Good Shepherd 2021 Lenten Drive

From Ash Wednesday until Easter, Good Shepherd will conduct a Lenten Drive. As part of our alms giving this Lent, we will be collecting food for COTS in Appleton. Because Chilton does not have a homeless shelter, we have referred homeless people to this shelter in the past. COTS is an organization founded in 1998 by the late Father Orville Janssen, a Catholic priest. It retains much of its Catholic direction today.

COTS is a transitional shelter for over 60 homeless individuals on a daily basis. It consists of a men’s, single women’s, single mothers with young children, young adults, and veterans pro-grams. It is more than just an overnight shelter. COTS provides training and placement services so that residents have a successful transition to safe and stable housing.

Collection bins will be at each church entrance during this drive. Right now, COTS most critical need is food. Food that the residents can easily prepare on their own with limited facilities. Such things as hot and cold cereals, peanut butter and jelly, canned soups, canned tuna/chicken/ham, canned pastas and stews, canned fruit, fruit cups, cereal and granola bars. These items enable the residents to easily function on their own in a limited way. “Meal Ministers” provide three hot cooked meals during the week.

The COVID pandemic has created a need for hand soaps, nitride gloves, hand sanitizer, spray cleaners, laundry soaps, and similar items. Our parish has always been generous with such causes. Homelessness is the most dire situation a person can find themselves in during this time of year.

“He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.” –Proverbs 22:9