeless women and children who participate in programs at My Sister's Place.
Contact: Sue Cashman, susancashman@comcast.net

A group of Gesu parishioners provide and serve a hot meal once a month at St. Patrick’s Hunger Center.

Parishioners help families in transitional housing by preparing and serving a meal and chaperoning an overnight at Visitation Parish.

Volunteers are needed by the St. Vincent de Paul Society to visit and write vouchers for people who live within our parish boundaries for food, clothing, and sometimes furniture. Two members of the group meet with the individual or family, listen to their problems, Social Justice Committee and provide the appropriate assistance. Volunteers also go to Ozanam Inn one Sunday every other month to cook and feed lunch to approximately 300 homeless people. Volunteers also create Thanksgiving baskets to be given to the needy in Blessed Sacrament parish. In addition, volunteers organize an annual Christmas gift drive by erecting a Christmas tree and decorating it with ornaments that have the names of needy children on them. Parishioners are encouraged to take an ornament and purchase a gift. Volunteers collect the gifts and deliver them to the named children. Membership is open to any interested parishioner, and members meet on the first Sunday of every month after the 8:00 a.m. Mass.

This charity provides food, limited medical assistance, showers, and clothing, throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan area. This extensive help is provided to the homeless and poor families. Presently, more than 3,500 hundred meals per day are served in the dining areas of the city. In addition, volunteers of the St. Vincent’s conference of this parish deliver food boxes and bags to families residing in this parish (currently, between 50 to 72 families each week.) We also give vouchers to clients to secure essential furniture; and subject to sever cash limitations, we try to assist in payment of rent, utility bills and the purchase of medicines.

Provides meals, fellowship and outreach every day of the week to homeless and addicted.

The poorest of the poor go to the McKenna Center each weekday to get a mail, take a shower, to get clean clothes, to ask for job and drug counseling and to experience a safe and drug-free environment. The McKenna Center provides or efficiently refers guests to any service a homeless man might need. The McKenna Center is the last daytime drop-in center for homeless men in the downtown Washington, DC area.

Located in 160-year-old Ss. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church parish, the Warming Center is people in mutual service to and with our neighbors, many of who live on the street, and whose realities include addiction, grief, shame, fear, impoverishment and/or mental impairment. Our mission is nurtured by Ignatian Spirituality, which is rooted in the spiritual experiences and writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of the Jesuit order. This spirituality has been developed and adapted by Jesuits and lay people from its earliest beginnings. Today, the core of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola forms one’s relationships with God, one’s neighbor and oneself. The Warming Center offers the space necessary for building up these relationships.