Employees at Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton Gives Back to the Community

Faculty and staff members from Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton spent the morning of January 6, 2014, giving back to local community organizations during the Schools’ second annual Director’s Day of Service. Over 250 individuals participated and collectively gave 750 hours to 12 nonprofit organizations.

Rolling up their sleeves, working with their hands, and collaborating with colleagues and service organizations, Sacred Heart employees put many of the Schools’ core values into action as they worked with local organizations that are focused on helping underserved populations or working to protect the earth’s resources.

“Fostering an education that leads to a social awareness that impels to action is a foundational principle and a core value of a Sacred Heart education,” said Richard A. Dioli, director of schools at Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton.  “It’s important for us to teach our core values to our students, but most importantly, it is to live them ourselves."  

Sacred Heart Schools employees volunteered their time and expertise in 16 different community projects with 12 different nonprofit service organizations throughout Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Redwood City, and San Carlos.  Highlights include:

• Tearing down and moving sheds and organizing materials for the Catholic Worker House in Redwood City to make more room for their weekly food donation program;
• Sorting food donations at Second Harvest in San Carlos, as well as preparing food to serve to the homeless at Street Life Ministries in Redwood City;
• Transforming open space in Palo Alto and removing invasive plants along a local creek and planting indigenous floras in its place with Acterra;
• Working and visiting with the elderly at the San Carlos Adult Day Center in San Carlos;
• Reading and singing with children who are a part of the free preschool program for low income communities through Family Connections in San Mateo County.