The Peace and Social Justice commission of St. Michael’s parish exists to put the Christian values of the beatitudes into practice. Our objective is to reach out to our neighbors in need through charity within our parish, our town, the greater community and the global community, when possible.

Please contact Mrs. Beth Chase at 413-525-2075 if you are interested in getting involved.

Our areas of activity are:

• Parish food pantry – services our parishioners on a weekly basis. Other parish assistance is also available.
• Open Pantry of Springfield – weekly food donations as well as donations of clothing.
• Can and Bottle Drive – three times a year. This money is used to provide our young adults with assistance to visit and work in a third world country, or in a poverty stricken area of our country. This is usually done through the college they are attending.
• Thanksgiving baskets for all who request them (approx 30 last year).
• Children’s Christmas gift giving project – Gray House, Springfield. (Gifts for 120 children).
• Family Christmas gift giving project – Homework House – Holyoke (Gift cards for approx. 100 families).
• Christmas food and gifts for approximately 30 families from our area.
• We have also assisted with families moving from shelters to transitional living, furnished their apartments, provided food, start up bills etc; we were able to provide four rooms of furniture to four families moving into homes.
• Through funding from the Knights of Columbus, we were able to build a ramp for a child in Springfield so she could get to school.
• There are many other ways that people are assisted through St. Michael’s.