Welcome to the February 23, 2022 edition of Just 3 Things, the weekly social action newsletter of the Office of Human Life & Dignity. If this email was forwarded to you, and you'd like to receive it each week, please click here. 

Melissa Vlach
Social Justice and Digital Media Coordinator
Office of Human Life & Dignity
Archdiocese of San Francisco

Next Wednesday we observe Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, which also begins the annual Rice Bowl program for Catholic Relief Services. Rice Bowls can be picked up at participating parishes and schools and incorporated into the Lenten tradition of almsgiving.

Those who prefer to donate online can visit our donor page to make your gifts. Donations to the Rice Bowls support CRS's work around the world, with 25% of the funds staying local to support hunger relief.

St. Mark Parish in Belmont hosted its first breakfast to support the Excell Network scholarship program on Saturday. The event featured Daisy Gonzalez as the student speaker and gave parishioners and students in the program a chance to meet and build relationships.

Future breakfasts will be hosted on the third Saturday of each month as part of the parish's social justice efforts.

The Victory Noll Sisters Small Grants Program has begun a new funding cycle for 2022. The grants of up to $1,000 will again be open to Catholic groups implementing programs around caring for creation.

This year there will be a priority for applications implementing the Laudato Si' Action Platform and/or engaging in the Synod on Synodality in a way that involves creation care, with certain additional prioritized areas. The application deadline is May 2, 2022. Two groups in the Archdiocese received grants from last year's cycle to support their Laudato Si' efforts.